 Poster: A snowHead
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Guys,
unfortunately my kids chose boarding over skiing despite my pleadings and explanations of how bad poma riding was for them.
we did a couple of days at glenshee and the pomas really put them off. They are both decent boarders but i need to get them more time outside away from braehead.
I know the set up at cairngorm and glenshee, but if anyone thinks the lift systems at any of the other resorts are kinder on the boarder i will happily take your advice and head there in easter holidays with them.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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mikeelsa, Not a boarder but most Scottish resorts are predominantly surface lifts. You know Glenshee and Cairngorm.
This leaves Glencoe, Lecht and Aonach Mor.
The Lecht I have not actually skied but is I believe entirely surface lifts.
Glencoe has an access chair which rarely is descendable from at Easter, the only other chairlift is the cliffhanger which is a single seater and usually has the worst queues.
Aonoch Mor has the access gondola which I have never seen skiing beneath though I believe it has been done. A quad chair which serves some reasonable skiing and the Braveheart chair which is rarely open and you have to access via tows. It is probably your best bet other than the funicular at Aviemore but in all honesty if you want to ride the best slopes in Scotland you will need to learn to use surface lifts at some point.
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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 lecht has a chair that serves quite a lot of the runs.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I'm a skier but I've been to everywhere but The Lecht with a boarder. The Lecht does have the Snowy Owl chair (3 man) but, no snow there at the moment. Between Nevis and Glencoe, he is definitely happier at Nevis. Not only is the Quad chair a more useful lift (rarely develops a queue) but he always finds the Goose more comfortable than the Main Basin T-bar. Sometimes he struggles with the Alpha, but the up track was quite flat when I was last there a few weeks ago. The Summit isn't great for boarders either. Very different tows from those at Glenshee, short solid section then a rope that reels out of the housing. At the Summit, due to the 5m+ snow, the housing heads for you at chest height. You have to limbo out of the way and grab the button. Tricky enough on skis. But the reasons for going up there are either accessing some seriously steep slopes or the park, and you'll have to take a red or steeper to get down so a certain standard is expected. It's an easy walk across to the Quad from the top of the Gondola.
The poma at Glencoe is the same style as those at Glenshee and Cairngorm, accessing Greens and helping people who ski the steep stuff to the east of the ski area get back up to the top. Cliff hanger is a slow 1 man chair (same design as the Tiger). It forms a queue very easily, and stops annoying just below the upper tows (much more annoying for skiers than boarders).
Generally T-bars are a bit less painful apparently, did you try the Cairnwell/Carn Aosda, or Cas/Ciste? There are 3 T-bars as well as the chairlift at Nevis. Braveheart does run sometimes but only weekends and I'm not sure it has yet this season. Improves the lift access to those off piste and gives you a longer run in Coire Dubh but not really a deal breaker.
Hope that helps.
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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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mikeelsa, take up boarding yourself and your kids will probably beg you for skis.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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The only thing for it is to put more more time in learning to ride Pomas. We get plenty of kids at yad moss that pick it up pretty quickly so I think its just a matter of practice. The secret with autostacking pomas is to avoid launch by moving the board forward as the poma engages. Easy to do on skis by skating slightly.
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thanks for all your replies folks.
from what i had looked at on the piste maps nevis looked better. They can go the poma fine at Braehead but found glenshee ones launched to powerfully. the oldest coped okay and managed glas maol although moaned at the end and did appear to be in agony. The youngest who is just 11 really struggled. I have found out from a mate that i should have put some sort of gripper on the top of the board so there foot out the bindings can grip. i have ordered these and hope this might help them. they have never tried a t-bar but apparently these are easier.
as for taking up snowboarding myself that will not be happening. I have spent a fortune on lessons and kitting them out and also tried to convince them to ski in the first place. i also have no intention of spending half my day sitting on my butt tightening up bindings and walking across flat sections.
nevis or cairngorm it is
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mikeelsa, Well according to my 14yo snowboarder button lifts are a necessary evil that can be tolerated and t bars are to be avoided at all costs!
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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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T Bars are very easy if you have a skier next to you (preferably one that you know well enough to lean on).
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mikeelsa, Nevis has just one chairlift (the quad chair) accessing groomed runs. There is some decent terrain, but it's the lowest part of the resort and the first to suffer in poor conditions.
Drag lifts are a necessary evil. They're not that bad once you get the hang of it. T-bars are fine, no worries. Easier to ride single, but more comfortable doubled-up.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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It might seem that Cairngorm would be better for boarders: the train goes to the top so all the front side can be skied without drag lifts. However there are long waits between trains and you don't really want to ski the rather flat bottom part.
At Nevis one chairlift does not go up the upper slopes and is on one edge of the area (which means you can't ski the best slopes) and the other on the left is a horizontal access lift to a nursery area. The third, on the back, only runs occasionally.
All in all they had better get used to drags if they want to ski in Scotland.
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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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The way the Pomas are set up at Glenshee makes loading somewhat easier for boarders than the standard start gates used at CairnGorm and the Lecht, so using these gates would be something else to have to learn at CairnGorm - that said CairnGorm does have the advantage of being able to have spells of trying the tows, but having the fall back of the Funicular, from which the full Cas side of the mountain can be accessed.
The Plateau Poma is operated manually these days at Glencoe, it tends to be run fast early in the day to get people up the mountain and run slightly slower later in the day. In terms of the autostacking Pomas the Plateau Poma is now probably one of the easiest ones to get to grips with, particularly at present when the uptrack has very deep cover providing a good level track. If they really struggle with it, a few minutes walk each end of the Rope Tow will get you to the Plateau Cafe and the Cliffhanger Chair.
For dealing with T-bars, the best way is to pair them up with a similarly sized skier, the skier can edge and steer and they just have to worry about hanging on for the ride!
The general feeling is that the button tows at Nevis are harder for boarders than the Pomas - the Alpha can be a virtual impossibility on a snowboard as the uptrack often slopes severely into the adjacent fence. The Quad Chair runs were in epic shape earlier in the season, cover has narrowed at the bottom but they are still in pretty good shape.
Having said all that, I'd consider the snow conditions at the time of trip as part of the equation too. No point going to Nevis for the Quad Chair if the runs are patchy low down etc. At CairnGorm when the Funicular is running non-stop the turn around times are much quicker and it gets you from top to bottom in less time than the M1 Poma gets you up from the middle, later in the day it can often be straight onto the train while still a queue at the M1 Poma too!
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was at cairngorm with the kids on Friday 11/4/14 and can report they rode t-bars all day without even looking like falling off and told me they are much easier than the pomas at glenshee. made for a much more enjoyable family day out than the pain of glenshee in february.
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You know it makes sense.
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If they've chosen boarding, then they've chosen the cons as well as the pros that go along with it.
I suggest the application of Rule 5 and they get used to double-black-diamond button lifts 
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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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Gosh, no idea. I've ridden everywhere, but I don't have a problem with riding lifts. Really, that's my recommendation: any "decent" boarder can ride any lift. The way you get to be able to do this, is to practice. So I'd go to the place which has the lifts you're most scared of and work out how to ride the suckers. You will trade about 5 minutes of effort and then you will be free from these pointless restrictions...
Seriously, if you can't handle the lifts then you're probably not really happy on your board. Lifts, of any description, are a breeze on a board for anyone who can ride.
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