The winter of 2006/7 was one of the warmest ever in Britain. Snowdonia was more like raindonia and Scotland was looking unsettled. The lower peaks in Scotland were only holding very transient snowcover. In midwinter we were itching to get out, so off we went up to the Cairngorms in search of snow.
The freezing level was hovering just over 3,000 feet and below this was devoid of snow. Luckily for us the headwall of Coire an T-Sneachda was covered in consolidated snow. With a number of climbers following up behind us we made for the obvious lower couloir of Aladdin's Mirror.
Darren follows up a snow pitch
Darren leads up snow near the top
Iain quickly led up the lower gully which was easy but satisfying. Then I took over on more open ground. At this point our route finding went astray and we went right instead of left. This excursion took us around the base of Pigmy Ridge and into the upper reaches of Central Left-Hand.
