 Poster: A snowHead
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The proposal is to take the Gondola another 100m higher than the top of the current access chair. That would put it somewhere near the top of the Plateau Poma at about 780m (2460’). That would make it skiable to all the other lifts except the main basin tbar and button tow and It would only take 15minutes to walk up to the main basin if the other lifts aren’t able to run.
Presumably they’ve gone for a 10 person Gondola because it is future proof, can move all abilities, bikes and other kit as quickly or slowly as desired and in safety. It also loads more easily than a chair and will require fewer staff to operate.
They are probably thinking about attracting more year round visitors on foot than skiers. Walkers and sledgers already make more money than skiing I believe. Andy Meldrum at Glencoe is saying that the Gondola has a similar wind tolerance as the chair (?)
Personally I’m not convinced that the snowmaking proposal would be viable? Conventional Air/water snowmaking does not seem to have been a success in the UK because of our high temperatures and high humidity. It didn’t even work in the western Alps last year below 2000m. The snow factories seem to deliver but could not provide the output needed.
£22m is looking difficult to come by in bankrupt Britain right now ?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It's a brave move given the recent snow record in Scotland.
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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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Cameron, I suspect the Gondola is a response to the poor snow. I imagine it is aimed at sightseers, sledgers, extended families, walkers and coahtours. That is where the potential growth is. Non skiing ticket sales ultimately subsidising snowsports. That seems to be the trend across Europe, large Gondola systems replacing chairlifts and smaller gondolas to future proof ticket sales.
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Making the gondola go further up the hill will be aimed a skiers as it gets you further up the hill faster as that is where the best snow usually is at Glencoe. Less snowmaking required in order to get you to the top, and no walking on bare patches to catch a lift 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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I would imagine that the existing chair lift infrastructure would be used and extended 100m further up as in the Scotsman article. This would put the new restaurant and arrival station just uphill from cliffhanger chairlift allowing you to ski down to cliffhanger chairlift. (or the T bar) :- or in a worst case scenario walk up to the top of cliffhanger chairlift and on to the T bar or button tow.
In your second photo you will see a piste bashed strip of snow next to the fence, which could be filled with manufactured snow, taking you down to cliffhanger chairlift or the T bar further along.
That is my interpretation of the article, although I suspect there could be others.
The new artificial snow covered area seems to be further up the hill than the proposed new restaurant and arrival station, with a small beginners area (for artificial snow making) just below the arrival station.
Looks like a shift up of the snow making where snow stays. Also looks like new pistes?
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Heads up -- Look at Life ; Snow business is on Talking Pictures tonight at 1800
"A look at the flourishing winter sports business with Scotland ..." 1961 !!
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@albob, thanks, I watched it. Interesting to see some Scottish school kids making their own skis during woodwork classes! (all fitted with Kandahar cable bindings by the look of it).
No helmets of course.
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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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| Alastair Pink wrote: |
@albob, thanks, I watched it. Interesting to see some Scottish school kids making their own skis during woodwork classes! (all fitted with Kandahar cable bindings by the look of it).
No helmets of course. |
I thought I had set my recorder -- but hadn't !!! 
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The landing point for the proposed new lift would mean you could directly ski down to the cliffs, plateau poma and the rannoch chair thus removing the logjam that sometimes happens. Great idea and ironic the cost is about the same as what they’ve shat away attempting to fix the great white elephant.
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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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Marvelous - no cash for another lift, but no problem for installing one of these "mountain coasters" for summer punters gives you a pretty decent idea of the direction of travel for Cairngorm.
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Quote from the outgoing CML boss Susan Smith "The current operator has proven time and time to be mindful of the environment.”
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You know it makes sense.
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She also thinks the funicular will get back into service!?! 
Surely stop flogging that dead horse.
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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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Aye well she can say what she wants as she had a large set of hands in this utter shambles, rememeber she was the project manager for it, and has zero skin in the game now.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Wow, obviously she's going to put a positive spin on it but those glasses she's wearing sure are rosy!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| galpinos wrote: |
| Wow, obviously she's going to put a positive spin on it but those glasses she's wearing sure are rosy! |
As will be her payoff and pension no doubt
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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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| Quote: |
| As will be her payoff and pension no doubt |
Surely there is doubt? Why should someone retiring receive a payout in addition to their pension? Unless I've missed the fact that the post is being made redundant.
And are you really suggesting that she should be stripped of her workplace pension 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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No. Did I say that?
Just that she likely has a lot to smile about that it doesn’t reflect the results of her efforts.
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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 didn't. My mistake 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@orange, interesting that nobody seems to know whose decision it was that it was switched from steel to concrete. Its the kind of decision that looks so obviously like corruption that you assume that this must have already have been investigated with some rigour but presumably it hasn't been.
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| rambotion wrote: |
| @orange, interesting that nobody seems to know whose decision it was that it was switched from steel to concrete. Its the kind of decision that looks so obviously like corruption that you assume that this must have already have been investigated with some rigour but presumably it hasn't been. |
It could have been a value engineering decision, but someone with an engineering background would have to had signed that off.
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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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| stevew wrote: |
| rambotion wrote: |
| @orange, interesting that nobody seems to know whose decision it was that it was switched from steel to concrete. Its the kind of decision that looks so obviously like corruption that you assume that this must have already have been investigated with some rigour but presumably it hasn't been. |
It could have been a value engineering decision, but someone with an engineering background would have to had signed that off. |
As someone who works in an engineering consultancy, there would be a paper trail.
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Or a very warm shredder…
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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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| rambotion wrote: |
| @orange, interesting that nobody seems to know whose decision it was that it was switched from steel to concrete. Its the kind of decision that looks so obviously like corruption that you assume that this must have already have been investigated with some rigour but presumably it hasn't been. |
Who’s going to put their hand up now. It looks a bloody disaster.
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Nobody. A series of vacuous finger pointing might eventually happen, once the time has expired to repay the EU loan. Then there will be some vague investigation all the while the ski centre will slowly run down the rest of the lifts. Those involved know what went on, the ex CEO who was the PM of the project better than most. Whole thing is criminal.
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You know it makes sense.
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Interesting they note the beams, I assume they mean the rebar inside was welded together. I know from past experience it’s not recommended and in the end we went with couplers. If it’s true there must be a paper trail of weld procedures, qualification, testing etc. how can it be acceptable on a project of that size/value to say documentation has been lost over time?! It makes me wonder if it was a site based decision with poor controls that’s now failing.
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FAQ
