 Poster: A snowHead
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Ricklovesthepowder, that's two folk who have skied 18 months, by hiking skiing tiny patches, heather etc the lifts slopes/ have not been open for 18 consecutive months.....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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14 of the 18 months were lift served. Really only September necessitated 'tiny' patches, though still managed 12 turns on skis and over 20 on snow blades (OK that was maybe slightly cheating to get the turn count up, but hey the shorter the piste the shorter the turn radius you want!  ) The way the snow was lying in the Ciste Mhearaidh in Sept meant the fall-line was the short axis of the snow field, shame it wasn't lying the other way around. Octobers effort was to ski from near the top of the Marquis Well's area just below the Summit down to the Ptarmigan Tow, down the Ptarmigan Traverse, the Traverse, 105 and Cas uptrack to just short of the Zig Zags.
Mid November 2010, the train took the strain for month 13 and CairnGorm Mountain was officially go once again. The arrival of April means the 'Gorm is into the 6th consecutive calendar month of lift served riding this season. Hopefully the weather will play ball sufficiently to allow the season to continue into the start of May and it's 7th season and we can get month 19 with lift assistance.
More Westerly influence this year means there's been greater wind driven accumulation in some of the long lasting snow fields around the Highlands this winter, hopefully also over the back of the 'Gorm. Snow wise we should be good for month 20 (June, we managed a Winterhighland mid-summer get together on the 'Gorm in 2007) and it's only another 11 days till July so month 21 should have snow. August we shall see, September is the worry for breaking the chain, having to rely on fresh snow in September is always a bit risky, so we shall see. Off course it also requires no broken legs, getting hit by a bus etc to keep the consecutive months going!!
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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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Some pix from Sunday which turned into a beautiful blue sky afternoon on CairnGorm Mountain, see one page back for the video.
^Spring Snow corduroy on the White Lady - skiers right was being groomed constantly through the day.
^Skiers at the top of the White Lady bask in the Sun while another heavy shower lashes Aviemore!
^CairnGorm Ambassador Helen (H11lly) heads for the White Lady via the Ciste Fairway / Lady Luck, wide cover remains in the Top Basin.
The Ptarmigan Park has a fairly large kicker and an even bigger kicker, each with graded ramps so there are a couple of not too insane options. There's one on the big one that looks like these old school inverted aerials style kickers! There's also a selection of rails and boxes, a couple of pipe jibs and a tyre jib. If the weather doesn't do too much damage mid-week, more maybe added with the 'Dawn of the Shred V' on Saturday 9th.
Top Basin remains in good shape with a wide cover, firm but grippy surfaces in the Ptarmigan Bowl on Saturday. Some great spring snow riding on the Cas side mid mountain. White Lady was the pick of the day, classic fun spring riding, loose fast granular spring snow on a firm base, a hint of bumps one side, skiers right being groomed almost every other run. Traverse, 105 and Coire Cas all good with the Gunbarrel still loaded and pretty much flat. Zig Zags and Chicken Gully provide Gunbarrel escape routes!
For a longer blue the Fiacaill Traverse / Fiacaill runs remains good, the Nessie Rollers were fast and their getting deeper and steeper and were spitting quite a few people out the sides on Sunday! 
Unfortunately the West Wall Poma track as mentioned is trashed, but the No 1 Gully of the East Wall, West Wall and esp the Ciste Gully all look good. Still possible to ski to the Daylodge from the top of the Cas T-bar via the Fiacaill Traverse, head to skiers right of the old T-bar, then across the Fiacaill Crossover out onto the ridge and down the Poma line.
No tows running today, but the Funicular is open providing access to the Cas side.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Winterhighland wrote: |
<snip>
Unfortunately the West Wall Poma track as mentioned is trashed, but the No 1 Gully of the East Wall, West Wall and esp the Ciste Gully all look good.
<snip> |
Save the Ciste (or preferably replace it with something newer, better place and more useful year round)!
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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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roga, could be worse, a lot worse infact! I think there will be 1 last big dump of snow also.
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| Winterhighland wrote: |
| http://youtube.com/v/6ZMLpwUVqY0 |
Good vid, dude. What's the tune?
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So what chance of skiing next week, Nevis or Glencoe ?
We're had planned to come up for a few days but I guess it's not looking so positive ? The long range charts hint at it getting cooler, but it doesn't look like it's going to dump it down any time soon.
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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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david@mediacopy, Glencoe, I'd say little or no chance!
Nevis seem pretty sure they are shut as well - their webpage says That's the end of snowsports for winter 2010/11
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| Quote: |
Well folks ... we've been defeated by the thaw, which has been busy stealing our snow ... and taken the difficult decision to call it a day for the 10/11 winter season. It's been an interesting year ... a bigger Equipment Hire, a temporary portakabin cafe as well as some new back corrie workshops. A huge thanks to all of you who've visited and supported us through the winter; we already cant wait til next year  |
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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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It has been one of the biggest and fastest thaws in history.
Scotland went from being 100% open to 10% open in less than 3 weeks.
