A Morlich end to the day

It was hard to get going today. By which I mean we didn't want to get going.
Arriving at the lower Cairngorm car park the katabatic wind* was howling down the hill - even getting out of the car was a struggle - but eventually we were underway & heading up the Choire Chais ridge - along with dozens of other groups - all avoiding the still considerable avalanche risk. It was lovely to bump into a couple of the instructors from Glenmore Lodge that I know - but that didn't lessen the hard work that upward progress had become. As we approached point 1141 we were one of only a couple of parties still heading up, by the time we arrived at the cairn we'd entered the white room** and lost sight of even them.
We'd planned to play on the plateau - but with zero visibility and a windchill approaching -10°C we decided to power up to Cairngorms summit, pay homage to the ice monster*** & make a wandering descent trying to avoid the pistes. 6 hours on the hill here really does fell like 10 anywhere else.

* A katabatic wind is a wind that flows down from mountains or the high plateau carrying denser air under the force of gravity, they can be exceptionally strong.
** I've realised I've referenced the white room several times this week - & I always endeavour to try & explain climbing etc jargon - the white room is the term most used for that zone where the snow, cloud & sky become one - I've tried to illustrate it with a selfie in extras that shows the extensive views (see Wednesdays extras) that the plateau offers;
*** The Weather Station atop Cairngorm summit