I had a great day skiing at Glenshee today, sunny all day but cloudier to start with before the sun really burst through the clouds in the afternoon, no wind to speak of. And the snow was at an unbelievable depth!
Looks stunning. Is that Glas Maol?
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Yes Gaza the photos were taken on and around Glas Maol, the off piste near Glas Maol was great fun, and the views were stunning from the top.
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?
The above photos remind me of the tale of an American on his European tour. In the Vatican he sees a gold phone, he asks the pope what it's for. Pope says it's a direct line to God, only €10000 per min. In Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland he sees a plain black plastic phone, again asks what it's for. The minister says it's a direct line to God, only 10p per min. Wow that's cheap says the yank.... Aye laddie, it's a local call from here.
Nice Glenshee deepness. And this, shamelessly robbed from winterhighland comparing a view up the main basin yesterday with a similar one from early last season shows how transformative a deep base is for the likes of Glencoe. In all seriousness, I prefer Glencoe with some rocks to weedle through but having so much snow, it rocks too.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
i liked the top one with the queue above, that would be a good waste of 40 mins skiing time.
Scotttish piste skiing could be summarised as two minutes skiing down 4o mins in a queue…
Off piste of course, very good...
After all it is free
After all it is free
You're a glass half empty kinda guy, aren't you?
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nozawaonsen wrote:
I've spent many years living close to the mountains in Europe and Japan. During that time there have always been fantastic (often relatively small) local hills which I would hit over and again every week from the first snowfalls dodging the rocks through to the final spring bumps.
That said if friends were visiting for a week and asked where they should head to I would rarely (if ever) suggest the local hills. It wasn't that you couldn't build together a week long experience, you could. But the majority of times those looking for a week long break were looking for a different type of experience and the bigger resorts would be what I would recommend (less travelling and lugging stuff around for starters).
Yes, exactly.
We have half a dozen local resorts which offer a similar experience to the Scottish areas within half an hour of the house. We've just got back from skiing one this morning. Ok Scotland doesn't have trees which is an additional challenge for the Scots.
These little resorts make little concession to the modern skier: frequently unpisted runs, steep slopes with non of the obstacles removed, variable snow, ancient drag lifts, everything that gives skiing character and makes it a challenge and interesting.
But you know that if you suggested holiday skiers went there they would come back complaining of everything you and I find charming.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
I find Scotland ski areas charming too.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Just saw this link at winterhighland to a retro compilation of clips from Nevis Range. Not sure if it was a promo or not but aside from a leaner than today looking front of the hill, the Goose was loaded, there was some mogul skiing, a slalom course, Coire Dubh (pre-Braveheart) was looking nice and there were a few game skiers and boarders enjoying Chancer.
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.
protosaurus, fabulous photos!
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
kat.ryb wrote:
I really want to go for Easter! Even if the snow isn't good could still be a nice weekend in Scotland. Unfortunately having trouble selling the idea of committing to drive up from London to boyfriend.
If you are coming up from London, while having a car will give extra flexibility - why not consider taking the ScotRail Caledonian Sleeper and making it part of the trip. Direct services London -> Fort William and London -> Aviemore. Departs London Euston at 9.16pm (cabins available from 8.30pm) Mon-Fri, but earlier on Sunday and depends on date. Return service is back in London Euston at 7.47am (or you can get in at 6.47am but that involves a change in Edinburgh).
If there is two of you, the standard cabins are for 2 with bunk beds. Lounge Car onboard for Apres Ski on the way home. Also if you can sleep anywhere, a seated sleeper option.
ScotRail have a 1/3rd off sale on sleeper tickets bought during February - might be worth investigating on link above.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Anyway back to the original topic... Here are today's measurements, which were a bit of a challenge.... After several runs down Happy Valley I had convinced myself that yes the pole I was looking had not been missed in bad visibility, it had been buried! A gain of at least 118cm on the previous measurement to do that!
So next phase of the hunt involved getting down and poking about in the snow at the base of several yellow marker poles ski patrol had put out in Happy Valley to find the one I was looking for, from which the Happy Valley measurements are taken. The pole which itself is 270cm tall is embedded in a pile of stones that lift the tope of the pole 370cm above the ground of Happy Valley!
