Cairngorm wanted to submit something for this and came up with the idea of filming my attempt to get some November turns. Unfortunately the weather didn't play ball and by the week of the 12th it looked like it wasn't going to be possible.
However I headed up on the Thursday to scout around and see if I could find any patches remaining from the October fall and came across one in Coire Domhain that would have definitely allowed three turns... then!
Ranger /patroller / and Cairngorm's own Spielberg, Ruari Macdonald, was game to try so we headed up on the Saturday with winds gusting eighty according to the summit station. In the shelter of Sneachda Ruari 'interviewed' me with mike well hidden inside my jacket to try and avoid the wind noise, then we headed up the Goat Track where upon it started to sleet. Fortunately the wind had dropped a bit when we reached the patch but it had considerably shrunk in size since the Thursday !
The unedited footage has gone to the BBC but Ruari has ploughed through it ( in his words ..the 2hours of walking and 10 seconds of skiing
.. )and produced this edit which I was amazed at, as the unedited looked dull and gloomy.
Whether the BBC use it or not, it was a great day, and I was chuffed at getting up and down the Goat Track in ski boots carrying skis, but will be very grateful if someone can teach me how to do jump turns this season .... And here was me thinking that the September patch was going to be the smallest this year
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Helen
