 Poster: A snowHead
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I heard a few years back that the Braveheart Chair is all but defunct as parts are so hard to get as it's so ancient.
Don't know how true that is. Whatever the reason, it's frustrating that it never runs... 
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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, even if it had been an epic Winter, Braveheart wouldn't have ran this year due to lack of maintenance over the last 2 years.
I've got a nasty feeling Nevis Range aren't planning to run it again anytime soon, and it wouldn't surprise me if it never runs again.
It's definitely their biggest asset, and it makes laps of Easy Gully, Summit Gully and Spikes a lot quicker in a good snow year.
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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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The Braveheart Chairlift and Warren's T-bar aren't even included in the official lift status anymore. Nevis Range has little intention of running the front of mountain lifts much, never mind anything else. Chat in town is that the lack of use of the Quad Chair is it has very limited operating hours left before it requires major attention, so rather than make the required maintenance investment the strategy is to avoid using it.
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@haggishunter, it’s a real shame but hopefully Glencoe will benefit with more skier days
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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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| Quote: |
| The Braveheart Chairlift and Warren's T-bar aren't even included in the official lift status anymore |
What a pity - both were great when they did run as they save big diversions to lap the terrain that they serve.
I don't know much about ski lifts but had thought it couldn't be too onerous a job to keep Warren's (ie a draglift) in working order 
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| kitenski wrote: |
| @schauspiele, was BraveHeart running? |
As others have surmised, it was not. The traverse out is holding up until one gets back to the frontside (with 2-3 short walks).
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I'm not so bothered about losing Warrens - it's duplicated by other lifts and I think it runs through a boulderfield so often doesn't have enough snow to open. If it can help improve Nevis Range's running costs / efficiency then fair enough.
Losing Braveheart is a bigger problem as it damages Nevis Range's unique selling point (i.e. the Back Corries / freeride terrain). I'm also surprised how little effort appears to have been made to open it in recent seasons.
As for the Quad Chair - having such a high capacity lift is important to keep queues down.
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| mountainaddict wrote: |
I heard a few years back that the Braveheart Chair is all but defunct as parts are so hard to get as it's so ancient.
Don't know how true that is. Whatever the reason, it's frustrating that it never runs... |
1997 Doppelmayr - company still in business and not the oldest Doppelmayr chair still running.
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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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Nevis appear to be running their snow factory, hopefully trying to get enough to open beginner areas over Easter?
https://www.nevisrange.co.uk/webcams/
Looks sunnier than expected though!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| kitenski wrote: |
Nevis appear to be running their snow factory, hopefully trying to get enough to open beginner areas over Easter?
https://www.nevisrange.co.uk/webcams/
Looks sunnier than expected though!
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Whatever reason they are running it, that is unlikely to be it as they have closed ski school and ski hire for the season. They said they were opening for snowsports and had the Alpha, Goose and Summit as open at 8.30am only for people to turn up today to be told not open for snowsports today. 
Bike uplift starts tomorrow and only the Gondola is scheduled to open, maybe they will ski the weekend, but imagine that will be it now bike tracks open.
Meanwhile the Lecht is making snow with cannons and snow-factory to try and get at least the beginner magic carpets open for Easter holiday period, the Buzzard and Grouse aren't a million miles away on the main slopes either.
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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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Great forecast at Glencoe tomorrow
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So the first time this season Nevis Range turned on a couple of fan guns after they have (according to local sources) shut for the season... So they now have a magic carpet accessed sledging slope for the weekend, at a price. £10 more per head to go up the gondola than the Access Chair at Glencoe, then Nevis want you to buy a sledging ticket on top! 
For beginners though the Lecht looks like it will have both their magic carpets open at the weekend. Might lose some snow Monday, but could be more open by next weekend if some of the forecast model runs come to pass!
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You know it makes sense.
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@haggishunter, looking at the webcams today, they'd run a piste basher up the Goose, so I'm not sure they have finished with skiing for the season. It would be a shame if they have; I was up there last Saturday, and the snow cover and sking on the upper and mid-levels were great. They had planned not to open the lifts mid-week this week to enable maintenance work (or so they said on their website).
