 Poster: A snowHead
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brian, yipee!!!!
Although i may utilise the weekend to do some winter walking, its been a while since i donned my crampons, although itll be a wrench not to join the queues at Cairngorm/Glenshee and don my planks!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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tomski01, combine the two. Walk up and ski down. 
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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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tomski01,
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I would love to one day, but my skiing is not quite up to that yet (nor is my back carrying them all the way up!), ski touring does sound fun but dont have any of the kit
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Hire it, Mountain Spirit hire (AFAIR) AT and tele touring kit in Aveimore (they are near the railway station). I've got AT and Tele gear, but haven't done much touring on it yet. Been practising my tele turns recently on lift serviced terrain just nned a lot more practise to get them to a decent standard!
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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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There was some nice powder to be had at cairngorm yesterday and its snowing again, yippee!!!! 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Decisions, decisions, decisions.
Flying into Glasgow early on Friday morning, flying back out on Monday night.
Will have to be Glencoe on Friday to get an afternoon in. But then looks like east will be best for powder, but west will be best for overhead conditions. Quite fancy doing Glencoe Friday, Cairngorm on Saturday, Glenshee on Sunday and then Nevis on Monday. Will need to see how the conditions are looking day to day though. Should be a good long weekend though.
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Lager,
Good scheme. You bound to hit good snow this way. It is about the right condition that you can ski all of them without getting disappointed, including Lecht. You have to time your arrival and getting to the resort as early as possible is a must.
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brian
brian
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Lager, might be worth thinking about changing your order to include Nevis on the Sat or Sun, in my experience it doesn't get quite as busy as the others. Cairngorm and Glenshee will be mobbed this weekend. Also cut down your travelling a lot if you do it in the order Glencoe -> Nevis -> Cairngorm (via the A86) -> Glenshee (via the Lecht).
Weather looks great, thaw/freeze on Thursday night/Friday, probably snow on the back edge of the cold front, certainly snow showers Friday and Saturday. Wind might be a problem, but should ease on Saturday and Sunday/Monday looks lovely with a big high pressure in control.
I'm heading up tomorrow, so I'll give you a first hand report tomorrow night.
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Look forward to your report Brian.
I'm thinking of heading up again this weekend, possibly for a day at either Glenshee or Cairngorm. Glenshee's looking favourite because it's a bit closer to Glasgow and i've not been there yet.
From the reports i've been following on winterhigland.com i don't think they'll be too much difference in the weather for these two.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Blue Mark,
I have a job to find the nice condition showed in Winterhighland.com.
Last week Caringorm was white. There were odd stones and rock at the bottom. Glenshee is a different story.
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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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I hadn't seen that thread Saikee.
There are some extremes of photos on there!
I think it will be better after these past few days though
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You know it makes sense.
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on the ski-scotland site Glenshee are saying that they will try open the rails and terrain park above the Butcharts, once they have 'found' the rails....presumably because they are buried in snow! 
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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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Never mind the Alps. The webcam of today at caringorm is the best I have even seen. Have to go to London as the son is moving out his flat this weekend but it would really be a sad loss if snowheads can't take the opportunity to strike when the snow is at its deepest in the Scottish resorts.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Wow, now that does look tempting. This weekend is a no go for me, but lets hope the conditions hold for a few weeks.
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brian
brian
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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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brian,
Good report and photos. I would say it is pretty good by Glenshee standard. I too was disappointed by the lack of snow in the Tiger. Your Sunnyside is a lot whiter than the one I saw last Friday on 25 Feb and I notice there are more snow everywhere. Glenshee own web site claimed now is the best condition for years.
The best snow condition among the Scottish resorts should still be Caringorm, according to their Webcam.
Snowheads should go up North while the going is good. Take the Friday off and enjoy.
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brian
brian
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Thanks saikee. It's the best conditions at Glenshee since 2001. Mind you, that's not saying much as the last couple have been abysmal.
