 Poster: A snowHead
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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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Things are looking pretty good at the moment, I'm starting to wonder about a *third* mayday weekender skiing in Scotland. Cairngorm is most likely venue, but what are the chances of the other centres remaining open? Might it be worth a roadtrip around Glencoe and Fort William, do you think?
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See Ski Club of GB is reporting:
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| Scotland is in excellent shape at the moment, and four of the five ski areas reported fresh snowfall over Wednesday night, before skiing on Thursday, and more snow could fall this weekend. |
It then helpfully adds:
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| Strong winds are also forecast over the weekend, but don’t let this put you off the superb conditions to be enjoyed. |
Who are these people? Are they having a laugh? I guess you've never actually skied in Scotland if that's your advice.... 
Revised/corrected version:
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| Strong winds are also forecast over the weekend which could severely disrupt - if not curtail - lift operations. In order to avoid a wasted journey, check the detailed forecast very carefully before you travel. |
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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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| Quote: |
| Cairngorm is most likely venue, but what are the chances of the other centres remaining open? Might it be worth a roadtrip around Glencoe and Fort William, do you think? |
Cairngorm gets easily the most skiers (and then there's the funicular sightseers) so will undoubtedly stay open until it's strips of snow in the Ptarmigan Bowl time. After completely bare slopes in the whole of March last year, April and May snowfall meant that Cairngorm stayed open until the 20-something of the month. So given current snow depths, a repeat is probably on the cards  .
Nevis and Glencoe both tend to close as skier numbers drop off, irrespective of snow - although one year in the 90s Glencoe advertised 'Summer skiing' and stayed open until late May (possibly Whit Bank Hol?) with massive snow depths on the upper mountain.
So, spell of tropical weather and/or monsoon rains notwithstanding, Cairngorm for May Day is more or less a banker - but you'll need to wait until nearer the time to see what's what at the other areas.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Sat 20-04-13 11:28; edited 1 time in total
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mountainaddict, Chatting to the guys at Glencoe this week I suggested that June skiing could be on the cards but they suggested May could be a possibility. Given the amount on snow on the lift tracks it's going to be interesting to see how it goes...
1873Chris, Yep, the Rock Garden was my run of choice on Monday \ Tuesday.
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1873Chris, I think I spotted Mrs AAT and my self on the t-bar !
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Nevis have put on their FB page it'll be weekends only after this Sunday. Not enough weekday numbers to make it worthwhile, snow still great cover on main runs. Been great skiing full length of the Goose and down to Quad on all visits this year.
AndAnotherThing.., I really like the rock garden, been one of my favourite runs this season.
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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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oldagedpredator, Saw in another thread on here that you had been to Glencoe about 3x more than anywhere else in Scotland this season. Good taste! Think I shared a t-bar with you last saturday - probably The Wall but I saw you taking photos up the Main Basin. I was entirely in black, including helmet, but green skis and red boots. Not very distinguishing - everyone wears black! Didn't realise it was you until you confirmed the colour of your jacket - and I only saw 1 SLR. Many thanks for all your photos this season - really enjoying them. So much snow at Glencoe especially in the ski tow gully - never seen it uphill from the wall or double tier up the tows - that tow track has THICK snow and is hopefully going to last well into next month.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Things taking a bit of a hammering the last couple of days with the win and rain, but snow also still falling. Lecht saying its the last few days of season, others still plenty left, certainly between the fences
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^ Nevis now reporting this weekend could be it
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You know it makes sense.
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Lecht doesnt really have the higher runs to fall back on, looks like it'll be next season for my first visit. There's huge depth in the main basin at Glencoe, I dont really get the thing about the poma up track being complete or not. It's about a five minute walk across the plateau if its not in. Probably a lot less distance than people would walk to a lift in some ski resorts. Definately less distance than the walk from some parts of the Glenshee car parks to the lifts. Should be intact for a while as there is plenty of snow on the track and plenty of large drifts to patch from.
mountainaddict, June skiing might be greedy but I want some. Halfway through my fifth month of skiing. Would be good the get the pass value down to £10 per day. Also be good to do 1st of May skiing two years in a row.
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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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oldagedpredator, yep, there've been plenty of occasions over the last 7 seasons even mid-winter when Glencoe had offered great skiing whilst the plateau was incomplete. We've certainly been spoilt recently though and the landrover and argo rides to the plateau chateau that the operator provides for the lazy ones haven't been needed at all.
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Poster: A snowHead
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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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Just back from a day in glencoe.
Good coverage of creamy spring snow. Very pleasant.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Are there any decent bumps anywhere in Scotland at the moment??
Cheers,
greg
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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.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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moffatross,
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Only about 30-40 people on the mountain though so Glencoe's likely to close for the season soon enough if the customers don't show up.
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I wonder if it was the weather forecast which was not great, Saturday was superb as well and the hill was quite busy.
Lovely photos flypaper closed saturday due to avalanche risk though I saw a few folk on it.
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^
Yep, the weather forecast and a certain Celtic football match which would have kept a lot of the Weegies at home probably reduced the numbers. Our Flypaper descent today was with ski patrol, and we skied it one at a time ... It was untracked, unchopped and in just about the best condition I could imagine it ever being in.
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Good to see there's still some snow up there Ross!
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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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| Quote: |
Lovely photos flypaper closed saturday due to avalanche risk though I saw a few folk on it.
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it's almost always (75%) closed but regularly gets skiied by 'friends' of ski patrol, random visitors or anyone who deems it suitable 
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^ Geeo - The flypaper at Glencoe is a tricky one for the ski patrol.
