 Poster: A snowHead
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Finally got myself kitted out with a touring setup and I'm booked on to the SOPiB. But that's not until March, so I'm hoping to get a few days in Scotland before then. I'm a reasonable piste skier, experienced Scottish hillwalker but only have a week's off piste experience (last year's bash). All the gear and no idea then. Not got anyone to ski with (open to offers!) so I'm looking for suggestions for fairly straightforward and low risk routes.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Nevis Range and Cairngorm.
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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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@Valkyrie, there must be some websites publishing routes? no links from Winter Highland or such? Bear in mind that off piste in Scotland is more often drift snow rather than fallen snow (cos it's windy...) so firmer and heavier, typically.
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@Valkyrie, Kenny Biggin's guidebooks to Glencoe and Nevis Range are excellent. Lots of ideas, some of which very serious but also plenty accessible options. The SMC Ski Touring in Scotland guidebook is useful too.
Off the top of my head some favourite straightforward days include circuit of N Corries (Cairngorm), either going up or down Lurcher's; Carn an Tuirc and that bit of the plateau E & N of Glenshee ski area (there's a good carpark just N of the pass, only 700m (distance) on the way down to Braemar where various fun days out start and end. but lots of hills give grand sport in the right conditions.
Where are you based? We can keep in touch once day trips start being planned. My OH and I come from a similar background and aim to get out touring as much as possible in Scotland over the winter.
Also, you could consider joining Edinburgh Ski Touring Club (www.estc.org.uk). You don't have to live in Edinburgh to join or come on meets, but if you're nearby come to the pub (1st & 3rd Tuesday of the month, Links Hotel (by Edin Bike Coop)). And from January, there's a good programme of weekend trips to various Scottish areas. It's a small friendly club with a fair few folk who also share you background - good place to meet new hill companions.
cheers
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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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I would say the hills around Glenshee are a great place to start some easy tours.
Carn an Tuirc from either the ski center or A93 is a great hill to tour. You can go via Glas Maol and Cairn of Claise. Plenty of descents to choose relative to the snow conditions as well.
Or you can head out the west side from the ski center towards Carn a'Gheoidh. On a clear day a very pleasant and easy tour. Again there is some varied terrain depending on what you want to do. If you have never used skins before and are looking to just see what its about, the bowl off the back of Carn Aosda is not a bad place to start. Just over the back of the ski center, its nice and quite, and does give the feeling of getting away from it all, but in reality you are very close to the ski center. Obviously check snow conditions and weather before deciding on routes.
Certainly a good area to tour for a few days, you could stay in Braemar and pick the guys brains who work in the ski touring shop in the village.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I would suggest Glenshee too BUT be very wary of skinning up the piste. The owner (and some of the staff) can get very arsey about folks using 'their' facilities for free.
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Agree Glenshee is a great place for easy tours, just being careful to stay clear of pistes and lifts if not buying a pass.
For non-lift assisted touring Drumochter is also popular, with the road ascending to a decent altitude, approx. 1h30 from Edinburgh, and no ski centre traffic to worry about. There were plans to build ski lifts there in the '80s, before a run of mild winters put paid to that idea! Here's a fairly easy route in average conditions at Drumochter I posted on the Winterhighland Touring reports section in 2009, before a few much snowier seasons kicked in: Drumochter. Worth scrolling through the Touring reports on that site to see what routes looks appealing, and during the winter to see recent conditions away from the ski areas.
Also some off-piste/touring info & pics on Haggis_Trap's site: http://www.haggistrap.co.uk/offpiste.shtml
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| altis wrote: |
| I would suggest Glenshee too BUT be very wary of skinning up the piste. The owner (and some of the staff) can get very arsey about folks using 'their' facilities for free. |
Is it not right to roam?
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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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| Quote: |
Is it not right to roam?
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Yes
There was a good discussion on winterhighland about this, it being an open mountain and the land reform act yada yada, as long as you are using it in a safe manner they have no right or power to stop you.
Was just a few grumpy old men as usual though, the Glenshee staff are as nice as pie usually, only place iv'e been brought cake standing in the queue.
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