Many thanks again, everyone, for all lovely comments
and I hope my story didn't cause any cardiac arrests
We've done two more Munro circuit since, so I have some fresh memories to cover the scary ones
andrewdoggett wrote:There is a small cairn that marks the top of the descent path but may have been covered in snow, and in any case there wouldn't have been a path...
Yes it was covered in snow, there was still a thick layer of the white stuff on the summit plateau, we couldn't find the cairn, hard as we tried... The slope looked (an felt) just as bad everywhere, we attempted the descent in a few different spots along the AM ridge but it was just too dubious.
dogplodder wrote:Think if I did these two again by this route I'd do it clockwise since like you I prefer slippy steep slopes on the ascent.
Quite agree, going up even on a wet slope, it's easier to keep your balance
And I find it quite unnerving when I have to look down into the abyss on the descent
During our first attempt on these two, we actually went up Coire Guibhsachan, but didn't get as high as the step section. It was raining cats and dogs so we turned back.