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 Heading down the Traverse, thin at top of M1, then OK where there is a decent base down to the 105.
|  A break in the cloud over the tops.
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 The Ptarmigan Traverse,
|  At the top of the Ciste Fairway, above WW Poma get off.
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 Looking up the Fairway. West Wall Poma doing it's stuff.
|  Not much snow in Coire Cas, but it's cold and the ground is frozen.
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 Beginner classes at the top of the Ciste Fairway above the West Wall Poma which is providing uplift for the Fairway.
|  Boarder hits a kicker at the top of the Ptarmigan Tow.
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 Looking up Cas Tow, needs more snow, but ground is frozen.
|  View up the Zig Zags to the Lady and M1. We need snow, but as long as the ground is frozen, not a huge amount to get a little more open.
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We say in Scotland you just never know... Since Mid December the Top Basin on CairnGorm has been needing just a little more snow for snowsports to get underway, but it just didn't happen, lows have tracked over and the precipitation has almost entirely missed the Gorms! There has really been little change for better or worse over the past 6 weeks. Then under a large blocking high pressure, the cloud from an inversion layer finally delivers the small amount of fresh snow that was required to patch up one of the Top Runs!
The Ciste Fairway is now complete with a light covering of fresh dry powdery snow on a firm base, but there are thin areas where the base was broken. The West Wall Poma is currently providing uplift, but the Ciste and Ptarmigan Tow tracks are complete, so it wouldn't need much to get the link to the Ciste Tow and the route through the Ptarmigan Bowl to the tow complete.
For those with touring kit it's possible to skin up from the top of the 105 via the Traverse, then the Ptarmigan Run to the top of the T-bar, and on via the Marquis Well towards the Summit. The Marquis well area is providing a decent run.
There is also a kicker at the top of the Ptarmigan Tow, but on Saturday it required a walk up the Ptarmigan Traverse to reach it.
Saturday's photos from Helen Rennie. Please send your photos to pix@winterhighland.com .
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