A largely fine day on CairnGorm Mountain, though cloud sat on or close to the summit through the day, contrasting to the blue skies beyond over Glenmore. Occasionally the mist engulfed the Top Basin, but for much of the time the visibility and light was good (well until it got dark).

The snow on the upper mountain is still cold dry loose winter snow, drifting continuing to top up the Top Basin and upper portions of the mid-mountain runs. Fantastic conditions in the Top Basin for those first turns of the season, or first turns ever with great learning areas.

All the operable uplift has now run this season though not all at the same time yet, the Cas T-bar made it's 50th season debut on Saturday and the West Wall Poma also opened on Sunday, which along with the Daylodge Poma gave a quick and queueless route to the top all day.

Below about 2800ft the snow was hardpacked and quite icy in places early doors, it became grippier on the lower slopes, but never softened up here, despite the above freezing temperature. The Gunbarrel was however riding much nicer in the afternoon. Daylodge was also hard, but quite grippy.

The pick of the mid mountain steeper runs was skiers left of the fences on the White Lady, where the ropes had been moved back to take advantage of the best of the snow that had drifted in on the 'wrong' side of the fences in the Easterly gales late Friday night.

For those looking for less steep blue grade runs, the Fiacaill Traverse and fenced Fiacaill run were one of the picks. The Traverse, 105 and Zig Zags were a great cruise with regularly pisted fresh windblown snow. There's close to possibly over 2m of snow on the Traverse in places, with the snow piled up above the new fence in parts.

A couple of decent days in prospect early in the new week, a few snow showers on Monday, but another superb Tuesday is on the cards - get up if you can before another big storm hits Wednesday.