Lecht is your closest ski area, about an hour away. It’s where I learned and mainly skied as a child. Well worth lapping the Buzzard on the other side of the road, even if it’s a bit of a trek in boots. Otherwise it’s all very obvious. Overall it’s not scenic, not steep, and very definitely lacking in vertical but it’s fairly well organised and can be very quiet midweek. I remember once being stopped by a piste basher driver and advised “it’s a bit icy today, go back to the office and they’ll give you a discount”. Not had that experience elsewhere.
Cairngorm and Glenshee are both about 2 hours away. Both much bigger areas. Cairngorm has good vertical and snow holding but the lift company have destroyed the infrastructure so it’s soul destroying if there are more than a few hundred people. Go midweek only and still expect to queue and feel ripped off. Study the piste map before and plan the longest runs and least time on lifts possible. Find a friendly local to point out less obvious routes.
Glenshee is lacking in vertical but has decent slopes at each end. All of the Cairnwell runs are worth a go, especially the runs off The Cairnwell and Carn Aosda summits. Lots of people whizz right over to Glas Maol but the other best runs are often around Caenlochan so exploring either side of that ridge can be more fun.
All do ski hire but check if you need to pre-order online on the websites. Nevis are only offering hire at weekends this year though. Might be faster, easier and a bit cheaper to hire off mountain (in Aviemore for Cairngorm, Braemar for Glenshee). Used to be possible a few years ago.
The west coast areas are generally steeper and more interesting but quite a bit further away so I’d advise staying overnight over there if you want to see them. There’s loads of fairly cheap underused accommodation around Fort William (and Speyside) as it’s much busier in summer. No need to book more than a day in advance, which is about the reliable time for the weather forecasts.
The roads to all three closer places are pretty treacherous in snowy weather TBH. Winter tyres recommended this month, but lots try to get there without them. No valley access lifts, car parks about 650m, likely as covered by snow as the runs. Approach from the north is significantly easier than the south at the Lecht and Glenshee though.
There’s also loads of fantastic coastal scenery, cliffs and beaches, lovely little harbours etc around Buckie. If you want any info about that, ask.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
what...snow wrote:
Lecht is your closest ski area, about an hour away. It’s where I learned and mainly skied as a child. Well worth lapping the Buzzard on the other side of the road, even if it’s a bit of a trek in boots. Otherwise it’s all very obvious. Overall it’s not scenic, not steep, and very definitely lacking in vertical but it’s fairly well organised and can be very quiet midweek. I remember once being stopped by a piste basher driver and advised “it’s a bit icy today, go back to the office and they’ll give you a discount”. Not had that experience elsewhere.
Cairngorm and Glenshee are both about 2 hours away. Both much bigger areas. Cairngorm has good vertical and snow holding but the lift company have destroyed the infrastructure so it’s soul destroying if there are more than a few hundred people. Go midweek only and still expect to queue and feel ripped off. Study the piste map before and plan the longest runs and least time on lifts possible. Find a friendly local to point out less obvious routes.
Glenshee is lacking in vertical but has decent slopes at each end. All of the Cairnwell runs are worth a go, especially the runs off The Cairnwell and Carn Aosda summits. Lots of people whizz right over to Glas Maol but the other best runs are often around Caenlochan so exploring either side of that ridge can be more fun.
All do ski hire but check if you need to pre-order online on the websites. Nevis are only offering hire at weekends this year though. Might be faster, easier and a bit cheaper to hire off mountain (in Aviemore for Cairngorm, Braemar for Glenshee). Used to be possible a few years ago.
The west coast areas are generally steeper and more interesting but quite a bit further away so I’d advise staying overnight over there if you want to see them. There’s loads of fairly cheap underused accommodation around Fort William (and Speyside) as it’s much busier in summer. No need to book more than a day in advance, which is about the reliable time for the weather forecasts.
The roads to all three closer places are pretty treacherous in snowy weather TBH. Winter tyres recommended this month, but lots try to get there without them. No valley access lifts, car parks about 650m, likely as covered by snow as the runs. Approach from the north is significantly easier than the south at the Lecht and Glenshee though.
