 Poster: A snowHead
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As an offshoot from the Glencoe - Glenshee thread:
It used to be, 10 or 20 years ago, that anytime I visited the Scottish resorts during the season I could expect the main runs to be open (unless the resort was closed by storms). Of course the quality of snow is another matter. Boiler plate was the norm, in my experience.*
However I have kept an eye on Nevis Range this year and last and, unless there was some early good snow, when I wasn't looking, most of the runs have been closed all season.
In particular the back-bowl, which I think is the best skiing there. I haven't seen the Braveheart lift (and Great Glen access chairlift to it) marked as open at all. Has it been possible to ski the back?
The 3 lifts at the back were a major new investment to open up the back to skiers not able to ski the steep top part. I don't know if they have had any use. Has anyone been able to use them?
*However my first experience of Scottish skiing was very different. I arrived just as the Nevis Range opened after several days closed by snowstorms. I made the first tracks down the back in deep powder! Sensational. Of course the experience was never repeated but it coloured my view of Scottish skiing for many years, bringing me back several times.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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My main skiing in Scotland was done back in the 1970s on Cairngorm. Snow was consistently dependable from winter to winter, though coverage didn't always extend to the carpark. In the years I skied there, I doubt if I experienced more than 5 true 'powder days', and bad weather regularly closed down the mountain or made conditions miserable. But the spirit and enthusiasm carried everyone along on a tide of adrenaline. They were heady times.
It's hard to believe that the Scottish snow crisis has been wholly due to climate change, and may be the result of a freaky run (albeit now a decade, on and off) of poor winters. Let's hope that the luck turns.
We know little of Nevis's financial position compared to Cairngorm, Glenshee and Glencoe but hopefully they can keep those chairs in working order to capture those special days. I've never skied that legendary back bowl, but maybe one day...
The irony about Scottish skiing is that the ski area with the least challenging terrain and most modest vertical - The Lecht - seems to have been offering the most days' skiing. It's certainly doing great service for novices and intermediates, and generating new enthusiasm for the sport.
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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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Snowball- I skied that Back Corries at the Nevis Range about 3 years ago and the Braveheart Chair wasn't open then. We had to do the full circuit to get around there.
If you have a look on the winterhighland site, they were skiing Easy Gully last month....but not all the way down. Note the interesting pitons they are roping on to!
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Kit Wong, Gosh. That looks a serious day out.
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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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Great photos, Kit, despite the fog. For those who haven't twigged, Easy Gully is ironic. You always have to do a small jump down onto a steep slope.
To find the main back-bowl you you go half left at the top of the summit lift. For Easy Gully you go slightly right.
Well, I'm glad the back got skied, even if the lifts didn't run there. You had it to yourselves, which used to be part of the fun. (For those who haven't been: you just have to do a long traverse left around the mountain to get to the lifts at the front again.)
Mind you, 3 years ago was a good year for snow if I remember. I wonder if it was skied this year.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Last time I skied the back at Nevis there wern't any lifts there, you had to jump in anywhere and the ski-ing was great. David Goldsmith, The Lecht is great. Every skier should ski it - winter and summer (large amount of dendix laid straight onto the hill with folds and so on to catch you out). Good for them - on an icy day I would call it challenging even if it's not steep!
My Dad remembers that in 1947 his friend (Bill Beaumont?) tried to open a ski school in Kingussie, but it didn't snow at all all winter. Let's hope the last few years are just a freak, but I'm afraid it's not that. 
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easiski, According to my mum 1947 was the worst (or best) winter she has ever seen, although she did live in Hampshire.
She regulary regales us with tales of 10' snow drifts and having to eat the family cat (ok I made the last bit up) but Kingussie must have been unlucky.
BTW my cat is more likely to eat me in times of famine, she's a monster.
Stephen.
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brian
brian
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