 Poster: A snowHead
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Anyone know how much has survived at Glencoe Mountain? It's been horrible at low level, but when the cloud now lifted a bit at Kinlochleven it seems it took all the snow with it! Friday the West face of Aonach Dubh was plastered, with ice-falls, today it's all gone!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@RobinS, their Facebook page says
Looking like a pretty settled week of weather on the way. Milder than of late so expect spring snow conditions.
Al uplift can run if required and all runs complete.
We expect to be much quieter this week (only sold 7 tickets for tomorrow).
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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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@kitenski, Yes, I found the website (as we are in the pub now we have wi-fi) and looks like it should be okay. From the webcams a lot of snow loss since Friday (between the pistes bits we were skiing are now broken), but the pistes look complete.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@RobinS, Scottish skiing is mostly in gullies that hold the snow so between pistes tend to disappear first!!
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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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@kitenski, In Scotland I am more used to winter mountaineering, and yes, it's quite noticeable that when winter climbing conditions are dire, skiing still persists.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Glencoe upper mountain still looks great!
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Well, another day at Glencoe today. Was 9c at sea level, and really manky, cloud and rain as we drove up Glencoe, I was thinking "is this really a good idea?", But as we came out the top of Glencoe onto the open moor it brightened a bit and the rain stopped. At the carpark we could see that the cloud was above the top of the Access chair so decided to go for it.
Above the Access chair there was just one poma to allow you to ski back down to the Wall T-bar, then the Summit T-bar open.
The lower slopes were pretty poor, narrow bits, and mud and rocks to avoid, but the upper mountain was much better. Visibility came and went, and snow varied between excellent spring snow, and half refrozen bumpy stuff.
We had a great time, skiing everything we could see, including some variations we had missed on Friday. So, good day, everyone very friendly, no queues, good skiing in a sort of Scottish way.
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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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Supposedly running for the public tomorrow.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Great news, on their website now and saying they will prioritise snowsports customers over the winter season.
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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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Great to see the train operational again  £38 for an adult day ticket.
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You know it makes sense.
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| larry1950 wrote: |
| Great news, on their website now and saying they will prioritise snowsports customers over the winter season. |
Well I'm not surprised that snowsports customers would be the majority of winter users, I wouldn't have thought they'd get that many coachloads of pensioners wanting to go up the funicular to the Ptarmigan restaurant for a cup of tea and a sticky bun in winter?
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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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@Alastair Pink, there are a lot of walkers and climbers though!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Bigtipper wrote: |
| @Alastair Pink, there are a lot of walkers and climbers though! |
Are walkers and climbers allowed out of the "restaurant area" in winter?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Bigtipper, except that they are prohibited from the Funicular for uphill travel. Non snowsports customers are not permitted to leave the designated ski patrol area from the funicular top station by conditions of carriage implementing the Section 50 agreement.
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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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We heard that the funicular is running from tomorrow. We are in Aviemore, and in the pub tonight we were chatting with one of the lifties, and he confirmed our suspicion that there is not enough snow to justify the £38 uplift cost.
We will be going walking with axes and crampons instead.
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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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And also, there aren't many people about at present, even pubs are open part time due to lack of customers.
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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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@RobinS, thanks for the info. Decided definitely yesterday I wasn’t coming up this weekend, was already thinking unlikely a few days ago. Sketchy snow and a bad forecast, especially Sunday. Hope you are enjoying yourselves despite the challenges. Another chance in a few weeks, hopefully weather will play ball.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@what...snow, We didn't ski, but parked up at Cairngorm to go for a walk up Carn Lochan. It looked truly horrible, cloud, wet drizzle, and only patches of snow to be seen. There could have been acres of pristine snow hiding in the murk, but I very much doubt it! Only upsides, the funicular was running, and we encountered a large herd of reindeer ambling across the path.
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| RobinS wrote: |
| @what...snow, We didn't ski, but parked up at Cairngorm to go for a walk up Carn Lochan. It looked truly horrible, cloud, wet drizzle, and only patches of snow to be seen. There could have been acres of pristine snow hiding in the murk, but I very much doubt it! Only upsides, the funicular was running, and we encountered a large herd of reindeer ambling across the path. |
If you want to ski right now in Cairngorms then touring kit the way to go.
From summit of Cairngorm to Loch Avon and over the plateau to Ben Macdui will have enough snow for decent day out.
Cairngorm might be selling touring tickets (£11?) for one way access now the train is running.
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@Haggis_Trap, Interesting, I wasn't aware of a touring ticket, only problem could be a long walk down - everything we have seen is broken to quite a high level.
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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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A return touring ticket would be better at present!
