The Sun was optimistically shinning on the Ciste on the way up the road, but clouds were looming above Coire Cas, and they dropped their contents part way up the Zig Zags, with rain on and off for the rest of the way up.

There was however no turning back, being the 1st of August, with warm and at times wet weather forecast for the coming days. A sigh of relief at the first glimpse of snow as we dropped into the Ciste Mhearaidh from above. The rain had cleared and the sun came out to play for a while.

Alan and Helen's 22nd consecutive month of turns on CairnGorm Mountain would be achieved on the old snows from winter 2010/11. Despite the warm and humid air, the snow was very hard, glazed in places. Five turns were achieved on skis, only a few more at 8 on blades, the lie of the snow along with the rough and hard surface negated the shorter length and sharper turning radius!

Month 23? Please start the snow dances in early September this year, for this remarkable sequence to continue on CairnGorm Mountain, September's turns will need to be on new snow - perhaps month 23 will be the first turns of winter 2012?