 Poster: A snowHead
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pam w, although I take your point about willy waving, significant snow depth does mean we're more likely to be skiing into May. Skiing on a few cm in February means it's liable to all melt overnight, whereas 4m is likely to stick around a bit...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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... and it covers up a lot more rocks/heather
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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as many have said you can't compare.
I've done many a trip to Scotland for 1 or 2 days skiing, making a decision the night before.
I'd probably never fly to Europe for 1 days skiing (unless tying it into some business or other trip....)
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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pam w, There is no such thing as too much snow just inappropriate/unfortunate timing. At least you can blame the SCGB for your current predicament even if their timing was 10 years ago  Perhaps champagne corks have been popping in Wimbledon this week as they snoop on the snowEvents thread.
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the bizarre thing is that there's been virtually no winter so far below about 500m in scotland. very little sign of snow or even frosts for that matter. i'm in fife, so a decent enough distance from the mountains. however, i noticed a FB post the other day from a guy in braemar who said it's just rain with them too. they usually get whatever's in the mountains given they're bang in the middle of the gorms. makes for stunning photos from glencoe that are doing the rounds, with such a defined snowline.
perhaps not so much willy waving as awe at the amounts being reported and the photos posted.
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| Quote: |
There is no such thing as too much snow
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disagree. This amount of snow is no use to god nor man - and most of the latter have been up on their roofs for days now, clearing 2 - 3 metres of snow off before the roofs collapse. The roof of one school in Cortina did collapse, but fortunately the school was closed, like all the others round here, and nobody was hurt. People can't get to work, kids can't get to school, there is no medical support in communities cut off.
The timing is neither here nor there, really - whenever this much snow had fallen, it would have just caused lots of problems - not least to mountain restaurants and other businesses which are out of pocket.
It's all very exciting for tourists like ourselves, but really not good news at all. With a lot of lifts now open the whole landscape is covered with unmistakeable evidence of how extremely dangerous it is - huge faults and slides all over the place; I've never seen anything like it. Mountain guides (amongst many others) will be feeling the pinch, with no paying customers. 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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pam w, Oh you have to ruin my cheap gag about the SKGB with a dose of reality. Elsewhere I've seen whining about ski related businesses in California being bankrupted due to lack of snow. I sympathise with the immediate disruption and inconvenience it causes but I really don't feel that sorry for businesses - you live by the sword, die by the sword if you choose to make your living in a weather dependent activity or indeed pursue it as a hobby. I reckon on long run as a skier you'll end up giving up at least 5% of potential ski time due to weather realated factors,( 10-15% if you didn't enjoy formative ski experiences in Scotland )
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pam w,.... I sympathise with your current predicament but.... Willy waving???? Really???? Come on, can't you celebrate the fact that the Scottish (British if you prefer) ski centres are in line for a bumper season, stretching way into May. Bringing much needed revenue to all concerned. Which I think is all that the OP was trying to
grazzenger, totally agree, we have had such a mild winter in Moray. By now I have usually lost 3-4 weeks work due to the weather, but this winter it's only been 2-3 days. It's been so good that we are even looking at an extremely rare 2nd week abroad at Easter, if the OH recovers in time from an operation. Looking forward to many good days skiing at home regardless of what happens though.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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My pet donkey has escaped, please keep you eyes open.
Called eyore and never very happy.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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There is indeed such a thing as too much snow, I agree. From a cash flow perspective, the money's not coming in for the Scottish ski centres but I'm sure the bills are. I hope that if they've need for short term overdraft facilities to pay the staff to try and get lifts dug out just to see them fill in again, then their bank managers are sensible enough to see that the money is coming in March and April and May!
my little family will certainly be taking advantage of all that snow for as long as we can this season and supporting Scottish ski centres.
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There is indeed such a thing as too much snow, I agree. From a cash flow perspective, the money's not coming in for the Scottish ski centres but I'm sure the bills are. I hope that if they've need for short term overdraft facilities to pay the staff to try and get lifts dug out just to see them fill in again, then their bank managers are sensible enough to see that the money is coming in March and April and May!
my little family will certainly be taking advantage of all that snow for as long as we can this season and supporting Scottish ski centres.
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You know it makes sense.
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How to have a perfect day skiing/boarding in Scotland.
Is there going to be good cover tomorrow, if no don't bother.
Is it going to be a bluebird day tomorrow, if no don't bother.
Is it the weekend tomorrow, if yes don't bother.
Is it a school holiday tomorrow, if yes don't bother.
If you get past these 4 questions you will be guaranteed a great day, happens a couple of times a season.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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JimboS, two words, touring setup. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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| JimboS wrote: |
How to have a perfect day skiing/boarding in Scotland.
Is there going to be good cover tomorrow, if no don't bother.
Is it going to be a bluebird day tomorrow, if no don't bother.
Is it the weekend tomorrow, if yes don't bother.
Is it a school holiday tomorrow, if yes don't bother.
If you get past these 4 questions you will be guaranteed a great day, happens a couple of times a season. |
If you don't go then you will never know....
Easy to be an expert from the sofa.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The problem is even if it one of the rare good days in Scotland the queues are likely to be horrendous.
Touring is the solution…piste skiing is awful anyway...
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| nevis1003 wrote: |
The problem is even if it one of the rare good days in Scotland the queues are likely to be horrendous.