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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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| Backcountryboarder wrote: |
I've got a nasty feeling Nevis Range aren't planning to run it again anytime soon, and it wouldn't surprise me if it never runs again. |
So the local rumours about Nevis Range are very worrying for skiers...
- Warrens and Braveheart both mothballed and unlikely to ever run again
- All long standing ski patrol and maintenance staff laid off at peak of pandemic
- New HIE installed management prefer to focus on mountain biking, gondola and new hotel.
- Piste maintenance gone to the dogs.
- Goose and Summit not opening until 10.30am
- Newly completed hydro scheme that was powering the site sold off to pay for snowmaker at top station. Given rising price of electricity this decision has been financially ruinious.
- Quad chair running minimally to reduce maintenance schedule.
- New puppet staff are clueless and incompetent. More interested in
making tik-tok videos than health & safety.
- Ski plans limited to a gondola plus snowmaking / dry slope at top station for beginners
The common link with Cairngorm is of course HIE ownership. Meanwhile Glencoe, Lecht and Glenshee (the non public owned assets) remain committed to skiing . Winter is low season in Highlands and skiing the activity that brings people into area during those months.
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Sat 2-04-22 12:18; edited 2 times in total
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Poster: A snowHead
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Sad state of affairs at Cairngorm and now Nevis Range 
Going colder middle of next week again which could help Glencoe for Easter
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| CathS wrote: |
| @haggishunter, looking at the webcams today, they'd run a piste basher up the Goose, so I'm not sure they have finished with skiing for the season. It would be a shame if they have; I was up there last Saturday, and the snow cover and sking on the upper and mid-levels were great. They had planned not to open the lifts mid-week this week to enable maintenance work (or so they said on their website). |
They had no uplift scheduled for today, then this morning they said they would review at 10.15, then after that they had lifts down as open. People got there, closed for snowsports. Now they are saying it is due to a mechanical issue on the Quad Chair - but previously they were putting people up the Alpha Tow which has a dry mat up the uptrack (admittedly not in great condition, but they put people up it earlier in the week with patchy snow cover).
When I looked a little while ago on the webcams, there were people going up the Goose T-bar and coming down the Goose, plus a few others skinning towards the T-bar. Ok bad things can happen so maybe the Quad did throw its toys out of the pram this morning, but yesterday the excuse was they couldn't open because the snow needed grooming because it was hard. Shambles of a week, but do ponder just what the dead hand of HIE is up to!
As @Haggis_Trap says winter is very low season for the Highlands, this is the economic importance of snowsports that HIE wilfully refuses acknowledge, if the snowsports operation is successful, that draws additional visitors into the Strath at otherwise mainly quiet periods, its been very obvious for the last 3 summers that the Funicular in summer does not draw people to Strathspey, it is merely extractive of revenue that would otherwise be spent at other local businesses.
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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="Haggis_Trap"]
| Backcountryboarder wrote: |
- Piste maintenance gone to the dogs. Goose and Summit not opening until 10.30am
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Mad thing about the point in the quote. HIE grant funded 2 new Kassbohrer machines, including PB600 winch last year for Nevis Range.
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@haggishunter, The Quad wasn't running last Saturday, but didn't cause any problems with accessing the Goose T-bar and upper slopes - as you say, access was possible via the Alpha Tow and a minimal amount of walking where the access track had bare patches.
It is no good for people like me, who look to travel up for a weekend when conditions are good, if they don't announce until 8.30 am (or later!) whether or not the lifts will run on a day. Over the last week, they only seem to have updated the lift status retrospectively.
Unsurprisingly, it was very quiet last weekend, while Glencoe was doing a brisk trade. Nevis hadn't done a very good job of promoting just how good the snow was. We had come to avoid the potential queues at Glencoe, with the expectation that the skiing would be only marginally better than being at a snowdome, but it was actually really extensive and largely in excellent condition.
Worrying times if Nevis is heading the same way as Cairngorm, and senseless as it seems they have invested a lot in refurbishing cafe and ticket office area in the car park (and the new piste bashers). I'd come away with the impression that they were investing in improving the place but must have a useless marketing team.
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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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[quote="haggishunter"]
| Haggis_Trap wrote: |
| Backcountryboarder wrote: |
- Piste maintenance gone to the dogs. Goose and Summit not opening until 10.30am
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Mad thing about the point in the quote. HIE grant funded 2 new Kassbohrer machines, including PB600 winch last year for Nevis Range. |
I am told that they sacked much of the ops team at middle of last lockdown.....
