 Poster: A snowHead
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If you mean do people walk in from the car park - yes but in ski / boarding kit generally. The base of the tow is only 200m from the road but 50m higher. Do they walk in from Durham - yes but only on clear calm days in the current and predicted conditions this is a very very dangerous thing to do with almost 100% chance of being trapped on the moors at just under 2000'. The Durham side of the B6277 is extremely prone to blockage. The cumbria side is actually relatively easy to keep clear as it has real banks and edges to build snow on between the tow and the boundary. On the Durham side you wouldnt get within about 6 or 7 miles at the moment anyway.
If you are coming up from Leeds check the Facebook site for the roads situation report - relayed from the police by one of the group members. The traffic info can also be found on the cybermoor website for Alston. At the moment the best approach seems to be in from Brampton. Comming via M62 M6 A69 may be best in this case as A66 is blocked most of the time as well.
In general I'd take care on the roads as if grit supplies are getting low they may not bother with gritting the B6277 for the last couple of miles to the tow as its mainly farm traffic. Teesdale side - until they went grit happy this year (I blame the extra million they got from the NHS budget) - was usually left white from Langdon Beck.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Kitenski,
Its a 10 minute walk up from the roadside car park. Walk up in your boots and you can ski back down to your car. Don't forget a spade, headtorch, lunch, drink and cash for the lift pass.
Hope you can get there. looks like it has picked up more snow since the weekend 
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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.
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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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Just seen the BBC weather - also talking about a thaw but notice the little patch of white in the rain band sitting roughly midway coast to coast. That would be the North Pennines. On the up side a southerly has to come right up the whole pennine chain to hit Yad Moss and Weardale plus and this is espcially true of Yad Moss. Southerly air has to get over a run of hills ranging between 650 and 780ish m. The ground beyond that is all over 500m The upper teesdale plateau is very cold at the moment and hopefully that will protect us a bit more as well.
Weardale doesnt have the depth on the runs Yad Moss has but is NE facing and so will be cooler and sheltered form the wind. Even if it didnt come through intact its only going to take a little snow to re-fresh. I'm hoping the perculiarities of North Pennine weather rule and we get snow.
Honestly if its going to snow anywhere it'll be the run of hills form Yad Moss to Weardale. Even if it doesnt a nice bit of freeze thaw will only help to consolidate the snow base.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Fresh snow in Durham this morning
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These pictures by OAP taken last Friday show argueably the best skiing conditions that we can ever reasonably dream about in the Pennines.
Simply fabulous stuff 
http://www.winterhighland.info/publicreports/index.php?50,1855
As OAP says i have seen more snow up there but probably not since 1986. We are however still a long way from a 1979 situation.
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Is the MWIS the most reliable forecast to read??? BBC seems to pointing towards heavy rain and 22mph winds tomorrow and MWIS concurs 
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Headline, The Cumbrian Fells
Drizzly rain, often light. Upland gales; blanket low cloud
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How Windy?
Southerly 50 gusts 75mph post dawn; but will ease to 35 gusts 55mph.
Effect Of Wind?
Some easing of very difficult conditions at dawn, but throughout day, expect considerable buffeting. Severe wind chill.
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How Wet?
Periods of rain
Rain and drizzle on and off, mainly south Lakes and nearby Pennine fells. Most of the precipitation will be rain with snow only locally. Here and there at first, the wind will fail to scour out the cold air from some valleys, there may be sleet (or freezi
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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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Peter S, looks wonderful, wish I had the time to come over, but I'm back at work. Still zero temps in Durham today.
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Just had a look at the Natives website - they seem to have there own version of Mornington Crescent but use Yad Moss instead. More Pennine Skiing mockers and knockers probably dont even remember hard british winters.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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oldagedpredator, I lived up near Consett when I was a kid. We were often completely snowed in for days if not a week or more. We would be dug out, only for another blizzard to appear overnight. 1979 is one of them I remember but there were others. The local YMCA regularly got out their skis in the winter, and not just to head up to Cairngorm.
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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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Helen Beaumont, I went with Consett YMCA to Tomintoul. 
