10-12th Feb 2010 - Cairngorm Skiing

Whilst Granny & Grandad moved north to look after the kids, Karen & I sped south for several days of skiing at Cairngorm. Pisted skiing, lift queues, and paying to be on the mountain aren't my ideal. but Karen has got right into skiing over the last few years so its a great excuse to at least be in the hills.

The weather these 3 days was mixed, with poor visibilty in particular on the 11th, but stunning clear periods on the afternoons of Weds 10th and Fri 12th when these photos were taken, and with low temperatures and light snow each night the snow was fantastic by Friday.

Weds afternoon was spent on the East Wall of the Ciste Gulley, where there was some powder on a firm base. These photos were taken from the east side of the Ptarmigan Bowl:

Cairngorm Mountain employees working hard

A view over the Ptarmigan Bowl across the mouths of the Northern Corries to the Glen Feshie hills

On the Friday afternoon I skinned up from the top of the Ptarmigan tow to the summit of Cairngorm, emerging into the sun just below the summit to be greeted by dream like scenes of snow, sun and blue skies. I didn't have long, being under instruction to meet Karen after her lesson but got a ski down to about 950m in Coire Raibert before skinning back up to Cairngorm and then descending north and then west back into Coire Cas.

Cairngorm Weather Station with a light coating of rime

A skier arrives on the summit from the west

Amazing powder on the way down into Coire Raibert

Across to Ben Macdui wreathed in snow

Coire an t-Sneachda and the Fiacaill Ridge from the slopes of Cairngorm

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Jason Bonniface, 12/03/2010
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