 Poster: A snowHead
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oldagedpredator
As far as I can see, Carlisle Ski Club and Yad Moss are one and the same...?????
Re. fences at the top of F2 at Weardale: they didn't hold much snow. Cover was thin everywhere - still good though!
Based on where the sun was setting - ie diagonally right when looking down the tow lines - the Weardale slopes don't face north....More south east-ish facing I'd say 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Based on where the sun was setting - ie diagonally right when looking down the tow lines - the Weardale slopes don't face north....More south east-ish facing I'd say
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The Weardale slopes face North-East (see the OS map on the 'location' page of the Weardale Ski Club website http://www.skiweardale.co.uk/location.html)
The snow that gave us all the fun last weekend fell last last wednesday night/thursday morning and was delivered on a strong SOUTHERLY wind, so it would have been blowing more or less straight down the slope at Weardale. This which would explain the general cover but lack of drifts beside the snow fences.
Over at Yad Moss, which faces West, distribution of the snow was different; the strong cross-wind (from the right as you look up the tow) had blown much of the hill clear but snow accumulated well in gullies and beside all the snow fences. A lot pisting work was required to redistribute the drifts, but well worth it when the job was done.
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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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Sounds great. When I've got my own skis and it snows there again I'll come for a visit.
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There is some potential being hinted at for this next weekend with possible heavy snow over the Pennines on Friday/saturday, again with a stong southerly wind. This could be very useful given that Yad Moss is still holding drifts from last weekend and probably doesn't need much more to get operational again.
Worth keeping an eye on conditions into Sunday 
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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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Although weardale will always be my favourite place - 31st winter this year - I've been really impressed by the effort the guys and girls at Yad Moss put into getting the piste into shape. At first sight the piste basher may seem a bit big for the area but its used well. Nothing beats a wheel barrow for patching though 
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More snow overnight. Yad Moss operational again today according to the snow report as well as Allenheads and probably Weardale.
This mornings Webcam picture from the club hut looks good.
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Should be a reasonable covering up there today, judging by the amount of snow overnight here. Cloud cover starting to lift now, so might get out to be a clear day in a couple of hours.
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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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Yad Moss and Weardale looking good on the webcams.
No plans to run YM today but tomorrow may be a possibility. Keep checking the website/ snowline. 
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Why does this stuff always fall during the week?
Any plans to offer night skiing?
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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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Peter S, Guessing by the blizzard that I have just driven home through, that Raise should be getting a big dump tonight.
Typically I am going to London tomorrow, so will miss the good weather again 
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Some cosmetic loss today but webcam still looks quite good and the possibility of some more snow showers tonight.
We hope to run this weekend. update tomorrrow night.
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You know it makes sense.
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The report from YM and the webcam pic today is encouraging. The tow will run tommorrow;
23rd January - It is intended to run the tow on Saturday from around 10 a.m. There are some thin areas in places but the main runs and powder gully have mostly good or very good cover from snow that fell earlier in the week. This has been added to with a further covering of new snow today. The snow fences have been very effective all over the hill creating deep drifts, which have been re-distributed as much as possible.
The MWIS forecast is also good though the wind will be fairly fresh up the hill. More snow sunday night. 
Could be a really good weekend. Any Snowheads fancy joining us for a ski ?
www.yadmoss.co.uk
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Peter S, looks good. What's the access like? Would I need winter tyres/is there a long walk in? I could be tempted!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Elizabeth,
The access road is the B6277 which is actually very good, wide and not steep anywhere. However getting to it from the M6 and A1 can be more problematical when it is snowing eg. over Hartside, Weardale or Lunedale, all of which are very exposed. The easiest approach in snow is from the north (Alston) or the south Teesdale, though the very summit at 1900' can sometimes be a bit tricky if it hasn't been ploughed. Today it was perfectly clear. Tomorrow morning it should (hopefully) be snowing but probably won't put too much down so should be OK.
Winter tyres are very useful in the North Pennines but not normally essential.
In terms of the walk, it takes about 10 minutes from the roadside car park up to the bottom of the tow and most families seem to manage it OK.
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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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Peter S, ta. I didn't get up in time to make the trip today, but I'd like to ski in the Pennines, so will keep my eye on things.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Cool pix.
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Since its all a bit Yad Moss a few words about Weardale. The weather came from the right direction for once with great snow cover down the west side of the F2 tow (the top one) thanks to the new snow fencing. Saturday saw all four of the runs from the top of F1 open. The best skiing was to be had on the far west piste. This linked in with the west piste off the top of F2 giving a run of around 900m. West of F2 provided the best sport on the whole hill. I took a run into the wilds way out west towards the head of the valley. OK but not quite ready yet. Apparently there was more snow on Sunday so this may have opened this area out, Black Scar was skied for the first time in a decade (?) on sunday so the gully east of F1 and F2 may be coming into condition. Links to different pictures of the weekend on http://www.skiweardale.co.uk/
Depending on how much snow is lost between now and the next major falls it looks like vintage weardale skiing is on the cards - keep watching the webcams. If we get more snow next week on the current base of snow is built on then there will only be three words for Pennine Skiing (Harwood, Weardale or Yad Moss):
Ski There Now
So keep your fingers crossed and get ready to drop everything!
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As well as having better snow on the Pennine runs this season i feel the credit crunch and a weak Pound against the Euro will see the english clubs enjoy a growing fan base.
