A good bright but breezy day

Richard and I had a pleasnt day sheltered from the SW wind looking at cramponning on steep mixed ground and alpine ropework before lunch on Fiacaill Ridge.
We then had a quick hike over to look at the big crevasses in Coire an Lochain before heading back down to a sunny springlike Aviemore.
The snow had firmed up nicely with climbers in Jacob's Ladder, Aladdin's Couloir, Aladdin's Mirror, Central Gully, The Runnel and Crotched Gully...
Fi's off snowholing with Winchester College report later on her blog...

Alpine skills with Richard

The heavy overnight rain turned to snow this morning before clearing around 10.30 to reveal a fine sunny and surprisingly dry day. Richard is planning to climb Mont Blanc this summer and needed to gain some basic winter mountaineering and winter skills.
The snow was firmer than expected and great for ice axe braking and OK for cramponning on the hard ice and some of the firm snow.  We headed up onto the plateau via the Goat Track for a look at some group snow shelters
Very few folk about apart from George Mc assessing, Sandy P in Sneachda and Fi's Winchester College school Easter camp group in Coire na Ciste.
The Grade 1 gullies are still complete as are a few of the Grade 2's though we didn't see anyone climbing. Surprisingly the Mirror Direct is still complete though hollow and no doubt detached from the rock from what I could see when zooming in!
Still good complete snow cover on the plateau for ski touring away from the corrie rims.