2001 was an epic, the best I've experienced at Glenshee in over 20 years of going there.
Some more snaps ....
Glas Maol red, unpisted
Some of these tracks are mine.
The Glas Maol poma, note black run still has poor cover, you can see the gully's not filled in.
but the red is great, loads of snow.
Brian in unrealistically-proud-of-tracks shocker.
.... and room for a few more.
Over on the Cairnwell, and hardly a flake on the ridge, usually reliably wide and deep.
Glenshee's trois vallées, sunnyside, meall odhar and glas maol 
Good cover on Butchart's and Carn Aosda.
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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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Thanks for the report and the pics there Brian.
I'm heading up there as soon as I can finish work today 
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brian
brian
Guest
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Blue Mark, should be a cracker, especially Sunday.
Mind you, since word of this snow is well and truly out it's going to be mobbed. If you're contemplating Cairngorm I'd aim to be there for 8am. Much later and you won't get in the car park !
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We might not be able to handle the snow when we get it, but hey have you ever been on a single track road in france?
Anyway heres the proof that it can almost be the same, this video was taken on thursday at Glenshee and what a great day it was.
http://www.theteuchterlads.co.uk/videos/glenhigh.htm
Enjoy
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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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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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macphee70, fantastic video!!!!! I'm defo feeling the sickies coming on this week!
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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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Just back from Glenshee - got up early (6:30) to clear skies and no wind, left house at 7:30, buying day pass at 8:30, off the top of the Sunnyside chair before 9AM.
Coire Fionn and Glas Maol quite good skiing but long queues at the pomas. Back to carpark for an early lunch around 12:00 and headed up to Carn Aosda, nice skiing again on this side especially Butcharts ( Race track was nice too but got ticked off as we headed down thinking the racing was finish but they were just between runs ). All in all, an excellent days skiing.
Apart from the very occasional bit of cloud on the tops, it was clear and sunny all day. Got a bit cold around 4PM as the sun dropped below the hill tops. Views from the tops were absolutely fantastic, wish I'd taken a camera, the hills were spectacular, white as far as I could see.
If only we could have this weather and about 1 more metre of snow, wouldn't need to go abroad at all.
AW
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brian
brian
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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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I was up in the cairngorms this weekend, decided against skiing, couldnt quite face the queues....but must say the conditions looked ace as we walked back down the White Lady after our yomp up Cairngorm on saturday....weather was rubbish tho!
Yesterday was a beautiful day, we hired some snowshoes (essential in those condtions) went up Breariach and the views were fantastic, snow everywgere and we all got sunburnt!
Walking up on the cairngorm plateau some areas were easily 2+ metres deep, measured thanks to some randomly placed bamboo sticks in the middle of nowhere (?!)
Moral of my story....I dont think the snowpack is going anywhere for a little while,
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I think the Scottish resorts are now having the best snow for years. Time to ditch the Alps, drop everything and head North.
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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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Good report from snowboard club uk including explanations about what is happening with the Cairngorn non-running lifts and future plans.
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Chief Executive of CairnGorm Mountain said,
“I do appreciate that by not opening some of the peripheral lifts we risk the perception of not providing a full service. Last year we had to make some serious decisions about making sure we had a business plan that could survive another poor winter. Following two of the poorest winters ever and having looked at our market and how our lifts operate we took the decision not to run some of the peripheral lifts with either a poor snow holding record or those not integrated into the mountain skier flow. This has worked well for most of the season and only on Sunday (February 27th) did this cause a problem.
“We want to provide guests with the best skiing experience we possibly can. Last Sunday the White lady did not open because of lack of snow on the tow track and it was deemed too icy and dangerous by our ski patrol. We also had a technical failure caused by a snowboarder on the West wall poma. The combined loss of two lifts did cause queues and the knock on effect was that the Funicular was also very busy.” |
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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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Saikee - or head west.
The Pennines are also having their best ski season for 10 years and with conditions turning colder at the weekend and the possibility of some more snow we should get a few more good days yet !
