 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Yes, yes. But I was thinking of a big one, where we all get to click a button.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
brian
brian
Guest
|
skisimon, kiwi1 is planning a demo event at Nevis over the easter weekend, quite a few  s will probably be around for that.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| skisimon wrote: |
Getting all rather excited now. Just a couple of days to go...  |
You betcha, me too! 
| Quote: |
| If the snow keeps on coming we should have a Scotland Bash in February! |
LOL, now there's an idea
| Elizabeth B wrote: |
I thought we were having a mini one this weekend?  |
LOL, I guess we are
| skisimon wrote: |
| Yes, yes. But I was thinking of a big one, where we all get to click a button. |
LOL, you mean an 'official' one 
| brian wrote: |
| skisimon, kiwi1 is planning a demo event at Nevis over the easter weekend, quite a few s will probably be around for that. |
Yup, thread here - I'm planning on doing that one too
BTW guys, II should be seeing us up at Nevis (I have his mobile number) and Paul from Winterhighland is going to be around Cairngorm Sunday if we decide to go there (again I have his mobile number). I'd guess quite a lot of other Winterhighlanders will be around the Gorm and Glenshee as well so expect some hellos wherever we go 
BTW, have already posted the following over in Snow Reports but I think it's worth having it here too...
Here's the latest from Nevis:
| Quote: |
| Large quantities of snow have fallen in the last 36 hours and all runs are complete with quite a lot of snow lying below the top gondola station. There are ample areas for beginners and sledging. However it will take some time to get the snow under control and storm damage will have to be assessed at daylight. Piste machines are working tonight. Most runs will be skiable from the lifts which are operating on Thursday we expect to run nearly all the lifts on Friday and at the weekend. |
They also add:
| Quote: |
| Great skiing conditions expected for Friday and Saturday. |
Well fancy that! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
brian
brian
Guest
|
|
I've got to say, with that report and the current forecasts, I'm getting particularly itchy feet for a quick blast on Friday. However, that would probably put the kybosh on next week. How likely are you to make it up here, snowball ?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
brian, with great reluctance I have to say you should let your itchy feet do the talking. I still have a bit of hope I might come up, but I am now thinking I was being a bit optimistic in thinking I could get everything done that I need to do, today and half of tomorrow. (Next thursday I have to do all my preparations for skiing - laundry, packing, entertaining my ski friends in the evening and any last minute other items before 9 days away skiing).
I think I really can't afford to take all my other 3 days to go to Scotland and obviously it isn't worth spending 2 days (and 20 hours travelling) to do half a days skiing. 
Also I am lucky my non skiing wife tolerates me going off for 3 long weeks (nearly 28 days, actually, which is really 4 weeks) while she works. Taking another 3 days immediately before one of them would be pushing it - she made it very clear when I mentioned it yesterday she didn't want me to go.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I'm heading up to the slopes this Saturday with the Hubby. But where will be the better - Glenshee or Nevis? Where will most of you be going? How will I recognise any of you if I meet you? I personally will be wearing a pink jacket, grey trousers, pink skis - yes, I l know, I'm a total girlie
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Glenshee is a lot closer to the central belt than Nevis. I live in Edinburgh and we tend to go where the snow is best but there is no point driving more than you need to. Glenshee is looking good for saturday, have you had a look at winterhighland?
I wouldn't be surprised if it was heaving this weekend so you would be lucky to find anyone you know. if it is please don't be put off by the long queues, it is usually very busy for the first few weekends they open the ski centres, especially if there has been snow in the central belt then it quietens off just when it is getting really nice, around march  I think most years the ski centres close due to a lack of customers rather than snow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Okay...dumb question time.
I've heard horror stories about what Scottish mountains can do to your skis. Do I take my good pair, or the ones that I didtched 3 years ago because they were too straight?
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Elizabeth B, I've pm'd you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Elizabeth B wrote: |
Okay...dumb question time.
I've heard horror stories about what Scottish mountains can do to your skis. Do I take my good pair, or the ones that I didtched 3 years ago because they were too straight? |
There's been a lot of snow so most of the rocks should be well covered, however there's always the chance of some damage particularly in windblown areas and if you ski off-piste (although that may not be at all safe at the moment).
