 Poster: A snowHead
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Finally things looking a lil better , i'm hoping to get some snow under my feet Monday Tuesday & Wednesday.... 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Went up to Nevis range on friday for the first time. First of all I was quite disappointed with the lack of groomed runs. The greens and blues to the left of the gondola were unpisted. As there was no base, rocks were banging off my bases left right and centre. Underneath the quad chair to the right there was a short track pisted (around 10ft wide) but this did get pretty chewed up by the end of the day. The best skiing was on the summit which provided a short blue with uplift via a button, however you do have to get on a reasonable length tbar to get there. I would advise against bringing your own skis and renting. Glencoe seems to have the best skiing at the minute from what I see. I might wait untill next week to see if some kind of base can be formed. Saying that, for a day out it aint that bad and especially with rental kit. I do prefer cairngorm and glenshee for facilities though unfortunately most of the snow seems to be in the west with more predicted in the east on thursday. check out http://www.winterhighland.com
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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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i was up glencoe on sunday and monday.....it's pretty good up there! Going back tomorrow and thursday...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Might go to cairngorm on friday as it is an easier drive up the a9 than up the a84 to nevis and glencoe.
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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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orangutan, & Edmundh009,
Was thinking of coming to Scotland this weekend, but will proably need to book a B&B in advance. In your opinion, do you think the skiing will be worth the 5 hour drive??? I think it is planned to snow a bit more on thursday.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Hey, you can check conditions at all the scottish resorts in this link.... i picked Glencoe cos its looking best from the reports, no complaints from me. Im 2.5 hrs drive away from Glencoe, and only 40 mins from glenshee, i stayed at a hostel 10 mins drive from the slopes.... It's defianatly worth the drive , best decision i made all year was goin to Glencoe on Sunday
http://ski.visitscotland.com/conditions/?view=Details&id=95026
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Cairngorm is still pretty thin, mostly at the top and only really beginners runs though cover is improving and expect more runs open tomorrow. Glencoe is skiing superbly at the moment, was up there on Sunday and almost all runs filled in but some a bit thin in places, am going back on Thursday and will update then.
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kleightley, &orangutan,
Thanks for your responses. think I'll definitely come up at the weekend. Need a fix!!
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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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Cairngorm is an easier road if you are coming from the south. Due to the a9 carriageway to perth and then towards inverness. The a84 to crainlarich is a bit more bendy and is the road I have to take to get to Nevis range and Glencoe. I drive 2 and a half hours to all resorts pretty much. Keep checking winterhighland.com I expect alot more to open at cairngorm. phone and make sure they have some of the runs groomed wherever you go. I like cairngorm as the ptarmigan bowl is usually well pisted and they have a kicker and rail in place at the minute. Nevis range only had small narrow tracks pisted last friday but I am unsure how much extra snow has fallen. The lecht, glenshee and cairngorm I find have the least stressful drive.
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brian
brian
Guest
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Edmundh009, from Edinburgh I find it's quicker to get to Nevis by taking the A9 to Dalwhinnie, cutting over to Laggan and then down Glen Spean on the A86.
Nevis and Cairngorm are both about 2 hrs 30 from my house in average traffic.
... and some of us prefer our skiing unpisted ! 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Il have to try that route, I usually just use the aa route planner. cheers. Unpisted perhaps, but with some kinda base. the joys of the piste Some of the runs at nevis range last week looked a bit like rocky semi-mogul fields. More snow to drop at cairngorm on friday so will probably go there on saturday, they have more groomed I think.
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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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Edmundh009, brian, orangutan, kleightley,
Try getting accommodation in Aviemore this weekend - no chance!! Apparently it is the Scottish labour Party conference!
Finally got accommodation in Fort William. Can anyone update as to whether I should ski at Nevis or Glencoe based on latest conditions. Any tips you could give me about hire, best times to arrive etc. would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks
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You know it makes sense.
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glencoe seems to be the best bet at the minute. I am going to give this weekend a miss in the east as there was somewhat of a thaw last night and even some rain. This may perhaps be rectified with the snow today. The freezing lvl is supposed to get down to surface level from sunday on. May go up midweek to the lecht .
