 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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Cairngorm Ski Touring - 27 & 28 December 2019
Fri 27 Dec 2019: We skinned up from the bottom via the Fiacaill Ridge tow track, and adjacent snow patches, into a relentless, stiff headwind. Cover was fair between the fences and pretty decent in places at Coire Cas level. By the time we reached the top of the Cas Tow, skinning was increasingly difficult in the very strong gusts so we turned round at that point. Cover up the Traverse looked good and the White Lady had fair cover – but going any higher than the Cas would have been very tough, if not impossible.
We then had a pretty good (tail wind assisted) ski down on soft, grippy snow. The top zig zag was pisted, so was particularly good. After that, we skinned up towards the top of the Fiacaill Ridge and skied down a mix of the tow track and adjacent snow patches, on nice snow. We finished off on the 100 metre long, man-made beginners area – which was very well used, with the learners seemingly having a great time. It’s hats off to Cairngorm for their efforts with that. (The first pic below shows the beginners area, near the Daylodge.)
Sat 28 Dec 2019: The wind on day 2 seemed similar at car park level to the previous day, so we set off skinning up the beginners area, followed by hiking and snow patch skinning to the bottom of The Gunbarrel. From there, it was skis on all the way to the top of the Cas again. The head wind just got worse and worse as we plodded up. Mobility was impossible in some of the gusts, culminating in Mrs MA and I both being blown over twice by we reached the top of the tow  . Pretty scary stuff – particularly when, while taking the skins off, Mrs MA’s skis were ripped from her grasp and cartwheeled down the hill by a violent gust. It was like being in a hurricane and we were barely able to communicate with each other. The ski down was just awful to begin with – tail wind gusts blasting us towards rocks and snow fences. We have skied in bad winds in Scotland before – but this took things to a whole new, terrifying, level. We were so glad to reach a point where normal skiing was possible and enjoyed some nice turns after that. What is it they say? “ A bad day on the mountain is better than a good day in town.” Hmmmm…. 
The temperature was 10C at Cas Car Park level when we left, with a lot of snow having been lost over the two days we were there. The position is only set to worsen with ongoing high temperatures and strong wind in coming days – so it’s fingers crossed for the return of winter (and snow) in the not too distant future.
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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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Nice report and I'm glad you both got back unscathed!
I'm amazed there's any snow left to ski to be honest. I was all set to get the kids up to coe during the holidays but then the temps changed the minute the schools broke up. Hrmph!  Fingers crossed for a quick return to a proper winter.
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18.5 degrees recorded on 28th. A record UK temperature for December.
Bloody climate change 
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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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| cameronphillips2000 wrote: |
18.5 degrees recorded on 28th. A record UK temperature for December.
Bloody climate change |
Crazy stuff.
17c (62f) at night.
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Thanks for that.
Scathing assessment........
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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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Heavy, heavy rain first tho. This could go either way.......
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Saw a car with snow on the back in Edinburgh today - bizarre, I can only assume it had travelled a fair distance as it was pouring this morning here....
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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's some snow on the Ochils, not that far from Edinburgh.
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Scottish Borders got a fair amount this morning.
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You know it makes sense.
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Glencoe will be 50% open on Fri.
Make the most of it. Rain due next week.
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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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Glencoe looked pretty good today according to the photos on their Facebook page - pity that they couldn't give an upfront version else we'd have rushed up. The Wall looked best, Mugs (various) also good - not open at the top, though, I think.
Not perfect, but better than nothing for the UK atm. Looks like it's not going to last more than the next few days, maybe the week if really lucky
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Poster: A snowHead
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Depressing, was talking to my daughter talbyem a few days ago who is working at Loch Ness Backpackers, she say the only snow around there is on very top of the mountains and that shrinks every time it rains in the valleys which is pretty often!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Another calamity season for Scotland.
No snow in the peak of winter, global warming, fire disaster, crumbling funicular.
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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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It's still January, plenty of time for snow, the beast from the east was in March remember.
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| OwenM wrote: |
| It's still January, plenty of time for snow, the beast from the east was in March remember. |
Hoping for Feb as off up see darling daughter at half term!
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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: |
every time it rains in the valleys which is pretty often!
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Glens maybe?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@davkt, Despite what you may be hearing/reading it is not unusual for the snow to disappear in January, hopefully it wont be long before its back again.
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Fingers crossed!
