I like this comment in the latest Glencoe newsletter:
Quote:
The skiing this week has been absolutely stunning with great snow, no wind and lots of sunshine. A bit like being in the Alps - only better!!
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
roga wrote:
I like this comment in the latest Glencoe newsletter:
Quote:
The skiing this week has been absolutely stunning with great snow, no wind and lots of sunshine. A bit like being in the Alps - only better!!
Nice & you see, that's why I know that Glencoe 'get it' when so many others (including some of the other Scottish ski areas themselves) fail to understand. Other ski centres in Scotland pump out sound bites such as 'it's as good as the Alps', proving to me that they haven't really connected with their own customers motivations. It's a mere semantic difference I know but an important one.
I really do look forward to my Alpine trips though ... I mean, who wouldn't with a week away from work, fantastic skiing convenience, huge areas, no driving to think about and a holiday mood throughout whereas to ski at home I need to drive to get there & back, I have to sandwich the day between work days & I can't slip off home to a 4 course meal & a bucket full of wine.
All the same though, my best skiing memories are in Scotland (and maybe not coincidentally, most of those from Glencoe ). I can only imagine there must be loads of French, Austrian, Swiss, Italian, German, Kiwi and North Americans who have a similar passion for the smaller ski areas on their doorsteps and I wonder what marketing stance the managers of those smaller businesses take when trying to compare themselves to the 3V, Paradiski, Milky Way or other Disneyfied ski zones.
"Glencoe, it's not just for Christmas. It's for life"
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Mike Pow, or "If you have a good day at Glencoe you'll remember it!" unwritten postscript "cos you won't have another one for 20 years"
After all it is free
After all it is free
anyone lucky enough to be heading up to the white wonderland up north this weekend please take a camera and lots of piccies to make us lot back home really jelous, cheers!!!
Oh and have a great time!!!
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'm heading up to cairngorms tomorrow and will try post a few shots from up there. All but one run open at the moment so everything is looking good!!
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
have a great trip bernie_lomax, you lucky sod!!!
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
there aint no runs left really up here bernie_lomax, all just one big gigantic ski-anywhere playground. weather looking decent for the weekend too (sat and sun anyway). wind tomorrow may cause a few more drifting issues but shouldnt be anything like the storm last week
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.
Some pix from CairnGorm Mountain on Wednesday:
^Going up the M1 Poma on Wednesday afternoon.
^View up the Traverse and lower reaches of the Coronation Wall from Coire Cas.
^Looking up the 'Gorm from the foot of the Burnside on the Carpark Runs.
As mentioned above, looking rather unsettled for Friday, becoming fine again for the weekend with light winds and increasingly bright as the weekend goes on. Get up here.
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
I have written to Cairngorm to ask if they think they might run the lifts for the first weekend of May. If there's a good chance I will come back straight after closing here (24th April) to have a weekend up at the 'Gorm. Anyone fancy making a snowheads meet up there if they open?
Winterhighland, Bl**dy hell! I do not believe my eyes!
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
easiski, I'll be there.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
easiski, I'm usually there in May if there's skiing, which there has been for 2 out of the last 3 seasons.
Personally I think that given the sheer amounts of snow up there there's an excellent chance of early June snow let alone early May!
I get the impression from speaking to Colin (ski patrol number 1 and director of snowsports operations) that they want to keep the lifts running as long as possible and that they want to end the season with a bang rather than a whimper, particularly given this has been the absolute mother of all seasons!
So yes, a Snowheads meet seems like a good idea. If so how about doing a sticky thread and trying to encourage a few people up from down south, I'm still convinced there are plenty of people here who are so dismissive/clueless about Scottish skiing that they still haven't got a clue how good it is this year!
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
May and June, sun shining, evening skiing, hogs roasting, pros jumping, super-piping, beastie rides, rescue dug demos, mankini racing, pond skipping, ice bars, skiing & boarding chickie-babes in mini skirt kilts , gear giveaways
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
easiski, i'll be there
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?
roga, If we could get a few more from around our neck of the woods it might be worth me bringing the seats back in the van and we could have a full 7 seater up and back! If I go up I'll want to collect the odd thing from the chalet too. There's not enough there to make a special journey, but If I'm up there anyway ..... I won't go if we have to walk up regardless of how good it is.
Last edited by After all it is free on Fri 5-03-10 18:27; edited 1 time in total
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.
easiski wrote:
roga, If we could get a few more from around our neck of the woods it might be worth me bringing the seats back in the van and we could have a full 7 seater up and back!
Good idea and there's an incentive for people to come - a trip up in the Easiskimobile, cool!
Quote:
If I go up I'll want to collect the odd thing from the chalet too. There's not enough there to make a special journey, but If I'm up there anyway .....
You have a chalet up there, do you rent it out?
Quote:
I won't go if we have to walk up regardless of how good it is.
Frankly if there's enough snow the lifts will be running (even if only a limited number), as I said they've run recently first/second weekend in May and they usually try to have a May day weekend of events going on on the hill.
The main question for me is whether or not they'll run them past the first half of May, given snow, personally I'd like to see weekend snowsports operations at the very least and some on-hill events going on as a way of garnering publicity and keeping the punters coming.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Nevis Range Wednesday afternoon
Best snow skiers right of warrens.
Variable snow in the Back Corries, from lovely soft snow, to crust, breakable crust and the odd soft pocket. Chancers entry was icy for the first 10 feet then lovely snow! Looking at Braveheart from half way down Nid Ridge which was bullet proof!
Real ski anywhere snow on the front side (looking up from the car park at 4:30pm)
Cairngorm Thurs 4th
Heading off to the East Wall...
