As it happens, I'm making a move south towards your patch hopefully quite soon. Likely miss this years snow, but you may experience me being a eejut pishing and moaning on a hillside in the south sometime next year.
Well, I might not be moaning. But I'll be talking pish and being an eejut that I can guarantee!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Out of curiosity what's the touring opportunities like down that way?
Link to a blog post or similar would be good.
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?
@moffatross, my brother actually lives in Moffat so I am keen to come down and have a go.
If my brother was looking to by ski boots in the vicinity of Moffat, is there anywhere you would recommend?
@Piemonster, would be delighted to discuss some routes but don't blog though some of my routes & tour pix from the South may end up in a new edition of a well known book Moffat/Tweedsmuir Hills access from around Megget Stone NT150202, Manorhead NT199286, Great potential from Glen Trool (Merrick etc) NX417803, Two vehicle point to points Lowthers traverse NS873127->NS954169, Beeftub to Capplegill NT155027->NT147099. So many options when snow is in condition and if you're prepared to sacrifice a day that would likely be epic up north. The terrain doesn't come into condition too often though.
@bobmcstuff, as your brother would know, it's easy to buy a kilt or a tin of shortbread in Moffat, but buying say a teapot is a wee bit more of a challenge. And getting ski boots round here, haha !! Glasgow's his best bet
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Aberdeenshire have been very quick to put in place a plan to get the A93 north of Braemar open again. It is amazing how the Dee carved itself a new path. Not sure what the long term plan is but it looks unlikely they will be able to repair the old route.
Caingorm cams seem to show heavy snow and I'm guessing strong winds by the judder!!
Last edited by After all it is free on Mon 11-01-16 15:43; edited 1 time in total
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Glenshee opening tomorrow. Best weather looks to be Wednesday.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
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Glencoe opening tomorrow. Question is, do I risk a day rock hopping this close to my annual ski holiday......
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
GooseMan says "yes". p-tex + rocks =
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.
@kitenski, what time did you catch that photo, we were at Cairngorm today and left about 14.30 as the weather was closing in, that said it was cloudy pretty well all day and windy but the snow was good. The M1 and White Lady are both good you just have to watch out for the drifted snow, in the bowl the Ptarmigan run is good but the bowl was closed, the Ciste is good most of the way down following the tow line but a bit thin at the bottom, quite a few people were making there way down to the carpark but not advisable, needless to say it could be very different tomorrow.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@larry1950, about 2:30 I'd guess!!
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@moffatross, by coincidence I am driving down to Liverpool this weekend and my brother is talking about skiing at Lowther (assuming the weather is good which it looks like it might be), so I might come down Friday night and ski Saturday then drive the rest after.
Obviously it makes sense for him to join properly, but I assume there is no way he could take me as a guest? I don't mind giving money to the club but £39 for one day's skiing is a fair whack. Although there is the chance I could come up again once I've moved to Manchester at the start of March if there is still skiing.
How long does joining take?
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Glenshee looks pretty good tomorrow...
Just trying to persuade my friends to bail from work...
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Skinned up Fiacaill a Choire Chais, over the tops of the Northern Coires and back by way of Lurchers on Saturday (9/1/16). Snow was generally pretty good - excellent on the descent down the NW slopes of Cairn Lochan - but it was a bit thin and I did hit a few hidden rocks (that's why I don't use my good skis in Scotland ). Still it made a very nice half day!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Was at Cairngorm on Saturday and the cover wasn't bad, a few bare patches near the bottom. Looks like they had loads of new snow since then though - the web cams looks pretty impressive. The whole hill looks in great condition now and the forecast is clear for Wednesday .... but I won't be able to get the day off
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?
From what I can see Thursday looks better for Cairngorm. Did think about going there instead of Glenshee - with the Invercauld Bridge closure it's only about an extra 25 minutes to Cairngorm compared to Glenshee from Aberdeen, but it looks like Glenshee will be a bit clearer.
My persuasive efforts were successful and I'm going to go over to Glenshee tomorrow - will report back.
Anyone know what the snow on the West facing slopes of Sgor Gaoith (dropping down into Glen Feshie) is like at the moment? I'm guessing from Cairn Lochan on Saturday that they should be okay - thinking about heading over there at the weekend. Alternatively just a little to the south I've always fancied Coire Garbhlach but sensibly would need to rustle up a buddy for that one.
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Was up at Glenshee yesterday, the snow was excellent! There wasn't too much open by way of lifts, just Sunnyside poma, Claybokie and the Baddoch access chair, with Butcharts Access poma opening in the afternoon. The runs were in great shape, very grippy. Off piste was a little heavy lower down. The section skier's left of Butchart's poma was great but a bit thin in places.
I had a fantastic day, limited queues and some of the best piste conditions I've had in Scotland - super grippy and consistent. Definitely worth bailing from work for! Put it on Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/469627297
The piste bashers were hard at work most of the day and a lot of the lifts were being set up/tested, and with the forecast to stay cold it looks like there will be very good skiing at the weekend. It looked like quite a few of the other lifts were ready to go.