They would like it to be open as much as possible - but there are issues of liability & responsibility.
Clearly it not a normal "piste" and the rocks on the fall-line need to be well covered before they will consider officially opening it.
An uncontrolled fall at the top will result in a very long slide over the rocks and possible serious injury.
On Sunday the 15-20cm fresh snow meant that it was sensible to be skiing the flypaper with beacon + shovel + probe. It probably wouldn't avalanche (and it didn't this weekend) but there was a chance that it could have with snow drifting all day and warming temperatures in the afternoon. Personally I think the flypaper should perhaps be marked as an itinerary / off piste (dotted yellow) route - but that is another story!
If in doubt ask at the ski patrol hut, they are a good bunch.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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BBC Countryfile talking of a cold spell on the way......
MWIS seems to concur
Very cold air will spread south on Friday, enveloping all mountain areas next weekend. Precipitation will turn to snow - mostly falling as showers - to low level, particularly across Scotland.
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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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You know it makes sense.
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Looks like Glenshee have decided to call it a day. Now getting to the mapping out the run to the end of the season - West this weekend most likely the Mighty One. Hopefully things will stay colder through to mid week to get a couple of days up at Cairngorm. Late April skiing two years on the trot 
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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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I'm just trying to wangle a meeting in Glasgow on Monday, so I guess Cairngorm will be the only place open then, hopefully for some nice bumps on the lady!
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Poster: A snowHead
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A day of Sunshine and April (snow & hail) showers on CairnGorm Mountain on Thursday, should be more in the way of snowfall on Friday judging by the forecasts. Perhaps not quite the foot dump we got this Friday last year, but compared to starting from scratch early April last year, we have today probably a slightly deeper base on the White Lady and Cas Gunbarrel than this date in 2010!! So it's looking good for the weekend, esp Saturday with a ridge of high pressure nudging in. Sunday looks like it might not be too nice first thing, but improving through the morning, which is what happened last Sunday and it turned out a really nice day in the end.
Some of H11lly's photos:
^Ptarmigan Bowl and Terrain Park from the Ptarmigan Tow.
^Skier in Aladdin's Coulior, Coire an t-Sneachda, CairnGorm Mountain, seen from near the Summit - top of Coronation Wall.
^Spring snow bumps forming on the wide and deep White Lady.
The rest: http://www.winterhighland.info/publicreports/index.php?50,3582
My photos in Pix from the Slopes and full report: http://www.winterhighland.info/pix/pixalbum.php?pix_id=900
As you can see still lots of options for all ability levels, from first timers up to steep off-piste couliors beyond the snowsports area. Also still extensive touring options on the Plateau. Can still ski the full way to the Daylodge with a bit of creative route finding via the Fiacaill Traverse, Fiacaill Crossover, and the Ridge Poma line - but please don't do this when the Fiacaill Ridge Poma is open! Alternatively you can still ski most of the way down the Carpark Run if you really don't want to take the Funicular down from the middle, but you need to unclip at a couple of points on Burnside, Sheiling area still fine thanks to earlier snow making.
As the Funicular is mid-stopping there is great top to Sheiling riding with 1300ft of vertical all on well pisted green trails that are still all in good shape, so excellent for early intermediates who are advancing from the Top Basin greens. Certainly the 'Gorm is the best option for less experienced riders, mixed ability groups and any boarders who aren't yet that comfortable with surface lifts as you have the train to fall back on for uplift and still have all Cas mid mountain runs to play on.
However it's not all about the 'Gorm this weekend, Glencoe is reopening on Saturday and the upper mountain is still loaded, most mid mountain runs are complete and the steeper lines, Thrombosis, Canyon and the Wall are in good shape - all routes on Mugs Alley passable to the Cliffhanger Chair too. Glencoe's best for slightly more confident intermediates up and the Plateau Poma will be running for access, indeed all main tows scheduled for the weekend including the Rannoch Button. Still some lines below the Cliffhanger Chair on the Cliffy crag that go, indication of the amount of snow there's been this winter on Meall a' Bhuridih.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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From what I can tell they are going for sunshine/showers on Tuesday....do folk concur??? I can wangle a meeting in Glasgow Monday then nip on up for a slide Tuesday
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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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Another magic day at Glencoe, 33'rd ski day of my 2012/2013 season ... is it me or is this neverending winter just getting better and better ? Even got sunburned which has to be a first for me at the Mighty One 
Fresh snow yesterday and overnight meant that Radio, Baillies, Flypaper, Spring, Rannoch, Basin, Etive, Thrombosis and Canyon were all in the finest condition. Loads of grinning people today
Great to ski with shoogly, oldagepredator, Eagles and others. And so many ways of sliding seen including snowbikes, boards, Alpine skis and telemarkers a la HaggisTrap.
Thanks again to all the staff at Glencoe. Brilliant day.
Photos here ... http://www.winterhighland.info/publicreports/index.php?50,3584
Eagles in the lower Fly ...
Shoogly in the Springy ...
oldagepredator exiting Baillies ...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Stunning
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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.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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looks like I am on for Tuesday, arrive Monday night. What's the best local pub for a pint and bite to eat when I arrive Monday evening??
cheers,
Greg
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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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More snow overnight and this morning, further snow showers likely through the rest of the day:
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kitenski, in Aviemore? The Skiing Doo (or the Doo Below). Their burgers are great and they have Cairngorm Brewery Ales on tap.
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FAQ
A 1600ft vertical bumps run to the California Lodge Base.
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