POINT FIVE GULLY, CAIRNGORMS, WINDY

The team in Point Five Gully

Windy belaying

Taking a break in the breezy weather

Looking up Point Five

Lunch time out of the wind

A bit of blue

Late afternoon sliding

Coire an t-Sneachda, Point Five to the right

Coire Domhain snowholes

Food!

Second day out with the team and today we headed into Coire an t-Sneachda. We headed to Point Five Gully which is a lovely wee gully and always reliable for snow, even in a lean spell. Unfortunately many other winter skills groups had the same idea.! We did some basic snow belays in the breezy weather. It was gusting 50-60mph making for challenging conditions handling the rope and digging snow but at least it was dry. It was getting far too busy withe folk so we put the rope away and headed up the gully to find peace and quiet and some more wind. The snow near the top was much firmer and really nice to move on. For lunch we headed over to 'Snowhole City' for some respite from the winds. Good spots round here for some ice axe arresting to finish off the day. We made our way across a bare plateau and down into a bare Coire Cas. Good fun day out and the guys had a taster of what a Cairngorm wind can be like, although it's usually a cold wind that blows!