 Poster: A snowHead
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Ricklovesthepowder, If you like unpisted rolling terrain and no queues you'd be mad to miss Glencoe IMHO!!
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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, shoogly, good points... although based in Aviemore, with a car I am guessing we could get about easy enough to sample the other areas?
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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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IF you're based in Aviemore, it's actually quite a trek to get to either Glencoe or Glenshee. Glencoe would be around 2 hours. Not sure how long for Glenshee, but maybe around the same, as you need to drive around the Cairngorm Massif to get there.
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Do you have a 3 day deal in Aviemore? If not consider either staying over at the West if you can? Plenty of B&Bs etc to pick from!!
It's a lovely drive, to/from East/West esp if the sun is setting and the mountains are orange!
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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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kitenski, it's free accomm in Aviemore itself so no, not flexible... looks like we will take what Cairngorm has to offer! There is always vodkabru bombs 
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brian
brian
Guest
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MoodyFFS, Nevis is easily doable from Aviemore and the drive down the A86 is one of my favourites anywhere.
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brian, good to know... i'm sure we'll be fine! 
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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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brian, MoodyFFS, kitenski, I am staying at a cottage about 20'mins south of aviemore just off the main road (A9?) on the owners website it says that Aviemore is 20'mins and Nevis Range 40 mins so I will certainly try and get to both if possible. I looked at glenshee and it was nearly 80 miles and 2 hours, Nevis was half of this which is why I will attempt to get there. Would be great to possibly ski with some of you guys.
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look out for "Glenbogle" (Ardverikie Estate) on the way to nevis, well worth a few pics accross the loch to the big hoose, or a stroll on the beach. amazing place
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Webcams look like the weather has had a slight effect on the slopes throughout Scotland today. Looks like the cooler temps will return by next week hopefully. Can I just ask, if I was to park my car at the bottom of the road which leads up to the car park, would I be able to flag down a lift from someone or is there a bus running up to the ski resort?
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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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Ricklovesthepowder, is there a reason NOT to park in the car park that I am unaware of?
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| kitenski wrote: |
| It's a lovely drive, to/from East/West esp if the sun is setting and the mountains are orange! |
Agreed. Aviemore to Fort William is a beautiful trip.
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You know it makes sense.
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MoodyFFS, haha, my car is awful in the snow, front wheel drive, big fat chunky sports tyres and lots of torque, add a bit of snow on the road and its basically undriveable, so knowing how quick the wind can blow drifting snow onto the accessroad and if conditions are bad im planning on leaving the car at the bottom of the road and getting a lift up to the lifts somehow.
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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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Ricklovesthepowder, ah I see... positive thinking too i like it!
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Poster: A snowHead
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MoodyFFS, haha, i really really hope that it is a big issue and i have to leave it in a snowdrift at the bottom of the road!!! It would mean it must be good up top!!! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Ricklovesthepowder wrote: |
| Can I just ask, if I was to park my car at the bottom of the road which leads up to the car park, would I be able to flag down a lift from someone or is there a bus running up to the ski resort? |
It depends exactly where you're talking about. The road from Glenmore to the top is normally fine for normal 2 wheel drive cars - it's only the car parks that can be a bit tricky when they are icy so park on a slight down slope with a clear exit in front of you!
Parking at the Glenmore end of the road isn't a great idea as you'll have little flexibility and you might not get a lift, although I would suspect that the Aviemore bus would stop there. The lower (Ciste) car park is only really used as an overflow and there is a shuttle bus up to the Day Lodge during these periods.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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roga, Just lloked on snowforecast and they think it will go cold again, with freezing level down to sea level come monday so yes, fingers crossed. Just out of interest, how deep are the current snow depths up at Cairngorm, how are they compared to previous years etc?
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Ricklovesthepowder, Mid mountain up there's a good depth but on the lower slopes it's thinner and likely to get patchy much quicker. Difficult to estimate the depth but Scottish skiing does and always generally has happened on drifted snow in snow holding gulleys, that's why you'll see heather and rocks appearing quite quickly in less good snow holding areas - there can still be metres elsewhere nearby at the same time.
In comparison with last year there's less snow, for example at this point IIRC the gunbarell was flat and the stream by the Day Lodge had disappeared under the snow, as had the bridge below the Day Lodge (as a result of massive drifting I should add). So I'd say there was much more snow on the lower slopes and probably a bit more on the upper slopes but this year there's been a lot of freeze thaw so there's a very resilient base, probably more so than last year. In terms of other years (apart from last year) the coverage os excellent and much better than many other seasons so despite being spoilt last year I wouldn't despair yet
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roga, don't bait xboxkid...
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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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roga, Cheers, i still have over 3 weeks yet so a lot can happen between now and then. Im sure there will be another big fall of snow and another thaw even before im up there, just hope that i time it right!
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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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Looking at the longer range forecasts the only problem i see is that when the cold spell happens they don't see much precipitation 
So not much snow to replace the stuff lost in the thaw. Here hopes this is wrong cos i loved Glencoe on monday with some lovely powder
But i suppose it is still early in the season tbh. I think last season has me spoiled lol
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Before the milder air reached CairnGorm the fresh snow and howling South to South Westerly blew a lot of snow off higher areas beyond the ski area into many of the right places. There's been a net gain on the White Lady and Coire Cas for example. It might not look as pretty on the Webcams, but the underski conditions were pretty good today, with a shuttle bus running from the Ciste so 2000ft of vertical on offer via the Laogh Mor Return to the lower level Ciste Carpark.
Pix from H11lly: http://www.winterhighland.info/publicreports/index.php?50,2519
Ultimately it's these storm cycles that allow the season to last as late as it can, it's the now very consolidated base that come spring will provide the genuine Spring Snow which is the true delight of Scottish Skiing. It's fast, beautiful to ski on and high temperatures, results in rounding of the crystals making it faster and sweeter still for some T-shirt skiing. 
I love the period around the winter solstice, as you approach Christmas, the dark mornings just add to a sense of excitement about the season still ahead, and the fantastic dawn and dusk light in the mountains in the depth of winter is magical, but it's the memories of the late season days spent on superb spring snow skiing the likes of the Ciste Gully, West Wall, White Lady, Coire Cas etc that are the strongest memories I have of years gone by.
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You know it makes sense.
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"it's the memories of the late season days spent on superb spring snow skiing the likes of the Ciste Gully, West Wall, White Lady, Coire Cas etc that are the strongest memories I have of years gone by"
... or sweating like a pig on the aptly named Spring Run and the FlyPaper at Glencoe in April's blazing sunshine then burying your face and neck in the snow at the bottom to cool them off.
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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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Great video here showing January conditions at Cairngorm. Shows the extent of the skiing, the piste directly to the left and right of the railway looks fantastic!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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roga, he seems fairly positive
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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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It works for me roga, still not working for you?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Ricklovesthepowder, not working - it'll be working for you because it seems to be pointing to a local profile in this bit:
http://m.youtube.com/#/profile?desktop
You need a live URL instead.
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Amazing photos from before Christmas from our own Shimmy Alcott here... I hope she doesn't mind me posting this... photos are stunning! More of the same for my trip please!
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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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Does anyone think anywhere will be open tomorrow with the high winds?
A few mates are talking about heading to glenshee but I'm almost glad I'm working
Hoping next Thursday and Friday are kind and I can head up
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Any chance the current rain on the webcams turning to snow... temps are dropping, but are they dropping quick enough?
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FAQ
) has dampened my usually-difficult-to-dampen-enthusiasm somewhat 