Also the Invercauld Bridge at Braemar reopened yesterday so the journey from Aberdeen is now significantly easier (although you still need to take the South Deeside to bypass the A93 works between Crathie and Ballater).
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hoping to get up somewhere tomorrow but forecast is not looking good for vis
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@kb36, Glenshee doesn't look completely awful from what I can see? Seems to say partly cloudy. MWIS says that the cloud base will be higher towards S Cairngorms, so at least you won't be in the clouds.
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.
I am never sure what areas are what on the forecasts. my preference is usually cairngorm
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
I am never sure what areas are what on the forecasts. my preference is usually cairngorm
In MWIS forecast, both are in Cairngorms NP.
Cairngorm is further North in the Cairngorm NP, Glenshee is in the South. MWIS suggesting that cloud base will be lower the further North you go and with more chance of snow.
Most of the forecasts seem to back this up - whatever winterhighland uses says snow in N Cairngorms but snow showers S Cairngorms, Google saying partly cloudy with chance of snow in the afternoon for Glenshee. The GFS ensembles seem to also show the same thing (unsurprising since most forecasts probably use those).
Either way it looks like any snowfall tomorrow will be minor and further South in the Cairngorms will be clearer.
Couldn't tell you about Nevis or Glencoe though because they're both a fair trip from Aberdeen so I tend to mainly look at Glenshee and Cairngorm (and Lecht to some extent) as they are day trip-able.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
that's great info thanks. I am fortunate in that I can go midweek, tend to avoid weekends if i can
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@kb36, in that case Monday looks like it could be a good day (at the moment - you never know with Scotland ).
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
bobmcstuff wrote:
kb36 wrote:
I am never sure what areas are what on the forecasts. my preference is usually cairngorm
In MWIS forecast, both are in Cairngorms NP.
Is Glenshee not in the South Eastern Highlands on MWIS?
`Hills accessed from Callander, Loch Tay and Loch Rannoch areas. Areas east of Loch Ericht, and south of Dalwhinnie, upper Glen Feshie and the River Dee (includes southernmost Cairngorm NP).`
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?
@Deedee, yeah, probably - it's at the top of the Dee catchment so I guess it would be included in that. I usually just look at the Cairngorm forecast though since it covers all of the areas I'm likely to go, and since Glenshee's close to the border between the two anything which they say is happening to the south in the Cairngorms is also what's happening at the north of the SE Highlands forecast.
In any case it doesn't affect what I've written above for tomorrow (clearer to the South, Glenshee likely to be clearer than Cairngorm).
MWIS are suggesting a thaw from mid next week though
temp road replacing where the A93 became the River Dee is planned to open on Sat evening, so from then on it should be the normal direct route from Aberdeen to Glenshee.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Going to give Glenshee a bash tomorrow - hopefully better visibility than Cairngorm 😊
A few pix from a 12km ski tour last night starting from Leadhills and taking in Green Lowther. It was brutally cold on the Lowther Hills ridge in the near gale NW'ly and we didn't get off the hill until 12.45 am but made a great wee headtorch skiing adventure nevertheless.
Started off with a skin along the railway
We took some shelter after the big climb
We enjoyed a bit of this
Then a lot more of that
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
MWIS sounding pretty hopeful for Sunday in the Cairngorms. Think I'll be going up Glen Feshie.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Hi, looking to try and get a sneaky couple of days in at either nevis or cairngorm on weds 20th jan, couple of questions.
No massive snow in the forecast next week, any hands on reports about which area has the best snow cover? It looks to be slight better at Cairngorm?
Also, IME one of the things that stops me going for too many trips up to Scotland (I can live with the ice and fog/rain lol) is the SH**te quality of the hire skis, usually have non existent edges and very old.
Is there anywhere decent that we could hire skis from close to either nevis or cairngorm?
Cheers Neil
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@neilkav, I think Nevis have a premium range for ski hire as well as their normal range. Not sure how good it is, but maybe an option. Check their website.
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@neilkav, The snow at Cairngorm was very good today with top to bottom skiing, it was incredibly busy with it being a weekend and good weather and not all the lifts open yet the Cas tow didn't come on until mid afternoon due to an electrical fault, Carpark tow Fiacall ridge and West Wall poma don't have quite enough snow yet. I can't help you with the ski hire but it might be worth giving Cairngorm a call to check what they have, also there is an Ellis Brigham in Aviemore who do ski hire.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
Moffat/Tweedsmuir Hills access from around Megget Stone NT150202, Manorhead NT199286, Great potential from Glen Trool (Merrick etc) NX417803, Two vehicle point to points Lowthers traverse NS873127->NS954169, Beeftub to Capplegill NT155027->NT147099. So many options when snow is in condition and if you're prepared to sacrifice a day that would likely be epic up north. The terrain doesn't come into condition too often though.