Anyway the stats were:
Happy Valley: 373cm
Main Basin: 630cm
Average that we quote as upper mountain base: 502cm 198"
Why are we measuring this? Curiosity as much as anything and to put into context the values frequently reported for snow depths at the Scottish Snowsport Areas that often appeared to have no basis in fact, no verifiable data source. I looked back through quite a lot of photos to identify some sites where it would be straight forward to accurately gauge snowdepths, as a result a couple of us leveled and calibrated two snow depth measuring sites at Glencoe in autumn 2012.
Why these two locations? They were picked to give 2 contrasting measurements, the deep natural snow field of the Main Basin and the much more exposed and open slopes of the upper half of Happy Valley to give an average value that was reflective of the mix of terrain on the upper mountain.
These were not measured in 2010, however going back through the photo archive of the 2010 season would suggest the season peak at our measuring point in the Main Basin was around 380cm.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Not looking too shabby just now, and another shed load of snow is on the way this coming week ...
And they are reporting almost 2.5m of snow on the competition faces!
Anyone else doing it? I'm signed up.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Winterhighland, thanks good info - will check the train out. Liked the idea of being a bit more flexible (i.e. stil l happy to go and do some hiking if no snow, but not keen if 100,mph winds and rain) but sleeper could be really good fun.
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?
ah this thread cracks me up... its a re run of my chalet's chat every jan when in the alps's!!..
“This is the best days skiing I have ever had in Scotland. I skied in places that we never planned to ski when building the resort as we never for a moment thought it would be possible. I skied ‘far’ far west, and the Nid Wall where there’s flat even snow. All the fences have vanished. I reckon its 60ft deep in the Goose Gully which has completely flattened the run out – it’s probably the best part of a mile wide. I’ve never seen it looking like it is today. I haven’t, I genuinely haven’t. If it keeps on like this, I will just keep on skiing, right through summer. It’s just magic.”
Marian Austin, MD, added “Our records show that it’s snowed in each 24 hour period since we opened for this winter season on 20 December 2013 – we’ve almost forgotten what it’s like not to have snow falling each day."
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
nevis1003 wrote:
i liked the top one with the queue above, that would be a good waste of 40 mins skiing time.
Scotttish piste skiing could be summarised as two minutes skiing down 4o mins in a queue…
Off piste of course, very good...
I bet that was nothing like 40 mins.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
A wee comparison between mid Feb 2010 and today in terms of the (in)famous Coire Cas Gunbarrel on CairnGorm Mountain:
^Looking up the Cas Gunbarrel on 17th Feb 2010.
^Piste Bashers working during the afternoon to remove snow from the Gunbarrel to allow adequate clearance under the tower sheave assemblies going up the T-bar.
Does Scotland also have the biggest cornices in Europe right now ?
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.
moffatross, fantastic pic
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
moffatross, should've sent it
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
dode, not my pic, it was shamelessly robbed from BackCorries FB page. I've had a day convalescing from the manflu but just been getting green gills instead.
clarky999, I keep one of these in my backpack http://www.backcountrybomb.com/ but I think I would have pooped myself with that one.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
You can almost see kelpies faces in it, a la Guinness White horses ad
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Does Scotland have the deepest snow in Europe right now ?
Not too many otehr resorts outsisde the west coast reporting 60 feet.....or 18m
Just look at the Glenshee carpark, Scotland's largest ski resort.
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?
For anyone that knows the road up to Glenshee, this pic was taken from the queue up there on Sunday, with about another mile or so of cars behind as well
Still snowing. According to BBC, only 1 day without snow since Christmas.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
"Only a couple of good days a season"... dangly bits. This may be a wild winter but this will be my 9th weekend this season skiing in Scotland with only two days that I wished I'd stayed in bed. Maybe not bluebird but definitely good fun. If you only go skiing when its perfect weather then I ask you are you a snow sports enthusiast or a tourist?
After all it is free
After all it is free
Does Scotland have the deepest snow in Europe right now?
By far
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.
Just back from a four day trip up to Glen Coe; there is a fantastic amount of snow. There was also a fair bit of sleet which made for some funky snow in places.
By Friday the temps dropped enough to give us a "proper" powder day though. I nearly lost a ski on the cliffy chair at one point, as the snow below was so high you "bottomed out" half way up.
However, as it seems to snow every day and is blowing a bit only the bottom half of the hill gets to open as the main basin drags are snowed in.
The forecast for this weekend looks good too.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
There's too much snow - seems the top lifts are endlessly being dug out. I was at Glencoe on Thursday and like Mosha Marc, says only the bottom half was open which unfortunately only opens up a small area. I opted for Nevis Range on Friday. There was more terrain open there and managed some great runs down The Goose.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
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