Touring is the solution…piste skiing is awful anyway... |
^ utter baws : usually they get 1 or 2 busy weekends when the snow arrives at the start of the winter.
but come mid Feb -> April (often the best skiing & weather) then the crowds are almost always gone / dispersed amongst the 5 ski areas.
certainly Cairngorm *sometimes* get stupidly busy - its a tourist trap and in their wisdom the management removed some key lifts without replacing them.
however at Glencoe, Nevis Range, Lecht and Glenshee it is fair to say that unbearable queues are an exception rather than the norm.
at the end of last April we were skiing boot deep fresh snow / blue sky at Glencoe, on a weekend, with less than 30 people on the hill.
I do agree 100% that touring equipment opens up your options massively.
but have enjoyed some great lift served skiing in Scotland as well.
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It seems to me like people will look for any excuse to avoid a trip up North. Personally, I have had a couple of my best days skiing anywhere, in Scotland. Waist deep powder in the back corries at Nevis back in 98 - I can remember as it was the only skiing done that year that our first little one arrived. Last Easter at Glenshee was simply breathtaking. 3 bluebird days, all over cover and little more than 5 minutes queueing max, and that was only to keep lapping Glas Maol! Problem with that trip is that it was the kids first and only experience of Scotland and they now expect it to be like that when we get up later this year. Mind you, Glenshee looks just as good today and would have been tempted to jump in the car last night if we weren't heading to Val Cenis next Friday.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I have been as far north as Stafford. Happy to turn around and head back south. It was Easter and snowing though so got knows how much the Scots copped.
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| Haggis_Trap wrote: |
| JimboS wrote: |
How to have a perfect day skiing/boarding in Scotland.
Is there going to be good cover tomorrow, if no don't bother.
Is it going to be a bluebird day tomorrow, if no don't bother.
Is it the weekend tomorrow, if yes don't bother.
Is it a school holiday tomorrow, if yes don't bother.
If you get past these 4 questions you will be guaranteed a great day, happens a couple of times a season. |
If you don't go then you will never know....
Easy to be an expert from the sofa. |
This strategy is born out of my personal experience of skiing and boarding in Scotland every year for the last 25 years. This way, every day I board in Scotland is a fantastic day.
In fact today meets all the criteria, but unfortunately I had another commitment. 
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Mine are 5....and have worked well for many years!
Is there going to be good cover tomorrow, if no don't bother.
Is it going to be a bluebird day tomorrow, if no don't bother.
Is it the weekend tomorrow, if yes don't bother.
Is it a school holiday tomorrow, if yes don't bother.
Do I have any work commitments I can't shift, if yes don't bother
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Haggis_Trap, that looks intense...
I've only skiied in Scotland at the weekend (and only twice so far), sadly midweek skiing is difficult for me. The queues weren't that bad... Wasn't a bluebird either time, vis was fine though. Compared to not skiing at all, I'd take that any day.
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And it was miles better than the fridge in Manchester that I used to go to.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Looks good! I would definitely rather ski there than a fridge.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Haggis_Trap, nice.
Some of my favorite runs are on that wee bit hill.
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You know it makes sense.
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Don't really want to get into the scotland v the world debate but it is simple maths to see that it is hugely cheaper to ski in scotland than in europe if you live in the UK. Anyone suggesting otherwise is just nuts. If you fill a car with four people and spend £100 on fuel then that's £25 each. You can't even get a transfer to most resorts from Geneva for that, never mind a flight. Even if you are going over from Ireland, you are only going to add £50 each to the cost for a ferry so a total of £75.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Lift passes on Par with big french resorts.
Are there any ski to door places in Scotland, I would love to convince the other half to try it. If we could, this would be a bonus holiday.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Quote: |
| it is simple maths to see that it is hugely cheaper to ski in scotland than in europe if you live in the UK. Anyone suggesting otherwise is just nuts. If you fill a car with four people and spend £100 on fuel then that's £25 each. You can't even get a transfer to most resorts from Geneva for that, never mind a flight. |
Add in a Travelodge (eg Perth en route or Fort William once you've got there) and/or a clean, warm, but has seen better days and now-caters-mainly-for-coach-parties hotel (Double room around £50 inc full breakfast) and everyone's a winner (baby, that's no lie)
Weather will be checked for this weekend once I've finished posting on here.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I really want to go for Easter! Even if the snow isn't good could still be a nice weekend in Scotland. Unfortunately having trouble selling the idea of committing to drive up from London to boyfriend.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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leave him being sad in the house, or get a new one
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
leave him being sad in the house, or get a new one
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Selfishly I want him to come to share the driving 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Haggis_Trap, It really looks lovely.
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kat.ryb, easter last year was fantastic at Glen Coe and Cairngorm. Easter this year is mid April though - so it's a long way off.
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Nice front page on tomorrow's Telegraph (Scottish edition).
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| fatbob wrote: |
rungsp, One tank in a normalish car is £60-£70, double that and you're at the price of a rtn to GVA (booked in advance). Taking a train at short notice costs much more. So it's hardly a cheap as chips option.
I think it is a crying shame that so few British skiers get to experience the wonderful skiing in our own country (pre devolution of course, we won't want to be giving those stinking jockos any of our precious £ post-devo ). On their day the backbowls at Nevis or the view from Glencoe etc compare with anywhere in the world. But I see why southerners in particular find it a hard buy. Perhaps BASI need to have a mandatory White Lady module etc. |
If you are travelling solo then you have a point but sharing with at least one other brings the cost down. By the time you factor in getting to/from the airports at each end, parking and transfers its hard to see how a weekend in Scotland won't be cheaper than Europe.
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FAQ
That would have been good to see 
Can't see anything related to skiing though. 