It looks like Switzerland or Norway will now get my tourist money for the last blast of the season, rather than Scotland 
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If the current forecast holds for the weekend esp Saturday, then if your thinking of already having called it a day for the season, it should be worth getting up to go out with some spring snow t-shirt skiing. Temps look set to climb into the low teens at Munro Level on Saturday.
Despite a hairdryer set at thermo-nuclear level the past few days CairnGorm Mountain is still top to Sheiling, giving 1300ft of lift served vertical. That's still more than Glenshee and the Lecht have full stop and the thaw should be stopped in it's tracks overnight as the FL comes down.
The very hard to icy conditions around the turn of the year due to repeated freeze/thaw cycles and freezing rain events mean the bottom base layers are set up perfectly for beautiful granular spring snow on warm sunny days. Depending on whether the machines do any work on the White Lady it might be adventure skiing in a couple of bits, but it should be fantastic fun spring snow riding. You can still ski into the mid-station loading area from the Coire Cas Gunbarrel and White Lady.
Uplift will be the Funicular, Coire Cas T-bar, Ptarmigan T-bar, Coire na Ciste T-bar and possibly the Fiacaill Ridge Poma.
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You know it makes sense.
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Colder today at Cairngorm with negative temps first thing at long last! It's going to warm up again over the next 3 days though I'm afraid with the possibility of double digit temperatures at the top on Saturday but some forecasts are hinting there's a possibility of temperatures dropping back down to around or below seasonal average from Sunday evening into next week and staying that way for a while yet - fingers crossed!
As for snow there are hints at small amounts but nothing bigger yet but after the last few days we sure could do with a last big dump!
Fingers and toes crossed!
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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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It aint over 'till the fat lady sings!
Here's me about to chuck my stuff in the car and head north with a heavy heart wondering whether it's worth it after the melt but I'm committed to a BASI course 3 days next week as well as some instructing ... if the snow holds! Anyway, I check the Cairngorm website and here's the latest update:
| Quote: |
Saturday 9th April.
No wind, +8.0c, Clear Skies, Come on Up!
The Terrain Park is looking awesome for today's comp and it is going to be a warm sunny day. Bring your suncream and shades and enjoy watching some of the top riders around. We will aim to have the Ciste, Ptarmigan, Polar Express, Cas and Train for uplift, with great skiing on spring snow. Do not pack away your snowsports gear just yet, as it looks like more snow coming in next week, with perhaps substantial falls above 600m |
Oh blimey!
Well plan B could be to head high in the Alps on a very last minuter the week after but hey if Scotland delivers one last time who knows!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hope to be skiing at Cairngorm Tuesday \ Wednesday all things being well. Fingers crossed the snow keeps.
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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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Winterhighland think there were even more confused tourists today, train mainly full of people carrying skis and boards I was asked if there was really enough snow to ski on.
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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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LOL, great snow today particularly on the Cas & The Gunbarrell was awesome when they weren't bashing it
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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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Looking to get another few Munros under the belt next week weather dependant and some turns would be good. Is there much snow about still, if so, where's a good bet?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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very good!
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What's the local take on conditions at Cairngorm ? Best to go tomorrow Tuesday or Wednesday ? According to the forecast Wednesday maybe better, lower winds ?
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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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So Tuesdat it was. Nice day skiing the Cas(?) and Gunbarrell. Probably a better day than lest year. Although there was less area, the snow was good, the bumps were slushy and the staff friendly. But FFS why don't they acknowledge there is a ski resort up there on the approach signage ?
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david@mediacopy, were you just up for the one day?
Glad you had a good one Tuesday - the bumps were rather good 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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roga, were you there ? I saw some of the ski school guys lapping. The bumps were pretty good and developed nicely as the day went on - Almost a rut line of sorts.
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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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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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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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Beats going to a snowdome!
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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Indeed a belter, had a couple of birthday blasts up and down the ciste gulley, even her indoors came and got me at the ciste car park after a hot slog out (the slogs back up on skins just as hot - if only there were a chairlift over there )
Now marinading my toastie red head in some ice cold beer
All good - ciste definitely worth the effort (couple of large but passable holes just before the snow runs out and a couple of other spots slightly higher up where the collapse has started, but easily avoidable). Couple of boggy parts along the eastern track on the walk out. A very pleasant afternoon.
Think that's my swan song for the ski area but hoping to get up on to the plateaux for a tour or two yet this year - even if the cover is fragmented (should be vast areas still in the southern fields), on a weather day like today it will be worth it
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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barry, H11lly has posted some pics from over the back and the Plateau rim in the Public Reports on Winterhighland. I'm sorting out some snaps from today and will have them up soon. Just a note to anyone going up tomorrow that CML has shifted to summer operations, so the first lift will be 10.30am instead of 8.30. Daylodge, Ski Hire and Cas Bar open at 10am. We want night frosts, no wind and no rain this week with the Easter Holiday weekend coming up! Forecast set fair so fingers crossed.
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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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FAQ