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I grew up in Teesdale - learnt at the now defunct Teesdale Ski Club, left to get on with the instructions of put you skis into a V to turn and stop. Wire tows and dog leash buttons I was so glad when the first button lift arrived at Weardale. Moved over to skiing there most of the time. Mainly with the long walk in either from the truck bodies on the Langdon Beck - St Johns road. Or from Glenwhelt in the days before the snowblower. Also skied harwood on and off. Last year finally did the four dales in a day putting in a couple of runs at all the active tow sites.
Appart from getting properly snowed in my main memories of 1979 are getting a ride down the dale in a tank. The army had been brought in to ferry the electricity board guys around. Quite entertaining watching them charge down the drifts. The other is a drift near langdon beck that was so big there was feet of clear air between a bloke standing on the roof or our ford cortina and another reaching down from the top of the drift.
I still think this is a good average winter rather than an exceptional hard one by traditions pennine winter standards.
From last weekend - This is Yad Moss, this is Cumbria. Long may it continue.
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You know it makes sense.
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Just so Weardale doesnt feel left out - F2 in the powder robbing storm 10 January 2010
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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, looks fantastic, I'm really keen to get up there if I can, still no news on if Yad is open Friday though as far as I can tell....
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Poster: A snowHead
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Travel report from Alston Police says they are still digging the road out. Keep watching the website. Unfortunately it wont look like that now - best snow conditions, not the most but the most of us can remember.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Ooh, I'm getting all nostalgic now.
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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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I think the fates don't want me to get up there, fingers crossed for next week now!!
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A lot of snow has drifted from the south across the runs at Yad Moss this week. The ticket office and skidoo garage will need some digging out and Pylon one doesn't need a ladder to reach the gantry anymore ! The top of the slope is completely banked out with 2-3m of snow.
Unfortunately it was very wet up there today and the snow pack will be saturated with some mostly cosmetic loss this weekend. A line span has come down near the summit so that will need repairing but shouldn't take too long. The good news is that the B6277 and Hartside (I think) are now fully open allowing access from Middleton in Teesdale/A66 and Penrith/M6.
The tow won't run tomorrow Saturday because of the grim forecast but Sunday looks much better. The intention is to run on Sunday but check out the update on Saturday night before travelling.
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Tell us more! What was the 1979 situation??
[/quote]
Ahhhhhh 1979. That was my generations '1963' or my fathers generations '1947'. Are you sitting comfortably ?
Anyone living in Scotland or any of the hilly parts of England, old enough to remember 1979, will probably have a story about it. Mine is of an incredible trip to Aviemore, hording petrol in the boot of Dads' car, not a rock visible across the whole northern Cairngorms. A reported 4 feet of level snow in Glenmore, Skiing off the roof of the old Ptarmigan restaurant, and down to Glenmore at the end of the day.
Here in the Pennines we had a lot of snow and the Carlisle Ski Club was using portable tows , organising inter club races because of the reliability of the cover. I remember the snow getting deeper and deeper, just like the last 3 weeks, and eventually the B6277 became a 15 foot trench as the ejected snow from the blower piled higher.
In March (I think) we had a last tremendous blizzard which completely filled the road in, closing it for four weeks and burying the tow until well into the Spring.
Across on Great Dun Fell there enormous drifts over the CAA access road of over 40 feet deep. the Helm wind blew and Melmerby at the foot of Hartside was buried by drifts up to the eaves of two story houses. Members of the club got into the central pages of the Daily Mail by skiing in the Kirkland gulley on the 2nd July. Snow was still visible on cross Fell from the M6 as late as the end of August.
That was the biggest Pennine winter I can remember and naturally I carn't help but compare all others against it. Alas it was not to prove typical  [quote]
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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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Peter S, I was still at school in 1979,aged 14, but remember a bus being stranded at the bottom of out street for over a week (fortunately empty). My grandad walked the four miles there and back to bring us meat, veg etc, and my Mam baked the bread. Us kids built a huge igloo in the garden that took weeks to melt, and we spent most days in it. . The road in front of our house had a drift about 12ft high across it, and when my Dad opened the front door a whole load of snow fell in. We sledged down the hill in front of the house every day for about a week, until some spoiltsport gritted it. Dad took us up to Waskerley at Easter and there was still a load of snow about. School closed for several days if not longer, followed by another few days when the beck which ra through the grounds flooded the school. All the older folks kept talking about 1963, or even 1947, and how much snowier they were
Some things don't change.
