A number of people were forced to be rescued from a Scots mountain last night during arctic conditions as they waded through "waist deep" snow in the pitch black darkness.
Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team was initially alerted to two mountaineers in difficulty coming back from their descent down Coire Raibert. During the searches, the crew were then made aware of another party of two that had been reported overdue on the route.
All four people were located in the dark and led to safety by the rescue team amid 'significant snow fall' in the area. Fortunately there were no injuries reported.
The MRT explained how their team had to wade through "waist deep" snow on the steep route, saying: "We 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, a further two climbers were reported overdue after completing a route in the Coire an t-Sneachda.
"Thankfully both parties were found in the Coire Raibert area by the rescue team and helped off the mountain.
"There has been significant snow fall recently in the Cairngorms with team member wading through waist deep snow at times during the rescue."
The Met Office issued a number of weather warnings in Scotland over the past week as the winter weather arrives.
Temperatures hit as low as minus 10C (14F) in isolated areas and a yellow warning for snow and ice is in place for much of Scotland until earlier on Sunday.
It covered parts of the central belt, Edinburgh and the Lothians, Fife, Tayside, Perthshire, the north east, the Highlands, the Western Isles and Shetland.
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