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| Quote: |
It looked truly horrible, cloud, wet drizzle, and only patches of snow to be seen. There could have been acres of pristine snow hiding in the murk, but I very much doubt it!
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Cairngorm is very deceptive. It can look like only strips of snow when viewed from Aviemore - but full cover on the runs (ie between the snow fences and on runs like the Traverse and the Zig Zags, that can't be seen until you are on them.
The M1 and Cas tows are currently running and The Gunbarrel looks complete on the webcams - so what (if anything) is preventing skiing back to the middle station? (And getting the train down from there.)
| Quote: |
| Cairngorm might be selling touring tickets (£11?) for one way access now the train is running |
Unlikely unless the policy has changed - as touring kit has never been allowed on the funicular. Not even if you pay full wack for a day ticket.
The touring ticket has always been valid only for two draglifts of your choice - eg Fiacaill Ridge + M1, or Daylodge + West Wall.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| mountainaddict wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Cairngorm might be selling touring tickets (£11?) for one way access now the train is running |
Unlikely unless the policy has changed - as touring kit has never been allowed on the funicular. Not even if you pay full wack for a day ticket.
The touring ticket has always been valid only for two draglifts of your choice - eg Fiacaill Ridge + M1, or Daylodge + West Wall. |
The touring ticket was suspended because of the Funicular closure reducing uplift capacity - though it may have been an excuse to ditch it. With respect to touring kit on the funicular, people with touring kit travel up the funicular all the time, plenty of people skiing on the Gorm don’t have any skis that aren’t ‘touring kit’ - but it depends on what you have, skis, with skins in a bag and adjustable poles are fine. An ice axe and crampons stuck to your backpack are not!
What the VMP and section 50 mean is that technically the Funicular should not be used as the last point of uplift if heading into the Natura 2000 designated sites on the Plateau and the Northern Corries to the West of the Fiacaill a’ Choire Chais - but doing so from other uplift is fine, a section 50 agreement can not be retrospective.
It is also worth noting that snow permitting pisting can and does take place beyond the patrol boundary, such as the Loagh Mor Return.
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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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^ re: touring ticket. this... It used to be valid for the funk-ular so long as you used 2nd uplift (ptarmigan) before exiting the ski area boundary.
| RobinS wrote: |
| @Haggis_Trap, Interesting, I wasn't aware of a touring ticket, only problem could be a long walk down - everything we have seen is broken to quite a high level. |
At present you can ski to mid station / bottom of Coire Cas gunbarrel which is 5-10 min walk to car park. Hopefully more snow next week reboots winter 2.0
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You know it makes sense.
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@mountainaddict, You would have been told that but it is meant for people with just a train ticket, the people you see with backpacks will have full day snowsports tickets or are season ticket holders. I think originally you were never supposed to leave the ski area but as they can't stop you they have had to relax their attitude over the years.
https://www.cairngormmountain.co.uk/backcountry-touring/
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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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Thanks for the clarification @larry1950.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Touring ticket always been something of a secret and poorly advertised. Almost like Cairngorm don't want to promote it...
Makes sense to me : easy revenue and fewer folk ascending the ski area pistes.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
| Touring ticket always been something of a secret and poorly advertised. Almost like Cairngorm don't want to promote it... |
Was it Glenshee where there was some carry on in the past with ski tourers being told they weren't allowed?
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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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Glenshee surprisingly busy given the amount of snow.
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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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@JimboS, they've been posting some very nice social media videos showing that snow between the fences is pretty decent further up.
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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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| JimboS wrote: |
Glenshee surprisingly busy given the amount of snow.
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Also had the best forecast!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| JimboS wrote: |
Glenshee surprisingly busy given the amount of snow.
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Also had the best forecast!
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Had a great day today at Cairngorms. Plenty of snow on the upper reaches, great value for £38.
Drove up from Manchester, kipped in the van, first lift till 2pm then back to Manchester for 19:15. Exactly 24 hours!
Plenty of things to be on with. As good/bad as any good/bad day in any resort in Scotland!
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Good effort @userscott - sounds good
What were the runs to the middle station like?
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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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| mountainaddict wrote: |
Good effort @userscott - sounds good
What were the runs to the middle station like? |
Absolutely fine down to the middle station, nothing of any note with regards to thin cover etc. Great day out, obviously it was all somewhat solid/icy in places but it's Scotland!
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Well I got up to Cairngorm today for the first time since the Funi got back up and running. Conditions can only be described as bullet proof, lots of rocks to contend with at the bottom of the white lady.
Lots of snow in the forecast, but also lots of wind. Only time will tell!
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