The wind eased (relatively) for daylight hours on Saturday, allowing a fantastic day's riding with top to Daylodge offering 1750ft vertical to the foot of the Carpark T-bar, via either the Cas side mid-mountain runs and Carpark Run or via the M2 and Daylodge.
Things didn't quite go to plan earlier in the day, shortly before first light the power went out to the whole of the Glenmore corridor thus also blacking out the mountain and there was a fire in the Daylodge too! After a couple of false starts the power was back on and stayed on, but it meant a delayed opening.
With uncertainty as to whether the mountain could open at all, due to the power fault and time to repair it not being known for a while, many diverted to the Lecht and Glenshee. The Lecht had it's busiest day of the season, but also got all uplift open. However it meant that despite the Cas carparks being full, there was little in the way of queuing for those that were on CairnGorm. Apart for occasional waits at the M1 Poma, there was mostly only a few people in front, if that on some of the lifts.
Great riding on offer for all ability levels, and weather permitting the range for more advanced riders could go up a notch on Sunday. The West Wall Poma opened during the afternoon and it's hoped to open the Ciste Gully area on Sunday. The Ciste Gully was absolutely loaded last week (See photos from last Wednesday) prior to the most recent storms, so it should be fairly epic.
High winds will return after an early lull on Sunday, please check the latest in the morning on route.