The snow pack was well bonded, but with sections of wind slab. With a bit more snow lower down it would have made for great ski touring up on the plateau. We started in the lay-by just below Drumochter lodge, on the south side carriageway, and then made our way up to Doire Dhonaich. Next on to Meall a Chaorainn via some small features and then through some amazing sastrugi (sharp groves formed by wind erosion) on the way to A'Bhuidheanach Bheag. A few more bearings and a lot of pacing and we found ourselves heading back down a ridge to the Beauly-Denny powerline construction road.
