Mountain rescue teams waded through waist-deep snow to rescue four climbers lost in the Cairngorms.
Volunteer mountaineers were scrambled on Saturday afternoon as heavy snow and blizzards battered the area.
The Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team was first made aware of two walkers who had been attempting to return from their route when they got into difficulty amidst blizzard conditions.
Concerned for their welfare, members of the team raced to the area to begin scaling the peak.
With weather conditions deteriorating, the team battled to stay on their feet, wading through waist-deep snow.
CMRT were called out late yesterday afternoon for two mountaineers who got into difficulty returning from their route. Whilst searching for the missing pair in arduous conditions, (continued in comments) pic.twitter.com/2XBRHwie4k
— Cairngorm MRT (@cairngorm_mrt) December 11, 2022
Team leader, Iain Cornfoot said: “It was really pretty arduous. The snow made it difficult and pretty slow going.”
Halfway through their search, they received reports of another pair of walkers who were also overdue their return time.
The duo had been completing a route in the Coire an t-Sneachda area.
Mr Cornfoot, 42, then decided to separate his team to try and find both sets of walkers.
After setting off a flare, they heard shouts which helped lead them to some men in their early twenties.
Eventually, both parties were found in the Coire Raibert area by the rescue team and helped off the mountain.
Now the team has taken to social media to share a short video showcasing the treacherous conditions they faced on the peak.
The 16-second clip, posted on their Twitter page, shows a number of mountaineers battling to stay upright as they descended the peak.
Should people be hillwalking in this weather?
However, the rescue has raised concerns about the safety of walking in such snowy conditions.
Northern Scotland recorded its first snowfall of winter earlier this week as yellow weather warnings came into force.
Mr Cornfoot said: “The weather was actually quite settled and there were a lot of people out.
“The Cairngorms are a beautiful place to be at this time of year, but you have to have the correct survival equipment.
“A map and a compass are a must, and these guys failed to have everything they needed.”