Poster: A snowHead
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Hi Peeps,
Anyone been to the snow dome recently? Last time i went was a couple of months ago and it was pretty icy. Any improvement or just as bad/worse? To be fair we did go on a saturday afternoon.
Thanks in advance
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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 Sunday. Was icy at the top, but must say conditions are the best for over 3 months I reckon, as it was quite soft and powdery on the rest of the run without being too bumpy.
Went last Tuesday and it was actually SNOWING in there A pipe was bust, so they had the machines pushing out snow. Nice and fluffy, but impossible to see in sections, and really bumpy underfoot.
But on Sunday it was great. I was just about to give up on the place too!
ScottyDog
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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 there last Tuesday too... with Michelle and Johnboy.
I didn't think it was a burst pipe, I thought it was the new snow guns they were trying out!
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It does make you wonder though. Someone once suggested to me that the problem with certain snowdomes in the UK is that the actual sliding down the slopes thing is peripheral to the main business, and so there's not enough investment on the skiing side - hence poor snow, general shabbiness, etc. The principal source of income? Rentals, very high ones as well, charged to shops etc on the spot. So much so that not a few small businesses go under pretty quickly.
Never been to a snowdome, but is it the case that there are malls / shopping areas centred on the skiing at the likes of Milton Keynes?
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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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snowbunny, so you had a good time then?
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The nice folk at EB advised me not to take my own skis onto the slope because of screws sticking up.
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If that's true the folks at MK are leaving themselves wide open to being up in court on health and safety grounds, what happens if someone injures themselves on one of the screws ?
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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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D G Orf, if it had happened and been near Easter we would have had a hot cross bunny
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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D G Orf,
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what happens if someone injures themselves on one of the screws ?
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I did look out for on slope "nasties" but apart from what I have already posted, plus some litter, I guess the sheet ice patches were the biggest hazard. I did look for screws!
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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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I had a ski lesson there on Friday and loved every minute of it. The staff seemed very helpful and the instructors good.
i can't really comment too much on the snow condition as I was on the ski school side, so it wasn't churned up at all, but what I saw didn't seem too bad - but then it was 9am when I started, so it may get worse during the day.
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I've learnt to tele there over the summer but must say that my last couple of visits probably as I packed in more laps the ice patches got to be a real issue. After a 1.5 to 2 hour drive its not really something I want to be paying £21 an hour (notice how they keep bumping up the rate!) plus booking fee plus locker fee to experience. Then the only good quality snow part of the slope is closed of for kid's sledging etc.
The fact that there is no information readily available in advance about conditions/ closures is a real shaft the punter trick too.
Can't see me returning unfortunately this winter - I'd love to try dryslope if only they had tele rentals.
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You know it makes sense.
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Well I've decidied to risk another trip there anyways. It's a real shame as I've also been to Tamworth snowdome (whilst I was up north) and it was a complete contrast, although smaller than MK the snow conditions were absolutly ideal, although the conveyor belt style lift up was a bit of a pain, but you can't have it all i guess!
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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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Just back from morning MK. Long queues for a single poma available for public use. Reception was very slow, but the folk were pleasant. Was advised that only one main slope was open, which was only partly correct, since the 2nd poma was running, but being "kept" for the exclusive use of 1 class. I used this poma and had a miserable member of staff bawling me out about using it. Tells me it's closed, clearly it wasn't, being neither roped off, nor marked as closed, and it was running.
Then Mr misery, tells me that they only open the 2nd poma when there are more than 100 people on the slope. I spent a disproportionate amount of my slope time on waiting for uplift.
The upper quarter of the main flat slope has even more clear ice. Saw many fallers. It appears that loose snow is being placed on top of the ice, but it soon scrapes off. Icy right across the upper slope. The uplift track still has lots of matting showing through and exposed wooden edges.
Like last week, for some bizarre reason the slope mgmt decided to run a diesel powered cherry picker at the top of the central slope. After 2 days spent coughing from last week, I decided to finish early.
