Fiacaill Couloir - Is this the end of winter?

What a difference from our last visit to Coire an t-Sneachda! We were down to base layers as we sweated our way from the base of the corrie up the start of the Fiacaill Coulior which is hidden away on the side of the Fiacaill Buttress.

From here we weren't too sure of how much snow was in the couloir itself but as a grade II/III we thought it would make a good end to the season (if it is the end!).

As far as we could tell, Central Gully was complete; The Runnel looked bare in the chimney (?), not sure if Central Left Hand, Crotched or Spiral were complete. Jacobs Ladder and Aladdins Coulior (not in picture) looked ok.

Willy, leading the way up to the base of the Fiacaill Buttress.

Almost alpine conitions as Gordon makes his way up the approach slopes to the couloir.

Viewed from the Fiacaill Ridge, which we descend, the couloir looks deceptively steep and patchy, which it was (patchy that is). I remember looking at it last year as we came up the ridge and thought, "What kind of idiots go up there!" Ahem.

Looking back into the couloir from further down the ridge, with Coire an Lochan over to the right.

All in all a hard (for us) but enjoyable day, despite the snow/ice conditions (or lack of in some places), and we managed to stay fastened to the mountain by some means for 99.9% of the time!!!

Hopefully we will make it back next year and climb it earlier in the season!