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Fri 15-01-10 23:18; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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johnboy, I was a bit older.  . Co Durham had proper winters every year.
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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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Not sure if it was the same year that we were snowed in at New Year, and had the most fantastic party.
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We'd have a 1979 storm situation if the powder hadnt softened last weekend and todays heavy band of rain had fallen as snow across the country. There was more snow but there was a lot more difting. Middleton in Teesdale was complete cut off for around 5-7days. House height snow drifts on the raod above high force. We had 4 or 5 foot of blown snow in the farm yard. Took ages to dig out. The council comandeered the large loading shovels from the quarries to clear the road - my farther had pictures of one of them in a ditch near holwick after skidding off the road. The army were stationed at High Force with scorpion tanks - to ferry the electricity board about and charge down drifts. I got a ride down in one from Langdon Beck to Middleton. Very very imprsive if your a you boy. Roads over the tops were blocked so kept having to walk in to Weardale from Langdon Beck. Once got up and over only to find the tow was just about to close due to weather. Good ski back though.
I'd still put this snow fall at the top end of average on the traditional pennine winter scale.
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You know it makes sense.
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I might have a run up tomorrow (not with skis) just to have a look. I need a fix before Arabba
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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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Smokin Joe
Why not take your skis? If you don't you'll wish you did  !!
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Poster: A snowHead
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mountainaddict, I thought you had to be a member ?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Weardale and Allenheads are closed to day members at the weekend. Weardale is closed to day members full stop at the moment. Not sure what the situation is with Harwood but it is just a little tow. Yad Moss has an 11:30 cut off for ticket sales. Expect it to be mobbed if the weather is fine tomorrow. Above 200 people and the tow queue times get around the 20minute mark.
Just had a drive up Teesale following the plough to the boundary on the B6277. Good news is its snowing again up there. Bad news - cumbria havent cleaned there side of the road yet.
General state of the B6277 - its a mess beyond Langdon Beck. 2foot deep trench at best 6-8ft deep trench at worst. 1 to 1.5 car widths with rubble and boulder sized snow upto 2ft cube on side trench and across in places. Plough will clear to side but it is going to drop back onto road as cant push out of trench. Surface is 2-3inch of slush or white compace snow or drifts. Will be interesting drive at best if the road freezes over night.
If the tows run and the road is open dont confuse open with clear. Drive carefully and expect hazards round every corner. Of which there are many and all blind at the moment.
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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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can i just ask Peter S, do you still think there will be snow up there a week on monday???
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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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We'll get an idea tomorrow how much has been lost today but probably not too dramatic. Its currently about plus 2 at yad Moss. We'll get some pictures posted.
The snow will be wet tomorrow after a slight freeze first thing. However the cover is exceptionally good and it looks to be turning slightly colder from midweek, with more snow potential on Wednesday but beyond that is speculation. I would have thought though that the chances were good, but totally weather dependednt and not sure about Monday ? We normally try to run at weekends but mid week is dependednt on operator availability and usually only if the weather is very good. I'm afraid skiing in England is really one day at a time. There are no certainties.
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Yep, also noted the just like cairngorm comments regarding digging out the top pylons.
From the report I'd guess the nearest ones here are under snow. Than must put 400 to 500cm in the top of the gully. It'll be 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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we have some friends coming over from jersey for 2 days before we head out to chatel. They dont believe me how much snow there actually is so was gonna show them. What depths are there at the moment then at Yad Moss and at hartside Pass (if its open) cheers
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Weardale Report - Sun 17 Jan 2010:
Arrived 11am, +2C at the car park.
Snow cover still wide and extensive, though one or two thin bits appearing.
Snow soft as opposed to wet.
Stiff breeze but not noticeable when downhilling.
Visibility generally good but with fog coming and going a bit on the upper runs.
Not very busy - minimal queue for top tow and a minute or two at worst at the bottom.
Off piste variable - from porridge to nice skiable stuff, but with all gullies and steep options still available.
Good time had by all  .
Despite the thaw, looks like enough snow for a few more days yet - fingers crossed for a freeze in the not too distant future.
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FAQ
- or could Yad Moss and Weardale come through the thaw?
. The driving rain eased to light drizzle (temp +! at the car park), the wind wasn't too bad and snow cover is still
(but wish I could remember 
) We never get snow like that round here 