To add to the list above : Nevis Range also removed their ski patrol from BASP (the UK regulatory association for ski patrollers). Can't see any benefit to that whatsoever (unless you are you are actively trying to reduce standards) : it's not like ski patrolling is a big industry in Scotland. Clear political nonsense..
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Sat 2-04-22 20:32; edited 1 time in total
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Well a handful people scored today at Nevis Range with the Goose T-bar to themselves, with just the fresh snow overlying new corduroy for company on the Goose and Sidewinder!
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Drove past Nevis and also Glencoe today on way back from an awesome week hiking on Skye, perfect weather. No ski gear on board so couldn’t go up skiing but both looked awesome in the sun. Well done to anyone who made it up there this last few days, fabulous conditions.
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More snow on Wednesday and colder again for the Easter holidays this week and next 
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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 wrote: |
| More snow on Wednesday and colder again for the Easter holidays this week and next |
Well all the areas are in the lottery, lets see which if any wins the jackpot! Snow Forecast though suggests NW Highlands that are going to get an absolute pasting. Monday is looking grim. Looks like only Glencoe open mid-week, Lecht and CairnGorm Friday onwards conditions permitting. Could be a bit of damage over the next 24-36 hours, but then potential for somewhere to get dumped on - the where keeps changing though.
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Forecasts still all over the place for tomorrow, big spread in temperature over a very short distance in terms of the forecast models. Doesn't look good for the West Coast atm, Northern Cairngorms somewhat better placed to get a positive outcome, but a nervous day of weather station, radar and webcam watching in store - might have to take a spin up a hill somewhere! 
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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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Yesterday at Glencoe was great, best snow over on the west side of the mountain, Spring Run with an interesting variety of snow but still a fun ski. The rain has reduced the base snowpack a fair bit from where it was last weekend but there has been a good amount of fresh to top it up. Sadly we have now left Scotland and are heading back South but it looks great for those who are there over the weekend.
Gorgeous views from the Main Basin, over Buachaille Etive Mor to Ben Nevis:
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You know it makes sense.
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Fantastic mystical (corny metre acknowledged) picture and glad you got it onn.
| Peter S wrote: |
| friendly and ‘ours’ |
Sorry to bother you Peter, but do you mean “ours” as in Britain’s please?
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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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Home snow that at least the northern half of the Island can drive to, fairly easily 
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Poster: A snowHead
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| oneglove wrote: |
Fantastic mystical (corny metre acknowledged) picture and glad you got it onn.
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That's a great description, when you're lucky Scotland does look like something out of a fantasy landscape...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
Home snow that at least the northern half of the Island can drive to, fairly easily
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We did so last night after seeing that it was a favourable forecast for the last few days of the season at Glencoe.
Lifts have been closed midweek for skiing - but were scheduled to be back on tomorrow. After a very delayed start due to technical problems, the Access Chair ran today for a great afternoon of ski touring in the Main Basin and back down almost as far as the bottom of The Wall Tow.
330m of vertical available for fun in the sun - but not quite as much snow as we skied a month later in 2021. The end is nigh indeed...
Despite some late pm doubt as to whether there would be enough snow at the loading area of the top T-bar to run tomorrow, it's been decided they are good to go - so we'll be back for our final lift-served action of the Scottish season  We'll be heading home tomorrow night.
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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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Glencoe was excellent today Soft, granular snow under sunny skies. They'd done a great job of building a snowy ramp to ensure access to the Main Basin T-bar.
The Spring Run in particular was great fun.
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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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@mountainaddict, Glad you got some of the last turns of the season.
Great you got a good go at the Spring Run, it was fantastic a couple of weeks back with just a few sharks to beware of !
I am surprised it survived this long but it really is a beautiful run in a magical part of the world.
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Just Snowfactor for me now. Off today for a few runs
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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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Looks like no meaningful snow patches on any Scotland cams... Quite sad when we've previously skied as late as 30th June on a decent length run in the Ciste Gully at Cairngorm.
Does anyone know if there is enough snow anywhere for a midsummer slide?
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FAQ