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Peter S,
Got visitor this weekend and going west for half day may just what I can spare. Hope the snow stays till weekend. Thereafter I can put England down in my skiing CV  .
I spent a large number of weekends motoring on a bike around Alston in the summer and Yad Mosss is only about 50 miles from Newcastle. Have been driving 200 miles to Scotland or 650miles to the Alps for the same thing! Love to give it a try.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Tue 8-03-05 11:49; edited 1 time in total
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I was skiing Cairngorm Saturday and Sunday and lift queues were surprisingly small considering how full the car parks were. Saturday the viz was absolutely abysmal at times you could hardly see the person infront of you on the tows. That was why the ptarmigan bowl and the ciste side were closed - they were worried people would get lost and end up somewhere dangerous, like down the Ciste gulley wcich was avalanche prone. Still I managed a few runs on the M2 and the daylodge and the daylodge in particular was really nice, I had great fun teleing down it. Queues were never really big as long as you avoided the train or the carpark tow. If you needed to get up from the bottom the Faical Ridge poma was the best bet. Unfortunately this broke in the afternoon and was still beeing worked on on Sunday. Running both the lady tow and M1 meant queues on both these lifts stayed manageable. I was surprised that with the top closed the queues weren't longer, but I think with all the runs in the carpark area usable this absorbed a lot of the beginners.
Sunday was great - viz was alot better and the Aonach bowl and the runs beside the west wall were open and fun to ski with unpisted though rather heavy snow. Again I never had any really long queues. The WW poma was busy when it first opened but even then the queue was less than 10minutes and it soon quietened down. The only problem area was from the Cas car park with long queues for the funicular and the car park tow. Mainly because the Faicall ridge poma was bust. This was when the ability to run the daylodge poma would have been a big advantage.
Skiing wise I had a great day, but I need to improve my tele skiing as I failed to succesfully tele down the steeper runs particularly where they were unpisted, I had to resort to parallel turns to get down. In the afternoon I changed to AT kit so I could ski the steep unpisted runs with confidence.
Any one got any good tele tips?
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I managed to get to Glenshee on saturday.
thanks to my balaclava, the stinging from the snow being blown horizontal wasn't too bad!
Unfortunately, the lift queues were long, but the snow was great and almost alpine powderish. Skiing back down from the top of Meall Odhar poma on the red piste which no one else seemed to be bothered about was fantastic! Couldn't quite understand why everyone seemed to head down the narrow section alongside the poma than go a bit further down the blue and cut left onto what the piste map said was a red!
Winterhighland.com is telling me that I may have to drive north again this weekend... but we'll see!
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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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At Glenshee again today, early start so no queue for lift passes. Headed straight over to Glas Maol, 3rd & 4th up the tow, very cold at the top in a constant wind & blown snow, some pisting done but very difficult to find / follow, snow though was excellent. After 3/4 runs, we went back up Coire Fionn as this had now been more skied on, good skiing here with less wind and not so cold except on the tow. Had to head back to the car around 11 o'clock for a coffee to warm up (run back was very bare / icy in places with best skiing on a narrow strip against the fence. Straight up Carn Aosda to some good snow conditions again but very windy and cold at the top, Butcharts good also though narrow against the fence down to the tow. Required a bit of avoiding or straight lining the icy bits and hoping for some soft snow. After an early lunch we headed up Cairnwell, then repeated Carn Aosda & Butcharts a few times. After a hot chocolate around 2PM we skied the race track, then a few quick dashes down Claybokie finished our day as the weather closed in around 2:30.
Very cold at times, with my Buff almost constantly frozen, and i'll need to find a warmer hat! Overall not as good conditions as last weekend, more icy patches and areas scraped down to the heather (nice brown pistes, and I always thought a 'brown' piste was steeper than a black!) Still had a good day and it was snowing as we left. If the temperature stays down and we get a bit more snow, it could be very good again.
AW
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