Having said that I'm taking along a couple of pairs of pretty new skis (Line Prophet and Fisher RX8) so I'm taking the risk!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I think I'll take my old skis as I've only just got my new ones serviced, I only ditched the others a month ago anyway!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Now all I have to do is actually phone to B&B at a time when someone will actually answer the phone... 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
|
|
brian
brian
Guest
|
snowball, ok, does sound a bit ambitious to squeeze all that in.
Elizabeth B, the cover should be pretty good with the amount of snow that's fallen. I'd go with the good pair, but they might need a wee service afterwards.
sheepmadang, I'd go to Nevis, because Glenshee will be heeeeeaaaaaving ! Quickest way is up the A9 to Dalwhinnie, then cut across to Laggan and down to Spean Bridge.
Although, having said that, if they get all the lifts going at Glenshee then they can handle a lot of punters and the forecast does look marginally better for the East than West on Saturday (but pretty good everywhere).
Sunday looking like heavy snow turning to rain and a fair old wind. Anybody new to Scottish skiing will get a good idea of the contrasts on offer this weekend, I think
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Just booked a room in Fort William, now need to decide where to go!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Well, Nevis is about 4 miles and Glencoe about 24 (you go past it to get to Fort William, so it is also on the way home). If you want to go to the others you are really the wrong side of Scotland (50miles to Aviemore, easily the closest).
If the Back corries are open I think they are the best lift served skiing in Scotland. Glencoe is smaller but a really nice, characterful place.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Thu 10-01-08 19:40; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
snowball, indeed, I was thinking Nevis and Glen Coe, but if the conditions are good up at Cairngorm then I may well be tempted by the drive.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
brian, Glenshee seem to be managing pretty well with the numbers but the trick will be arriving early at the weekend I think.
On a side note, and as a word of caution to everyone, as someone who learnt at and skied for many years at Cairngorm it saddens me to say that I'd suggest avoiding it if at all possible this weekend. Unlike the other 4 Scottish ski areas for a number of years management at Cairngorm have made decisions that have now led to the downgrading of much of the uplift on the hill apart from the funicular which serves the year round tourist trade. Investment has not been made and tows like the White Lady have been allowed to fall into disrepair, that tow now lies broken and abandoned and untouched since problems occurred last season. This means that there are now massive bottlenecks on the mountain and much of the best terrain on the Core na Ciste side (which I believe is now loaded with snow) is not now properly served by lifts they intend to ever open again, there is one button/poma tow and it's uncertain whether even it will run - all the chairlifts on that side are mothballed and have been for a few years despite there having been a number of occasions when they could have served this side of the hill for more advanced skiers.
Tomorrow Cairngorm intend to run 7 lifts (including the funicular), compare this to Glenshee's 11 and stated intention of opening most, if not all of their 21 lifts by the weekend. The Lecht is in a similar position with 11 open and more probably running at the weekend (but they only have another 4 to open to be fully open), Nevis are intending to open everything bar one by the weekend and tomorrow will have 8 open. Glencoe are opening everything tomorrow but it has a small number of lifts in the first place so that's 7 in total - however some of these serve runs that have been described by some as a Scottish version of La Grave so you get the idea of the challenge available.
At Cairngorm today the one surface lift serving the most challenging runs now available, the M1 Poma which is now relied on along with the funicular to serve the M1 and White Lady, broke leaving only the funicular, two tows in the beginner area at the top and I believe one in the cas gunbarrel, a pretty easy intermediate run.
Additionally I'd suggest that if anything more than a couple of hundred, at a push probably 4/500 people turn up at the weekend there is liable to be chaos and massive queues as a result of the lack of uplift and bottlenecks and all for a few runs on mostly tame terrain.