Perhaps the Lottery could be tapped up for a chair lift (or two)? 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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More lifts - if only. If the climate had gone a different way then Weardale might have added another lift on opposite side of the valley to the current tows. There is a portable lift to extend the skiing into the head of the valley but I dont think its every been used. One of the founder / commitee members said they had given it thought in the 80's. Not sure it would really happen now.
From what I understand Harwood had looked into a button lift in the 90's but it doesnt seem to have come to anything. They are remarkably quiet - no website etc but when I took a walk up at christmas everything was mown ready for a new season but the eastern rope tow had been removed. So had all the fencing but the engine house was still there.
For an answer on Yad Moss - best ask PeterS. Have there ever been plans for another tow? Yad Moss T-Bar perhaps?
Although it may seem a bit of a joke to talk about more lifts appearing. In the past it was enough of an issue for the North Pennines AONB management plan to have a paragraph on controling the proliferation of ski lifts!
For really daft things to get grants for how about snow cannons at Allenheads? There's a large reservoir above the slopes. 
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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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Its a real shame about Harwood. The site may not have offered the range of terrain at either Yad Moss or Weardale but it probably offered the best beginers run in the area. Atleast Allenheads is still on the go, the last bastion of the rope tow. It'll be a sad day to see the end of skiing in Teesdale - must get one last trip there in before it all ends. Although I was thinking Yad Moss or Raise this weekend. Both look good on the webcams.
I supose it was inevitable Harwood would go given how close it is to Yad Moss and that roads dont block like the used to. I never really skied at Teesdale after the second button was put in at Weardale. Had a walk back up to the club hut a few weeks back - suprising how steep the slopes were. Short, sweet and smooth - especially with modern mowing which does help with the relative lack of snow compared to the old days. And its really the mowing or maintainance thats the issue. If you dont have the people to do all the stuff in the background the clubs just dont run.
The guys and girls at Yad Moss didnt fancy taking Harwood over as their nursery slopes then?
Given all the health and safety these days I'm not sure we'd ever 14 tows again. Although it could be an interesting scrap heap chalenge to build some new ones. I would have thought Hartside Cafe would have one tucked away for generating extra winter trade. Given you could just drive into the car park and set it up from there.
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oldagedpredator, no skis in the UK the moment, or I would be over like a shot.
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You know it makes sense.
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Peter S wrote;
As for Yad Moss we have a very fast Poma, why would we want a slow chair !
.......................................
The gondola at Nevis range and the funicular at Aviemore are still used when the snow is gone and they managed to get built despite opposition from the conservationists
I think quite a lot of people would like chair lifts that start near the road/car park .
Glencoe has an 'access' chairlift from the car park to the bottom lifts (and more often than not the snowline) so why should the pennine ski slopes not have the same?
It would have a major impact on attracting many more skiers and boarders to the english slopes and with more people cutting back on luxuries such as alpine skiing holidays but still needing a snow fix then the home market is there to invest in.
Summer bookings in the UK for example are up by 40% and the credit crunch would seem to be the predicted trend for years to come.
However,
"If you build it then they will come".
(and in ever increasing numbers)
It is a win/win situation but that will only happen with investment and people with the ambition and vision to know that this is the right time to make it happen.
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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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OAP, If you remember Hartside Cafe used to have two lifts. The fencing and some of the rope supports are still in place. The top engine cover has only been removed within the last 5 years. There are still remains of the snow fence on the east drift below the Great Dun Fell Radome and until recently we had the Alston Moor Ski club portable and all their fencing at Yad Moss. Lots of stories, lots of history.
Its about time I got out and made a record of all this 'heritage' before it is lost and forgotton for ever !
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Never actually saw hartside in operation but had seen what's left when I did the C2C a few years back. Wasnt going to mention the radar station one as I didnt know if it was still up and if it was public knowledge. So the tow count in the 80's was: (?)
Weardale - 2 button
Teesdale - 1 rope (wire)
Harwood - 2 rope (atleat 1 portable)
Yad Moss - 2 rope (did the poma arrive at the end of the 80's)
Allenheads - 3 rope
Hartside - 2 rope
Great Dun Fell - 1 rope
My family had a tow in Snaisgill tow in the late 60's early 70's. Unfortunately the flanges on the drive unti wheels are a little too rusty now. Apparently they had it set up with lights on the pullys at one point for night skiing!
Hartside is next on the list for recording - photo's on flickr when its done. Did teesdale at the start of the month - now complete with a site guide.
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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 are hoping to run the tow on Saturday from about 10am.
There is still plenty of snow left at the top though the bottom may need a bit of snow moving to complete the tow track.
We expect the snow to be be hard first thing and it looks a little windy, but otherwise it should be good visibility.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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OAP - Great Dun fell had a permanent snow fence but the tow was portable.
The Alston Moor ski club had a similar arrangement above Garragill.
There was also a portable at Castleside near consett i think whihc just leaves the rope tow at raise, replaced by the Montaz Mautino button lift in 1989.
Other lifts that i know about include the one on the Chapel en le frith road in the Peak District and the one in the field at the top of Newby head Wensleydale.
There is also the tow at the mountain Board centre near Halifax I think.
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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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How much would a 200m rope tow cost?
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The portable at Castleside was owned by Consett YMCA I think, never got to go on it myself, but I think my sister may have done.
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Peter S,
Love it. Lets hope you get a major dump this week. It could be fantastic by the weekend. If the Irish sea wan't in the way, I'd be there. Must be fantastic to ski on your own turf
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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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johnboy
Could you ski at Slieve Croob?
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FAQ
