 Poster: A snowHead
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| Grizzler wrote: |
| Seriously, would it be within the intelligence and business-saving, customer relations/retentions sense of CML/NR and its pals ... |
I think using the words intelligence and sense in connection with the entities currently in charge at Cairngorm is a bit of a leap of faith.... 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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The incredibly sad situation is that this could surely be the end for lift served skiing on Cairngorm.
Despite its operational shortcomings, it's still a great ski area in my view - especially with full snow cover.
The chickens could well and truly have come home to roost in terms of the removal of the Ciste Chair... 
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| mountainaddict wrote: |
The chickens could well and truly have come home to roost in terms of the removal of the Ciste Chair... |
HIE had a newer report on the funicular than the 2016 one when it rushed to cut up the Ciste Chairs. It was a deliberate action to ensure the chairs were not there to be fixed. I smell an agenda?
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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 don't live in the area (though very nearly did, just to be near the skiing) so can't authoritatively comment on what I read on the various inadequacies and schemes involving HIE, NR, CML etc etc. However, my previous comments were made rather tongue-in-cheek as regards intelligence and business planning.
I'm also well aware of the good off piste: as I said, there will be some people who will think that the resort not operating or having very restricted operations will be a great thing in this regard. I might well agree, but will also admit to not being fit enough to want to yomp (or skin) all the way up there with skis/board/boots just to get one run down before repeating the uphill efforts. Hats off to those who can and do.
I don't think it'll be the end for the resort - after all, they've gone bankrupt before - but it could take a few seasons to get things attractive enough again to make me want to go. Been pretty off-putting the last several visits anyway, which is a terrible shame. I suspect that they will try to keep the funicular running through the ski season, but with some restrictions and non-reliability. Been there, done that, been stuck in it for hours... Not exactly worth the chance or hassles if you've come a long way, so it looks as if I'm avoiding CG too until I'm very sure that it's worth it.
I just hope that in the end they get some arrangements, lifts, new management or ownership or whatever sorted and make it a really good place for locals and visitors alike (without annoying queues!)
@haggishunter, interesting conspiracy theory 
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The Cairngorm funicular has to be one of the worst disasters in the history of world skiing.
First, they built a snowtrain that closes when it snows.
Second, they built a snowtrain where the foundations crack due to cold weather.
Third, they unbuilt some (cheaper) working chairlifts.
Millions upon millions wasted in one of the poorest industrialized countries on Earth.
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Long may the Scottish ski industry flourish.
Hard to get to from most.of the UK, crazy weather with stupid winds, expensive for what it is yet still very very special mainly due to the folk who continue to support it.
Glencoe has had some simply epic end of season skiing in recent years. If only Fort William had an Airport
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| Quote: |
The Cairngorm funicular has to be one of the worst disasters in the history of world skiing.
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@Whitegold, It’s quite clearly not. This is an example of one of the worst disasters in the history of world skiing: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaprun_disaster
Doesn’t really compare, does it?
Poor value, badly designed and now appears to have construction or maintenance issues that the QUANGO responsible for it seem desperate to keep secret. No need for hyperbole.
There’s an airport 90mins from Glencoe, not sure one 45 mins closer would be a massive deal.
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There's actually an airport at Connell
(known as Oban airport). I've flown myself into it a few times but always in the summer. It's a spectacular approach but not one to be recommended in poor visibility. Think I would rather drive from Glasgow and live to enjoy the skiing!
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Inverness airport isn't a stupidly long drive from FW. Or put a seaplane down on Lochs Linnhe, Lochy, Laggan, Ness etc etc..??? 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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My wife suggests that if the funicular has had its day to replace it with something viable and update the now antiquated existing infrastructure would cost, no doubt, quite a few millions. Would an alternative be to rip out the existing unattractive infrastructure and dedicate the area to ski touring concentrating funds on promoting Cairngorm as a mecca for touring and hopefully therby helping to maintain an income for local businesses. I was actually in Ellis Brigham in Aviemore today and they were very despondent about the situation. Particularly as apparently a large part of their winter revenue is from the rental side of things. For a small investment, ditch the current stock and replace it with touring equipment...
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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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| Whitegold wrote: |
The Cairngorm funicular has to be one of the worst disasters in the history of world skiing.
First, they built a snowtrain that closes when it snows.
Second, they built a snowtrain where the foundations crack due to cold weather.
Third, they unbuilt some (cheaper) working chairlifts.
Millions upon millions wasted in one of the poorest industrialized countries on Earth. |
This must be the result of a monkey tapping feverishly at a keyboard for several years
re: the bit in bold, feel free to share the research
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| Grizzler wrote: |
| Inverness airport isn't a stupidly long drive from FW. Or put a seaplane down on Lochs Linnhe, Lochy, Laggan, Ness etc etc..??? |
Glasgow Airport is about 40miles closer to Glencoe than Inverness, you're already on the right side of Glasgow for a quick exit to the Erskine Bridge and the A82, vs having to get across Inverness from the Airport, all in during winter an hour quicker from Glasgow Airport at least (summer on Loch Lomond side between Tarbet and Inverarnan is a whole different ball game). There is also the Caledonian Sleeper option too.
