What a show

Again I  must say a big thank you for the very kind hearts, stars & comments on yesterdays blip, tis muchly appreciated, you're a good bunch!

We woke to a winter wonderland this morning - 4" (100mm) of fresh snow had fallen since 3am - with very little wind. Driving up to the ski station there were glimpses of blue sky and it was a balmy 0°C.
We kitted up and headed back into Coire Sneachda which more than lived up to its name (the Coire of the Snows). In the couple of hours it took to walk in we had white outs, black grouse, feet lifting gusts of wind, ptarmigan and increasingly, patches of glorious sunshine.
Our aim had been the wide gully before the Mess of Pottage - but the Lodge had groups working there - so we did some skills on the steep little lateral morraine, diggin a shelter for lunch then teaching M the art of making snow anchors and then committing to abseiling from them.
 As ever when you're absorbed in a task the time flew, but seeing the sun crossing the Coire we packed the kit away, got the crampons on & made our way up the increasingly steep side of Fiacaill Choire Chais - emerging at point 1141 in time to see the sky take on this magical glow. Twenty minutes later we were back in the white room - but by then we already had a warm glow.
Cairngorm fed the soul very very well today.