Avalanche and breakfast

The alarm woke Me at 05.15 then 05.20, I finally got up at 05.25, it sucks having to get up so early on one of my days off, but it was for good reason. I was meeting Andy Munro at 6 at the wall to head over to the Cairngorms. The forecast wasn't great, giving light winds but lots for rain below 600m. That means it should be snowing in the northern corries. The driving rain in the car park didn't deter us form having a look higher up. As you often find better conditions up in the corries.



Cloud base was low but a good path marked the way up. The rain was persistent and a couple of parties passed us on the way down, not usually a good sign. We carried on, even if we didn't climb the exercise was still good for our fitness, thought we were both keen to try The Genie, V 7**. Andy reached the rescue box a couple of minutes before me and was chatting to a group when I joined him. The cliffs, for what we could see, of Coire an t-Sneachda were pretty plastered, and the rain was almost falling as snow.

I'd spotted a couple heading up the goat track, a steep slope to the plateau. Next time I looked up they were sliding, both of them. The snow was moving too and I could hear her screaming through the wind, but no thundering rumble. The avalanche stopped not far from us. Both were ok, a little shaken but in good spirits. A decision was quickly agreed between Andy and myself that the approach slopes in the Coire would be loaded and dangerous, so we deiced to head down for a big breakfast at the mountain cafe, the best option on a day like today. The Genie will have to wait!