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You know it makes sense.
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Provided you're coming from the south, which we aren't all doing.
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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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| Canuck wrote: |
| Provided you're coming from the south, which we aren't all doing. |
Like that affects the distance from Inverness Airport vs Glasgow Airport to Glencoe Ski Area?
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Poster: A snowHead
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The original request was for an airport at Fort William, not Glencoe.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@esaw1, Lovely idea for the ski tourers, but the majority of Scottish Pound spenders will not be tourers. Now, give them (and the climbers - that was another stupid funicular misuse prohibition) a good uplift to get them most if the way up and it might be a very worthwhile investment.
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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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| nelly0168 wrote: |
| Whitegold wrote: |
| one of the poorest industrialized countries on Earth. |
re: the bit in bold, feel free to share the research |
Don't feed the troll
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Well I've been doing my bit for Scottish skiing for the last 3 years & I'm from Dorset! last season however was really, really special. The single thing that makes it really do-able for me is the FB updates from the basher man & accurate weather forecasting (Windy TY is fab)
I have a simple equation, time off + weather inbound + post weather high = jump in the campervan (with a heater) head ooop north, arrive to fresh pow & blue skies. The fact it takes me half a day or more to get there seems to coincide with the weather windows. If the weather turns rough just go for tour round all the lovely stunning other bits of Scotland for a day.
Last season consisted of, arriving at Glencoe about midnight in a blizzard, woke up to an avalanche from the roof the van when I opened the door, pow everywhere. Skiid to the car park multiple days. Got snowed in at Glenshee one day. More bluebird days than I have ever seen. Powder galore in Coe, the Lecht, Nevis & Glenshee. Probably my most memorable ski season.
It is fab IF you pick the weather windows & go midweek 
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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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Your links to instagram and facebook concerning the Caenlochan poma seem incomplete?
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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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@Alastair Pink, Reading some of the Winterhighland and Parkswatch articles, I think it may be beyond the remit of that most useful publication and it's oft-recommended judicious use of a rubber-headed mallet.
Application of said tool to a few persons or organisations involved in this sorry tale, however..? 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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"Funicular Maintenance for Dummies", sold out in Avi.
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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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@geoff10, I can't see any reference to what lifts they're planning to run?
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You know it makes sense.
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Is it me being pessimistic or do the quotes in the above link imply that the funicular will not be opened this season? Other than that it sound like a load of platitudes designed to pacify the local businesses. Heads should f ucking roll.
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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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@esaw1, I note the following quote from the above link "Ewan Kearney of Natural Retreats said:
“There is no doubt that this is going to be a challenging season, but we have operated skiing without the funicular in prior winters;"
If he's talking about entire winter seasons without the funicular then presumably he's referring to a time when the old White Lady chairlift and the Ciste chairlifts were in operation.
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Poster: A snowHead
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If it is out for the season, it sounds like they have got corrosion jacking in the supports.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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I think I suggested this a few days ago (though cannot believe they actually think it will seriously work to declare and keep the 'resort' fully open and operational): my guess from reading this is thst they intend to cover the car park t bar drag lift track in sufficient artificial snow to use that as the permanent first stage uplift linking in to M1 and Coire Cas drags. I've done this route quite a few times when there's been snow down to car park level (and, coincidentally, the funicular wasn't working well or at all): but often with annoying queues (tho' how many people boycott CG this year might affect that...)
Probably once you're up on M1, White Lady, Ptarmigan or Coire Ciste it won't make much difference. But they're now wholly reliant on that 1 drag lift - bad memories of Nevis Range lift problems last year 
Be interesting to see if they reduce lift pass prices to encourage people to come after all the bad press.
P.S. reading Winter highland just now and this seems like the general consensus of what they're planning too (plus using artificial snow on Daylodge, Fiaciall tows etc).
Mr G just pointed out to me, however, that no matter how well they get the drag uplifts done with artificial snow, you've still got a wee problem in getting down again. He's OK in his snowboard boots; I'll be joining the chaos all trying to slush our way down the narrow end of the zig zags, etc, back to the car park t bar. It's going to take a lot of snow making (and cost and equipment) to make it a go-er
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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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be interesting to see that rating nowadays there's not a school or hospital in my town older that that article 😂😂😂
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@what...snow, apologies for the late response, you sum up the situation quite nicely! Must admit in 10 trips up there over last 10 years, I've never seen the WWP running - though they were pisting the uptrack when I was there last Feb
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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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CML will be glad that the Daylodge button tow was saved. Maybe they will put a bit more effort into getting the WWP working to its max this year. Seemed to be treated almost like the Braveheart as ‘something for the weekend and special occasions’. I haven’t been to CG for quite a few years now. Had one of the best days I’ve ever had skiing there, followed by a day where I thought, definitely never again.
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“We’re delighted to have such strong support from the local business community and other public organisations, all of whom are committed to working in partnership for the benefit of the whole area." - Charlotte Wright
I for one will be sticking to the West this coming season as I am allergic to the smell of Bulls**t
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