I was at Cairngorm on Sunday - had a great day. Skied around the centre in the morning on firm, but grippy snow with some wind drifted powder - the cas was fast with a strong tail wind and fast granular spring snow. After lunch headed over the back into Ciste Mhaeriadh - untracked with a mixture of wind drifted powder and grippy spring corn - very nice. The uplift was rather old and slow so only managed three runs.
Still a fair amount of terrain available. M1 was skiable to the Cas via Horizon Road, though it was a bit rocky in the middle. The snow fields over the back were very extensive.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Bit out of date now this but finally got around to editing the footage of our trip to Scotland - Not the greatest film in the world but if you're stuck in the office now it might give you some light relief!
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?
Skied Cairngorm today and although the season is almost over, the upper runs were still OK. The upper Ptarmigan is narrowing but still fine, as is the Ciste Fairway and Ptarmigan Bowl, but the Ciste Bowl is quite narrow at the bottom.
The 105 can be skied until about half way down when you need to hang a left onto the Cas and finish the run at the end of the first Zig Zag. There's about a 200 yard walk to the Mid Station from the end of the piste.
I would be surprised if the Coire Cas runs last more than 3 or 4 days, but the Ciste and Ptarmigan have possible another week or so before they melt.
Cas T-bar down to run Monday , was mentioned on the hill that it might to try and discourage people from charging down the (closed) Gunbarrel. Mid-Cas and 105 had the best surface conditions this afternoon, good quick spring snow and not at all cut up.
All Top Basin runs complete, Ptarmigan Bowl still wide cover and 7 rails/boxes and a huge kicker with a variety of graded take offs in the Park. Ciste Bowl wide at the top, but narrowing on the link back to the T-bar.
Fantastic weather, skied a T-shirt and a sleeveless fleece today, felt very warm at the mid-station. Looks as if tomorrow will be the last day of mid-station stops on the funicular so the last chance to get in some top to middle riding and 1300ft of vertical. Also, Monday is the day for the weather, East winds may or may not bring murk of the North Sea for Tuesday. Yesterdays good forecast has been replaced by a yuk one for Wed onwards, but you never know could all change again tomorrow!!
^boarder hits the flat-down-flat box in the Ptarmigan Terrain Park.
^Anyone fancy building a snow castle.
^Coire Cas complete but narrow, despite limited width of cover the snow was nice and zippy, could easily get right along the far end of the Traverse to join the top of the Cas.
Glencoe excellent on Sunday 12th April. Needed to walk from the top of the access chair (and also for 50m from the bottom of the Spring Run) to access the top T bar but:
- wide cover and lovely spring snow in the Main Basin.
- Spring Run excellent - granular/sugary cover (and top traverse to it more or less complete - a couple of rock hopping bits).
- very warm & sunny.
- only about 30 skiers/boarders - so felt deserted.
Resort staff said they are planning on opening next weekend - great news. Hopefully it won't be the last weekend of the season
Forecast not looking so snow threatening for this week and increasingly promising for a good weekend ahead, so fingers crossed. Sat/Sun 18th/19th will see two days of competition action in the terrain park on CairnGorm with Vans Dawn of the Shread III and Sun will be the last day of daily skiing on CairnGorm Mountain for the 2009 season.
Glencoe, Nevis Range and CairnGorm Mountain all currently due to be open this coming Saturday and Sunday, following weekends are snow and weather dependent and a decision on whether to assess conditions the following Friday with a view to opening will be taken after the coming weekend. Skier numbers will be part in the equation, so if you want the season to be as long as possible, don't stay at home, get up and play either this weekend at either of the three resorts planning to Open or CairnGorm Mountain mid-week.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
CairnGorm Mountain has reduced day tickets to £20 for adults, think the child ticket is now £12.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Some photos up from CairnGorm today including a few from the Dawn of the Shred III. Sunday will be the last day of daily skiing on the 'Gorm (due to lack of skiers mid week ) and the Ptarmigan Bowl will be assessed later in the week, but at this stage the forecast is looking increasingly unsettled later in the week so basically GET UP THERE SUNDAY if you want to be sure of one more slide!
^Spring sun blazes down on the Ptarmigan, only 2 months till mid-summer and the countdown to winter 2010!
^Boarder hits the landing zone, showing the scale of the Ptarmigan Bowl Kicker.
^Dawn of the Shred III competitors on the Ptarmigan Tow.
^You don't need wings, just a big enough kicker!
Snowheads Health Warning: The Above kicker is situated in the beginner zone on a green piste. It may be hazardous to health!
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.
The last lift served day on CairnGorm - last Sunday (19th) - and I had a mission across to Macdui, returning via Garbh Uisge Mor and Castlegates Gully (grade 1 ice climb), giving 3km and 500m vertical, in the beautiful back bottom-end of the Cairngorms. Managed to get back to the ski area in time to catch the very last lift up on the Ptarmigan T-Bar.
Another: Heading down Castlegates Gully (Grade I ice climb). Loch Avon beyond
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
And finally - this past Wednesday (22nd) - me and a mate headed to Braeriach. Truly in the back bottom-end of the Cairngorms, it was a 27km round trip, with just over 2000m vertical ascent. Totally worth it though, and we skied a grade 1 ice climb called West Gully that comes down from beside the very summit of Braeriach, giving us 475m vertical descent on steep angled slopes in perfect snow conditions. Who needs the Alps? Or ski lifts for that matter
West Gully (1), viewed from the top. Fortunately there was a slight break in the cornice we could get in by:
My mate putting in a turn out wide (West Gully [1] is the obvious wide gully)
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Thanks to you all for the lovely reports and pix all winter.
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.
Thanks, easiski! Have a great summer!
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
Some great pictures to end the season, need to look out the hillwalking gear now
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Awesome photos firstracks. I'm already excited at what next season will bring.
I'm new to the possibilities of Scottish skiing having, for the first time, my own ski gear and the use of a car, so I look forward to many more spur-of-the-moment trips north.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
so only managed three runs.
, was mentioned on the hill that it might to try and discourage people from charging down the (closed) Gunbarrel. Mid-Cas and 105 had the best surface conditions this afternoon, good quick spring snow and not at all cut up.
