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 Looking out over the Northern Corries from a completely loaded Traverse, long green down into Coire Cas.
|  The 105 and Upper Coire Cas from the Horizon Road link from the M1 to the Cas. Headwall beyond saw some action today.
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 Taking in some rays waiting for the Funicular to head back up, Gunbarrel in classic spring shape, granular snow and bumps building.
|  Looking down the still wide Upper Cas, with Loch Morlich in the distance. Good granular spring snow, carves very nicely.
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 Boarders heading for home via the Fiacaill Ridge (access it via the Fiacaill Traverse from top of Coire Cas). Loaded top leg of the Zig Zags beyond.
|  White Lady, M1 and Gunbarrel from the Fiacaill Ridge. Poma track mostly skiable except one break half way down. Experts only, very narrow.
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 Rossignol Demo outside the Ptarmigan Station. Sledge Park to right is in great shape and still much longer than last seasons!
|  Loch Morlich in the distance overlooking the Trainer Tow. Excellent areas for trying out a new snowsport.
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 Gap to Flat Down Rail on the Ptarmigan. Easier rails and boxes above.
|  That Kicker!! The rain hasn't done much to reduce it's ferocity.
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 More mellow park toys, flat wide novice rail, and the flat-down-flat box beyond (adjacent to Ptarmigan Tow).
|  Yummy for early intermediates upwards, the Ciste Bowl is loaded with loose granular spring snow. Some moderate off-piste lines down the uppermost section of the East Wall back to Ciste Tow.
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 Piste Basher at work reshaping the mini park / rider cross course to skiers left of the Ptarmigan Traverse fence.
|  Top of the Ciste Fairway and T-bar. Ciste Fairway good width and nearly a fence depth of spring snow in most places.
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 Chairlift swing outside the rear door of the Base Station looking towards the summit area.
|  Coire Na Ciste from the Base Station. Gully, East and West Walls now the preserve of those prepared to hike out or with the kit to skin back up.
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After the rain came great snow! The positive aspect to the thaw at the end of the week being the morphing of the snow pack into much more granular snow. We're well on the way to true classic Scottish Spring snow, loose, granular, fast and non sticking and an absolute joy to carve up on such a perfect blue sky day.
Good Top to Sheiling riding remains on offer as the end of April draws near, the Traverse remains loaded, the Upper Cas is still wide and the Gunbarrel in decent shape to the mid-station. Even the top two Zig Zags are still there providing a bypass to 2/3rds of the Gunbarrel, thus there is a long green suitable for early intermediates upwards from the top down the Traverse with uplift via the Funicular.
Third leg of Zig Zags ok, but the fourth is broken now, best to cut back to the Gunbarrel after the second leg. For a longer run the Fiacaill Traverse is loaded and the Fiacaill Run mostly good, though narrow on the merge with the Zig Zags.
All Top Basin Runs retain an extensive cover of good spring snow, superb areas for novices or early intermediates with great conditions by the Trainer Tow for learners.
Unfortunately the M2 has broken, putting paid to the West Wall Poma. If your prepared to hike out or those with touring kit, will still find some good spring turns once the snow loosens up down there, but the turns have to be earned there now (please remember there's a big burn under the gully!).
Cas Headwall was seeing action through Sunday, some walking up the Summit Path or Marquis Wells required (only go if snow conditions/stability are good and you know where to go!). In bounds the M1 RaceTrack has good spring snow and is skiable out via Horizon Road to the Gunbarrel, but it's very narrow at a couple of points. Finally, good skiers/boarders that are determined to avoid taking the Funicular down can still hack their way down the Fiacaill Ridge - but the uptrack is broken half way down now.
Photos by Winterhighland and here's to a good few days of carving up the spring snow while working on the goggle tan yet! :)
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