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Skier snapped enjoying off-piste slide on Aonach Mor

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Skier in Easy GullyImage source, SAIS Lochaber
Image caption,

Snowsports enthusiast Sondre Loftsgarden was pictured in Lochaber's Easy Gully on Thursday

An off-piste skier has been photographed enjoying some of the last of the Scottish snowsports season's wintry conditions.

The image was taken on Thursday at Easy Gully on Aonach Mor, near Fort William, by a Scottish Avalanche Information Service (SAIS) forecaster.

Easy Gully is described as one of Scotland's most skied grade one gullies.

In climbing, one is the grade given for the "easiest climbs".

The skier is believed to be Sondre Loftsgarden, who was researching an article for a Norwegian skiing magazine.

Scotland's mountain snowsports resorts have had a challenging season, with little natural snow and mild and windy conditions for much of the season.

Most of the centres have been using artificially manufactured snow to fill their lower slopes.

Image source, SAIS
Image caption,

A huge cornice, a ledge of snow, was found at Aonach Mor in February before it later melted

Every winter, SAIS assesses avalanche hazards and provides daily information on the stability of snowpack in the six mountain areas.

The areas are Lochaber, Glen Coe, Creag Meagaidh, Southern Cairngorms, Northern Cairngorms and Torridon.

Hillwalkers, climbers and skiers use the information to help them plan trips.

runs from December until about mid-April.

In February, SAIS took an image of a massive snow ledge called a cornice on Aonach Mor. It melted later that same month.

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