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brian
brian
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wazza, snow sounds similar at Nevis and Glencoe, reasonably full cover but thin and rocky especially at the bottom.
Nevis has longer, wider runs and a bigger vertical, Glencoe has shorter runs but interesting terrain.
The back coire is open today at Nevis but the braveheart and great glen chairs aren't running so it's a long traverse out.
Both places do equipment hire on site but I've never used it. If you're hiring I'd aim to be there for about 8.30.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Anybody been to Glencoe Thur / Fri. Looking for an update on conditions before deciding on an early start in the morning.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Just got back, did Glencoe yesterday and Nevis today. Glencoe is skiing good, most runs well filled in but in places a bit patchy at bottom runs so be careful if using own skis but otherwise seems the place to be. Nevis very patchy lower runs near gondola, beginners runs almost unski-able in places apart from Alpha traverse (which was actually skiing a bit fast in places for a beginner) and getting worse as this afternoon went on but blue and reds higher up are skiing fine and plenty of snow. Note that some of the runs at Nevis did't seem to be well groomed and still a lot of lifts/tows not running so wouldn't really recommend Nevis at the moment for anyone below competent intermediate.
I hired skis only both places but equipment standards seems good - Nevis using a lot of Salomon X-scream skis and due to conditions would recommend hiring at Nevis.
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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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kleightley, Thanks for the update, have decided not to travel up on saturday for various reasons, guess that Glencoe will be pretty busy with the other resorts struggling with cover.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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at Cairngorm on Saturday, don't recommend it unless you favour ice skating, mostly sheet ice with rocks showing, with the odd bit of wind blown snow against the fences, they really need a big dump to make it properly skiable
having said that the beginners area was mobbed and that's the bit that was just sheet ice!
good luck those who are prepared to brave it
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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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forgot to say, we came past the Lecht and Glenshee on the way home and I wouldn't recommend these either, very minimal short runs, very brown with the heather showing through 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Had a great day at Nevis on Saturday - managed to ski for about 7 hours. Conditions much as kleightley, stated. Runs high up were great but not great coming back to Gondola. Went to Glencoe on Sunday to find that all the hire kit had gone by the time we got there at 8.45.
On the whole, was impressed with skiing in Scotland. Looks like aI'll be a regular from now onwards!
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Was at Cairngorm on Saturday. Base was bomb prove (solid ice) was skiable with sharp edges providing your not a poor telemarker like me. Traverse was hard and icy aand with the strong wind you could build up I fair old speed with not much chance of stopping 'till you got to some softer snow byond the M1 turn of. 105 and Cas were OK bit hard but not as icy as the top of the traverse or the bowl. M1 was probably best with the snow hard but again not sheet ice. Top was a bit rocky as was the bottom before the M1 tow. In between was Ok but in places the ggod snow was only a piste basher and a bits width out from the fence. First leg of the zig zags was Ok 2 nd leg and link to M1 were thin, bottom leg of zig zags was closed. Gunbarrel hasn't filled but there was enough snow to get down to below the bottom of the tow to the train middle station. Could also ski almost all the way to the daylodge along the burnside on waht was water ice, just a few easily avoidable rocks. No sign of Tony and his cronies on Saturday - ust have spent all day at the conference  .
Will all have changed now, was snowing Saturday and going by the webcams there have been some heavy snow shoeres this morning so conditions should be much much better.
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Dave Horsley, Weather forecasts looking good for later this week/this weekend. 
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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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Edmundh009, They ahve turned the car park cam back on and it looks like more than 2" now: http://www.cairngormmountain.com/cams/image3.jpg
The table and chairs give a good idea of the depth of snow. Web site is saying they are closing the road during the showers to allow the ploughs to work, so must be some decent drifting aswell. Also they have opened the Cas tow loading from the top of the gunbarrel - thats one more tow than at the weekend. Hopefully should be more skiable area by mid week or the weekend at the latest.
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