In reply to bowls: Lots of factors here:
1. many will have put axes away and got their 'summer rock' heads on after the very high temps stripped nearly everything a few weeks ago.
2. some easy routes have been perfectly good, and I've been out as have a few others I've seen, but route choice has been limited, and the wonderful late season ice of some past years just hasn't re-formed and stuck around.
3. the weather has been perfect for hill walking, so lots of people out in all mountain areas.
4. climbing easy gullies and neve face routes is great fun (and I've been out a lot in the past couple of weeks), but I suspect many folk want something a bit harder, plus the fresh snow has never really consolidated to give genuinely enjoyable conditions (as evidenced by the sudden melt over the last two days).
5. recession? - fewer people committing to a big journey
The NE Face car park had one car in it yesterday afternoon when I went for a whizz up to Coire Leis!
Still, great weather to be out and about, I've got a tan!