There’s also loads of fantastic coastal scenery, cliffs and beaches, lovely little harbours etc around Buckie. If you want any info about that, ask.
thanks for that, popped down to Cairngorm mountain area, via Avimore on Sunday, went for a walk off to the right looking up the hill. not so bad a drive from here, besides the speed the local critter/plows bomb around the roads. (out coastal hamlet only got gritted at 3pm today and the hire cars unlikely to have winter tires, so it stayed put and I did the usual walk out to Portknockie)
might pop back tomorrow for an actual ski, since local kids are now back at school. I am temped to try touring. after seeing folks finding good snow off out of the lift area and beating the initial lifts up. only ever done alpine, so will need to get a day or twos instruction. I have lots of free time ,but im not fully aware of when im needed on the water, as it so heavily depends on the activities of the installation vessels and their weather windows and up time in the field.
After all it is free
After all it is free
@bowsaw, with the ski touring id just hire some gear and give it a shot. If you can ski and hill walk you will find it fairly intuitive. The internet will have plenty of information about kit and how to fix skins etc so it’s just a matter of practice. Obviously avoid steep icy slopes but this week the weather should be ideal in Scotland for trying it out.
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.
Peter S wrote:
@bowsaw, with the ski touring id just hire some gear and give it a shot. If you can ski and hill walk you will find it fairly intuitive. The internet will have plenty of information about kit and how to fix skins etc so it’s just a matter of practice. Obviously avoid steep icy slopes but this week the weather should be ideal in Scotland for trying it out.
there’s no technique to make life easier?
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
bowsaw wrote:
Peter S wrote:
@bowsaw, with the ski touring id just hire some gear and give it a shot. If you can ski and hill walk you will find it fairly intuitive. The internet will have plenty of information about kit and how to fix skins etc so it’s just a matter of practice. Obviously avoid steep icy slopes but this week the weather should be ideal in Scotland for trying it out.
there’s no technique to make life easier?
Try to glide the skis forward going uphill - the initial tendency is to try to walk with skis on when going uphill, trying to lift the skis each step quickly becomes very tiring! You have to both trust the skins will prevent you going backwards, while at the same time accepting they don’t (yet) have the ability to defy the laws of physics!
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Quote:
There's no technique to make life easier?
All I would add to @haggishunter's advice is:
1. Make sure you hire ski crampons with your kit. Ask the shop how to fit them. They ensure that you can still climb on icy stretches where the skins otherwise wouldn't grip. May not be needed but an essential accessory.
2. The only skill you need to learn after basic skinning is the kick turn. These are needed to change direction on steeper slopes. Practice will soon teach you the sort of gradient where the slope is too steep to just shuffle round the turn - ie where the skis will start slipping back. If you keep to gentler slopes on your introductory session, you won't need to do kick turns just yet - but here's a short video on the technique: http://youtube.com/v/M7WDCfoaNYA?si=ztjMV9UIwPR6isFh
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.
Looking for advice. Going skiing in France next week, haven't been for 30 years. Was intermediate at school. I live near the cCairngorm mountains. Currently there are green runs open at the top of the mountain but it requires skiing down the white lady or m1 to get back down.
I remember the white lady was about my limit at school all those years ago, I could get down but it wasn't always pretty, and a bit nerve racking.
Would it be unwise of me to get a day in skiing on CG's before France in this case ?
I will have little gauge of what I'm taking on until I get up there, it's just all vague memories atm.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Ram80 wrote:
Looking for advice. Going skiing in France next week, haven't been for 30 years. Was intermediate at school. I live near the cCairngorm mountains. Currently there are green runs open at the top of the mountain but it requires skiing down the white lady or m1 to get back down.
I remember the white lady was about my limit at school all those years ago, I could get down but it wasn't always pretty, and a bit nerve racking.
Would it be unwise of me to get a day in skiing on CG's before France in this case ?
I will have little gauge of what I'm taking on until I get up there, it's just all vague memories atm.
If you come down the M1, you're starting on the upper approach to the Traverse, then escape left through a short narrow 1 groomer length link into the Coire Cas Gunbarrel. Less red graded stuff as the top bit is on green, then Gunbarrel is blue, but the Gunbarrel is pretty narrow and hard.
Of course the other question is how are you with the M1 Poma catapult!
Maybe a couple of hours with an instructor in the morning would be good if you've not been for that long?
