In reply to Jim C:
The detail is that I was traversing a wide ridge on Beinn a Chaorain between the southern 2 tops in a completed whiteout. When we got to the plateau I calculated we, (ie me and partner) were nearer the cliffs than I wanted to be, so we walked on a bearing roughly NNW to give use some 'wriggle room' with the cliffs. We paced 100m, rechecked were we were and set off again.
The guidebook and the map didn't indicate that there was a big dogleg between the two southerly tops.
Because I couldn't see it I fell through the cornice and into the corrie below. This came as a surprised as I was walking away from the cliffs.
I was airborne for a long time and bounced a few times before being buried in snow unable to move. The plateau is at 1040 metres and the corrie's floor is 900 metres which means I fell 140 metres or 450 feet in old money.
Luckily my face was not buried although the rest of me was. Sue fell too and also survived and although she had busted 4 ribs and broken her shoulder was able to dig herself out and then dig me out.
We were then both injured at the bottom of a cliff on the wrong side of the mountain an hour before dark, in bad weather and no phone signal to call for help.....not ideal.
My first inclination was to go down, however, the maps said there were cliffs and I'd fall end down one already, not a good option.
I did think about staying put, but 16 hours on the dark and cold wasn't appealing, and we'd still have to get ourselves out. I've dug a snow hole with an ice axe before...hard work, not a good option.
That left climbing out of the corrie, I wasn't keen on that either as I was hurt and exhausted and I wasn't sure that we wouldn't set off an avalanch. However I thought it was the best of the bad options.
We climbed out of the corrie by climbing up the snow on the south wing of the corrie by kicking steps and then up the ridge to the south summit. We got a phone signal and did debate calling the Mountain Rescue, but as we were mobile decided to walk out.
It took us about 3 hours to get to the corrie, but 5 hours to walk back to the road, arriving about 21:00.
We went back to our appartment as I couldn't face sitting in A&E for 4 or 5 hours. We went to hospital the day after, ie Monday, and got patched up as a day case.
I'm back in Yorkshire now and am going to the fracture clinic tomorrow to find out how damaged I am.