Maybe Tamworth next week.
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Poster: A snowHead
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snowbunny, sounds grim. MK management seem determined to run that place into the ground
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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snowbunny wrote: |
Like last week, for some bizarre reason the slope mgmt decided to run a diesel powered cherry picker at the top of the central slope. After 2 days spent coughing from last week, I decided to finish early. Maybe Tamworth next week. |
You could always try the great outdoors - on the plastic! I always knew that it had to have some advantages...
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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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rob@rar.org.uk, By the time I quit today, I was cross, but IMV it's still better than a dry slope, so I guess that if lots of skiers feel the same as me, the Mgmt could do much, much worse and still get enough customers
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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snowbunny, Video stills?
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Brit_Sloaney!,
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snowbunny, Video stills?
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I suppose it would have made more sense if I had said digital stills. There is a camera part way down that seems to be set to shoot an image when a skier passes. Usually blurry, and a lower quality than the ones at theme parks, but much the same principle, at a cost of £3.50 or £4.50. I may go along tomorrow in the morning. I will post up here on the conditions I find.
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Oh that's cool! I never knew there was one lol. I've been to MK about 3 times, though it is rather expensive. Cool though. Satisfies my mid year snow cravings
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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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Royal, the person may be videoing people without their permission, and if that includes minors, then it's considered very bad.
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i dont think there are any minors left in sheffield....
however.... there is a large sign at the entrance prohibiting phots and the people were filming each other.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Oh. They never caught me ! Or my brother. Or my dad. (for photo/filming)
THey did tell me off on sunday for doing the mougl field without a helmet.
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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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snowbunny, I'm told that conditions over the last 2 days have been as bad as they've ever been (burst glycol pipe), but that things should be good by friday, so i'd be concerned about conditions you'll find thursday
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slikedges,
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snowbunny, I'm told that conditions over the last 2 days have been as bad as they've ever been (burst glycol pipe), but that things should be good by friday, so i'd be concerned about conditions you'll find thursday
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Thank you for the info, you're a star. I will now switch my visit to Friday morning.
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You know it makes sense.
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snowbunny, what time Friday?
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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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Wear The Fox Hat, In the morning, are you considering a slide too?
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Poster: A snowHead
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snowbunny, it's a possibility!
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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 back from MK. Reception was swift today in stark contrast to every earlier visit I have made. I was warned that conditions were less than ideal, and there was a sign on the reception suggesting that users check the slope conditions before buying time since, no refunds would be given. I enquired about the glycol leak that slikedges, advised on earlier in the thread. Initially, it was denied that there had been one, then reluctantly admitted
There had been a lot of freshly made "snow" dumped randomly on the slopes. It was not pisted down, so once scraped into piles by boarders the ice underneath showed through. Fun sliding with constant adjustment needed with the "powder" (novices sink like a stone, a bit like skiing in flour).
Both Poma's were running and open to the public, but the tracks were wearing thin with exposed edges. I took an old pair of skis, after reading slikedges, recent bad experience. There was very little queueing, it may have been quieter today. The co. were running the cherry picker (again), my ski clothes now stink of diesel fumes . Wear The Fox Hat, you missed a pretty good session, where were you?
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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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snowbunny, word now is it will be next week before conditions are good again. Sorry I couldn't let you know sooner.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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slikedges,
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snowbunny, word now is it will be next week before conditions are good again. Sorry I couldn't let you know sooner.
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No worries, it was okay today. Got the chance to use lots of skills all on each run. No damage to my skis either, though they do need waxing again, so dry
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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The_Mac_Daddy, Like I said, this week was the best it has been since the summer IMO. You could phone them 1st if you are want to be sure of the conditions. It was perfectly skiable, very varied, much like resorts are. If you don't fall over you are not trying hard enough
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cheers snowbunny, just read your post properly (my bad), good news indeed
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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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Anybody been to Mk over/since Christmas. How was it?
Thinking about going over for a couple of hours to loosen up a bit before going away next week.
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