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Make sure your skis are moving forward at the point of Poma release and that will remove much of the ‘launch’. Skate forward if necessary
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
haggishunter wrote:
Ram80 wrote:
Looking for advice. Going skiing in France next week, haven't been for 30 years. Was intermediate at school. I live near the cCairngorm mountains. Currently there are green runs open at the top of the mountain but it requires skiing down the white lady or m1 to get back down.
I remember the white lady was about my limit at school all those years ago, I could get down but it wasn't always pretty, and a bit nerve racking.
Would it be unwise of me to get a day in skiing on CG's before France in this case ?
I will have little gauge of what I'm taking on until I get up there, it's just all vague memories atm.
If you come down the M1, you're starting on the upper approach to the Traverse, then escape left through a short narrow 1 groomer length link into the Coire Cas Gunbarrel. Less red graded stuff as the top bit is on green, then Gunbarrel is blue, but the Gunbarrel is pretty narrow and hard.
Of course the other question is how are you with the M1 Poma catapult!
Maybe a couple of hours with an instructor in the morning would be good if you've not been for that long?
It's only the white lady and M1 that are open everything else not enough snow apart from a couple of greens right at top. It's these greens I'm aiming for but I still need to get back down. M1 poma is open.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@Ram80, Cairngorm has a small beginner area of factory snow at the bottom near the car park that might have been enough for you to have a go, if you go to their website you will see it on their webcams and also get all the information you need, it was really busy during the holidays but is quieter now.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Ram80 wrote:
haggishunter wrote:
Ram80 wrote:
Looking for advice. Going skiing in France next week, haven't been for 30 years. Was intermediate at school. I live near the cCairngorm mountains. Currently there are green runs open at the top of the mountain but it requires skiing down the white lady or m1 to get back down.
I remember the white lady was about my limit at school all those years ago, I could get down but it wasn't always pretty, and a bit nerve racking.
Would it be unwise of me to get a day in skiing on CG's before France in this case ?
I will have little gauge of what I'm taking on until I get up there, it's just all vague memories atm.
If you come down the M1, you're starting on the upper approach to the Traverse, then escape left through a short narrow 1 groomer length link into the Coire Cas Gunbarrel. Less red graded stuff as the top bit is on green, then Gunbarrel is blue, but the Gunbarrel is pretty narrow and hard.
Of course the other question is how are you with the M1 Poma catapult!
Maybe a couple of hours with an instructor in the morning would be good if you've not been for that long?
It's only the white lady and M1 that are open everything else not enough snow apart from a couple of greens right at top. It's these greens I'm aiming for but I still need to get back down. M1 poma is open.
The M1 is not complete, the route to the base of the Poma from the Top Station is via the Cas Gunbarrel as described above.
The Traverse and top third of Coire Cas have been groomed but the middle third is pretty much devoid of snow, so you can come down that way but will need to walk a bit to reach the Gunbarrel or buy a ptex gun!
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?
haggishunter wrote:
Ram80 wrote:
haggishunter wrote:
Ram80 wrote:
Looking for advice. Going skiing in France next week, haven't been for 30 years. Was intermediate at school. I live near the cCairngorm mountains. Currently there are green runs open at the top of the mountain but it requires skiing down the white lady or m1 to get back down.
I remember the white lady was about my limit at school all those years ago, I could get down but it wasn't always pretty, and a bit nerve racking.
Would it be unwise of me to get a day in skiing on CG's before France in this case ?
I will have little gauge of what I'm taking on until I get up there, it's just all vague memories atm.
If you come down the M1, you're starting on the upper approach to the Traverse, then escape left through a short narrow 1 groomer length link into the Coire Cas Gunbarrel. Less red graded stuff as the top bit is on green, then Gunbarrel is blue, but the Gunbarrel is pretty narrow and hard.
Of course the other question is how are you with the M1 Poma catapult!
Maybe a couple of hours with an instructor in the morning would be good if you've not been for that long?
It's only the white lady and M1 that are open everything else not enough snow apart from a couple of greens right at top. It's these greens I'm aiming for but I still need to get back down. M1 poma is open.
The M1 is not complete, the route to the base of the Poma from the Top Station is via the Cas Gunbarrel as described above.
The Traverse and top third of Coire Cas have been groomed but the middle third is pretty much devoid of snow, so you can come down that way but will need to walk a bit to reach the Gunbarrel or buy a ptex gun!
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