Just about to drop into lovely snow in no.2 Gully
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
roga, I still own it, can't rent it, can't live in it - ongoing (10 year) dispute with site owners. If you want to try to sort it with them you could have it for next to nothing! Otherwise they'll destroy in at the end of the Site rent contract in 2011. I took most of my stuff out a good while ago, but there are some bits and bobs that would be handy to have. Not enough to go up specially though. TBH I would rather go a week later except that it's my sister's birthday on 2nd May .... she doesn't get to ski much .... thought!
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.
Beware if heading to cairngorm this weekend- it's 'SUSC big weekend' this saturday and sunday. (Scottish uni's championships) Could be rowdy!
Oh how I regret not booking...
Red Leon wrote:
Fergus,
Is that you, Vit'nry??
eh?
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
Alan A wrote:
10 mins of footage from Wed 3rd March at Cairngorm
A wee trip up the M1 and down No 2 Gully at Coire Na Ciste.
Most of it's from a handheld camcorder. First time I've ever skied with one so I was a bit risk averse on the run down No1 gully into the ciste.
Sorted out the privacy settings so that everyone can view it now.
Sorry.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Skied Cairngorm this morning and conditions are still good with firm, grippy snow despite the recent rise in temperature. The snow lower down is starting to turn into spring snow but I saw no slush and very little ice all day.
The hill fog was at about 2500' at 9am but rose during the day leaving the tops clear by about 2pm. Initially the West Wall Poma was off (meaning either a funicular or Car Park-Cas-M1 combination to get to the top) but the tow was on again by about 10:30.
Day Lodge, M2, Fiacaill Ridge, Cas and Gunbarrel were in good condition but quite busy, but M1 and White Lady were quieter, although also complete with good snow.
Ryvoan is still closed, as is Bynack, Aonach Bowl and the West Wall (although the website says they are open) but quite a few skiers and boarders were ducking the ropes and skiing them anyway.
Over Yonder (unpisted) and Ciste Gully still allow you to ski back to the Ciste car park.
Across the mountain the fence posts and one or two rocks are starting to show through so it's worth keeping your eyes peeled.
Another great day out with plenty of skiing left before the end of the season.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
[Post remove due to duplication]
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Sun 7-03-10 1:14; edited 1 time in total
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?
I had this reply from Cairngorm"It looks positive that we may hang onto our snow until May, however usually we don't have the demand from customer to remain open late in the season. Keep an eye on our website, as we may even open for weekend skiing only!"
Not much help in planning and booking ferry tickets! I would have liked something more positive. I have suggested that they take a decision to open for the bank holiday weekend assuming adequate snow early, so that we can organise groups to go up. don't know if they will even consider it - they've never been very pro-active, only reactive.
roga, that was my thought. A couple of days on snow would be nice for her if she wasn't going to alton towers! The chalet is on the Speyside Park just below the ski road near the junction. I tried everything to resolve the dispute, but eventually gave up about 6/7 years ago as it was causing me too much stress. Very sad - it was my home and the bl**dy Masons and lawyers stiched my up between them. I have no idea if the manager of the park would be more helpful if someone else approached them to sort something out. He's a miserable slimy so and so!!! Might be worth a try if you're interested though. Am considering removing the velux windows
easiski, you'll likely get a more positive resonse from Colin, head of ski patrol and running ski ops on the hill, he's the main man this year, the email you got was probably from the office (and read off a script created last september ). Drop Colin a line on his blog on the website. Knowing the past few years, I would say you can go ahead and plan a may bank holiday raid with pretty decent confidence. Going up the M1 tow today and the adjacent pistes were at elbow height to me at times (i'm 5'10) . Base is bullet proof from mid-mountain on up. I'm actually hoping that the may bank holiday wont be the end of it!
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
barry, Thanks for that - will do. do you know if Sid Airey is still working ski patrol on Cairngorm?
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Snow Time wrote:
[Post removed due to duplication]
After all it is free
After all it is free
A bit late , but some pics from Glenshee on Wednesday ,sunny all day ,no wind ,doesnt get much better !
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.
icyjock, nice pics, Glenshee is magic midweek. I was at Glencoe yesterday & pleased to see it busy but nothing really beats having the lifts to yourself and just a few others.
easiski, I'm usually there in May if there's skiing, which there has been for 2 out of the last 3 seasons.
Personally I think that given the sheer amounts of snow up there there's an excellent chance of early June snow let alone early May!
I get the impression from speaking to Colin (ski patrol number 1 and director of snowsports operations) that they want to keep the lifts running as long as possible and that they want to end the season with a bang rather than a whimper, particularly given this has been the absolute mother of all seasons!
So yes, a Snowheads meet seems like a good idea. If so how about doing a sticky thread and trying to encourage a few people up from down south, I'm still convinced there are plenty of people here who are so dismissive/clueless about Scottish skiing that they still haven't got a clue how good it is this year!
I like the sound of this. I had thought I would be able to get 2 weeks skiing only, but I think I could fit in this meet. Would love to be back skiing in Scotland - I've skied but two weeks there - and that was about '86.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
). I can only imagine there must be loads of French, Austrian, Swiss, Italian, German, Kiwi and North Americans who have a similar passion for the smaller ski areas on their doorsteps and I wonder what marketing stance the managers of those smaller businesses take when trying to compare themselves to the 3V, Paradiski, Milky Way or other Disneyfied ski zones.
, gear giveaways
I have no idea if the manager of the park would be more helpful if someone else approached them to sort something out. He's a miserable slimy so and so!!! 
). Drop Colin a line on his blog on the website. Knowing the past few years, I would say you can go ahead and plan a may bank holiday raid with pretty decent confidence. Going up the M1 tow today and the adjacent pistes were at elbow height to me at times (i'm 5'10) 