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Just cancelled a weekend based in Fort William.
Castleford on Sat shall have to do.
Things can only get better...AMIRITE?
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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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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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@Mouse555, nice video. Kudos for skiing halfway down the Access Chair at Glencoe with cover that thin!
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You know it makes sense.
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Blast! If I'd known that there was that much (Nevis?), I'd have rushed up (hmm, well, pulled back muscle permitting...)
Looks good
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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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Wow mouse, that looks fabulous! 
Conditions were nearly as good in Glenshee for the weekend we went up last year. Scottish skiing can still be ace if you time it right.
Oh and mountainaddict, yes touring kit's a good shout. Might well have to look into it.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Yeah I think the west coast had a good fall just before Christmas and some forecasts suggesting another 1.5m over the next week. Shame it's so off and on!
The snowfall totals over a season are probably right up there.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Mouse555 wrote: |
Yeah I think the west coast had a good fall just before Christmas and some forecasts suggesting another 1.5m over the next week. Shame it's so off and on!
The snowfall totals over a season are probably right up there. |
Yes, Scotland typically gets 200-500cm of snowfall in an average season, which is roughly the same as Zermatt in Switzerland.
In a good year, Scotland will get 500-800cm, which is close to Lech, the snowiest major resort in the European Alps.
But global boiling is killing Scotland.
The ocean and air get hotter every winter.
More thaw, more rain, more melt.
The 2019-2020 season has already seen +19c in Dec and a week of rain to the summits in Jan.
Other islands around the world also feeling the effects.
Japan is currently seeing its unsnowiest winter in ~60 years.
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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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| Whitegold wrote: |
| Mouse555 wrote: |
Yeah I think the west coast had a good fall just before Christmas and some forecasts suggesting another 1.5m over the next week. Shame it's so off and on!
The snowfall totals over a season are probably right up there. |
Yes, Scotland typically gets 200-500cm of snowfall in an average season, which is roughly the same as Zermatt in Switzerland.
In a good year, Scotland will get 500-800cm, which is close to Lech, the snowiest major resort in the European Alps.
But global boiling is killing Scotland.
The ocean and air get hotter every winter.
More thaw, more rain, more melt.
The 2019-2020 season has already seen +19c in Dec and a week of rain to the summits in Jan.
Other islands around the world also feeling the effects.
Japan is currently seeing its unsnowiest winter in ~60 years. |
I'm not so sure on the effects of climate change for the UK snowsports scene. With it being maritime, it seems like a slight change in prevailing wind direction or a shift in the gulfstream would have much more of an effect than rising average temperatures.
Freezing levels this week were up to around 3000m.. next week with more polar maritime flow, there might be snow on the beach. I'm not sure you get that frequent crazy fluctuation in continental areas. I think it's the lower resorts in the Alps that will really suffer in the coming years. Places that rely on people booking trips months in advance.
Scotland seems to be able to go from nothing to world class in a few days 
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Spot on analysis Mouse555 - we could yet be skiing/touring from next weekend into May...if not June 
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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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Scotland's ski season used to last Oct to Jun.
Now, it struggles to make Jan to Mar.
Total skier days have collapsed 60-95% in fifty years.
Global boiling is already smashing Scotland.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Whitegold wrote: |
Scotland's ski season used to last Oct to Jun.
Now, it struggles to make Jan to Mar.
Total skier days have collapsed 60-95% in fifty years.
Global boiling is already smashing Scotland. |
You have no clue about Scottish ski seasons. Always best Feb-May and anything else is a bonus, snow comes and goes and that's the way it's always been with the odd exceptional/very bad year thrown in.
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re:@Whitegold's post 
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You cannot ignore the facts.
Scotland once got ~600k skier days a season.
Now, it struggles to get 50-100k, due to lack of snow.
Yet more rain is forecast this week.
In the peak of coldest winter.
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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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Forecast which I've just been watching has white, white and white all the time from tonight onwards, West to Central at least. Milder later on, but at least it's coming down again. Digits crossed.
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| Whitegold wrote: |
Scotland's ski season used to last Oct to Jun.
Now, it struggles to make Jan to Mar.
Total skier days have collapsed 60-95% in fifty years.
Global boiling is already smashing Scotland. |
Fifty years ago there weren't cheap flights to Geneva , Innsbruck from Glasgow and Edinburgh either.
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