Sadly the corollary is that we have now reached the situation where there is more lift served terrain of interest to advanced and expert skiers at The Lecht than there is at Cairngorm let alone some of the superb riding that can be had at the other three; Glencoe, Nevis and Glenshee.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Much though I like it, comparing Glencoe skiing to La Grave is absurd. There is no off piste and just one steep run about 100 yards long (the flypaper). However it is a very entertaining 100 yards.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
I guess I should post here my report from Nevis today: Best conditions I've seen at Nevis since March 06
http://www.winterhighland.info/publicreports/index.php?50,536
Elizabeth B, At Nevis today I hit 2 stones no real damage (scratches but no need for p-tex)
sheepmadang, either both have most of there runs open Glenshee is bigger and can handle more people but may be busyer. If you are happy skiing blues all day go to Nevis as the quad chair can move a lot of people and is less popular than the Goose T bar serving the red runs. Also Warrens is normaly quieter than the Goose and has a red and a black run off it.
I my go tomorrow just have to feel my legs in the morning 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
II, sounds pretty awesome - nice one!
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
brian
brian
Guest
|
|
|
|
brian
brian
Guest
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| brian wrote: |
| To be fair to the coe, they don't actually piste the likes of the flypaper, spring run, canyon, etc. In fact prior to 1990-ish (?) they didn't have a piste basher ! It has the wilderness feel of La Grave, just on a tiny (by comparison) scale. It's a really fun place to ski. |
I think that's what the people mentioning La Grave are getting at... as I said I didn't say I agreed though
| Quote: |
| Anyway, I've settled on Glenshee (Scotland's Trois Vallées ) for tomorrow. Looks like a crackin day in prospect. |
Good choice by all accounts, have a fantastic day
| Quote: |
| Far too promising to go to work anyway. |
Oh YES!!
| brian wrote: |
roga, I have to agree with you on the tragic policies and decline at Cairngorm in the wake of that bloody train set
On Saturday there will no doubt be a full Cas car park, folk having a huge delay as they have to wait to bus round from the Ciste (with its closed ticket office and closed chairlifts), then another big queue at the overrun Cas ticket office (did I mention the Ciste one was closed) and then a big queue to get up one of the access lifts (while the Ciste chairs and DL poma sit idle). |
Yup, been there, done that and I don't want to repeat the experience!
| Quote: |
| However, although you do have to traverse a bit earlier out of the gully or the west wall to get back to the poma, to say the Lecht offers more challenge is overstating things just a tad, mate |
LOL, I meant when the WW Poma isn't running so the only uplift available is at the top and down the Cas. The Ciste gulley and surrounding runs was always my absolute favourite part of the mountain at Cairngorm and I mourn it's effective loss as a fully lift served area. To be fair though CML (in fact Bob Kinnaird) has said they intend to open the WW Poma for the weekend so that being the case there will be better lift served skiing at Cairngorm than The Lecht, given that nothing breaks down that is!
| Quote: |
| If the west wall, white lady, m1 etc. are in good nick then Cairngorm is still a great place to ski, despite CML's best efforts |
Agreed... but without the queues that will very probably build up this weekend!
Anyway, have a fantastic time at Glenshee and be sure to tell us all about it
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
METRES VERTICAL
Lecht - 200m
Glenshee - 300m
Glencoe - 470 m (usually)
Cairngorm - 500 m
Nevis - 600 m
Glencoe - 730m (currently)
(Glencoe is the only one I checked for myself on the map. Ski Scotland quotes them as 800m.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
snowball, Glencoe are claiming that it's possible to ski back to the car park, so there must be a descent amount of cover. Only managed that once before on my trips up there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
The traffic cams on Rannoch moor are showing snow at the side of the road, so it's possible that you may be able to ski down.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yes, 730m vertical means to the bottom of the access lift - ie the car park. 470m is to the top of the access lift. Their quoted figure of 800m is a substantial rounding-up, even if you skied past the car park to the main road.
Many years ago, when I skied there several times i was able to ski to the car park about half the time (some people on here have suggested I was lucky, but this was not spur of the moment visits but arranged weeks in advance).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
skisimon, could you check your inbox please - mesages from Topsmoke re tonight
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Have done. Heading over for about 10.30 too.
I'm glad I'm not the only person who has trouble packing (rather than learning to pack economically with the Navy, I just seemed to learn how to cram more into the same amount of space...) - going to be restrained this time, I'll wear most of my ski gear up to save on space.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
) and think the boyfriend wants to go on saturday as well to christen his new all areas season pass ( I know I am going to regret not buying one! )
