Dry black buttresses and hard icy snow

The gully lines, headwalls and plateau are still snowy however the buttresses are now bare. Good winter sport can still be had in the easier icy gully lines. Many buttress routes still have a snowy icy approach but then can be climbed in boots without crampons on dry rock (at the summer grade...!) See http://saisncairngorms.blogspot.com/2008/12/hard-and-icy-snow.html and http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=334163