FOUR people have been rescued after being caught up in a “human-triggered” avalanche in the Cairngorms.
The Scottish Avalanche Information Service (SAIS) said a group of five people were involved in the incident near Cairn Gorm on Tuesday.
According to the SAIS, the avalanche occurred in Ciste Mhearad to the east of the Ptarmigan while the group were taking part in a winter skills training course
"A group of five people were involved, three were carried down and one buried to the waist thankfully without injury," said a SAIS spokesperson told The Inverness Courier.
"Ciste Mhearad always accumulates snow in westerly and south-westerly winds due to the ‘fetch’ of the plateau.
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“This makes the location a reliable and snow sure spot for snow holing and winter skills parties, but it also steep.
“There have been two avalanches reported here this season.
"Thanks to both parties for reporting these events, while nobody would want to advertise the fact, events like these provide SAIS with useful confirmation of stability – or instability."
It comes after two climbers were airlifted to hospital from Ben Nevis last week after one was caught in an avalanche while another fell on a nearby mountain.
One suffered a “nasty leg fracture” while the other escaped uninjured.
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