 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Google "skiing Scotland" and check their webcams.
Mind you what you are asking is a lot!
Val D base level starts at 1785m at La Daille. If you insist on the lowest point of Espace Killy you can ski to Tignes Les Brevieres at 1550m.
The highest point in UK is about 1000m and you want reliable snow!
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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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N10skier,
Good snow in Scotland in mid april is common but not certain. Aviemore and Nevis usually are running at that time and glencoe may do. Glenshee a bit less likely and I don't know about the Lecht.
The highlands is a great place to visit at that time of the year with reasonably long days and often good weather.
Personally I live on the west side and know these areas better but where will have the best snow come april is not predictable, if Nevis range is good the back bowls are fabulous.
If the skiing is not so good there is a whole lot of other outdoorsy stuff to do.
saikee,
Height comparisons are utterly irrelevant Scotland's lattitude is considerably different as is it's distinctly unpredictable maritime climate. If there was land over 1500m here it would almost certainly be glaciated.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| saikee wrote: |
| The highest point in UK is about 1000m and you want reliable snow! |
The highest point in the UK is Ben Nevis which is 1344m, the summit of Cairngorm mountain is 1245m above sea level making it the sixth highest mountain in the UK (the second, third, fourth and fifth highest are all in the same mountain range).
T Bar, is quite correct in saying height comparisons with the Alps are irrelevant, what is more relevant is latitude which has, for snowsports, a positive affect on temperature (the plateau above the ski area and below the summit of Cairngorm is sub-arctic tundra!) and Scotland's maritime climate which can have a positive and negative affect and is why the weather is more volatile than you'll get in the Alps. That's not such a bad thing at times though when the cold and moisture blows in off the sea and you get dumps like that over the last few days (putting all the Scottish ski areas in the top 10 for snowfall in the world yesterday, with Cairngorm, Glencoe, Nevis, Glenshee and The Lecht 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7 respectively. However powder can turn to spring snow quickly if it warms up and spring snow could refreeze again into boilerplate so you never quite know what you'll get if you book ahead.
I'd say the likelihood of there being sliding in Scotland 2 weeks into April is pretty good (I have a BASI course booked there so it better be lol) but whether overheads will be good is impossible to predict but we're getting to the time of year when days are lengthening and your chances of better weather are higher. It's worth underlining that we've had top to bottom sliding at Cairngorm since early November though so I'd be pretty confident about there being something slippy underfoot.
Scottish skiing can be a gamble, more so than the Alps although this season has been very good in Scotland and in parts of the Alps not so good, but if you get the conditions it'll be great and certainly a different experience with, as a backup, far more to do away from the mountains than you'd typically get in the Alps.
Lots of good info above so I won't go on 
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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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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Hey guys, thanks for all the info, we've decided to go for it as it sounds like there's a reasonable chance of getting in some skiing and if not it'll still be nice to be in the mountains again maybe with a bit of whisky for company 
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You know it makes sense.
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Have fun 
Scotland should be great early to mid April.
Sometimes its the best time of year.
FWIW the very summit of Ben Nevis (1,344 metres) gets on average 7 metres of snowfall a year.
Which is the same annual snow fall as Verbier or Lake Louise (the biggest difference is that these 2 places obviously also get less rain & mild Atlantic weather!)
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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roga, haven't logged on for a couple of days so didn't see the webcams on Wednesday... but it certainly looks snowy there today  Thanks re the offer to show us around, will let you know when we've sorted out our travel/dates etc and we can take it from there.
geoffers, nice photos by the way, where you were camping looks amazing.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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N10skier,
| Quote: |
| geoffers, nice photos by the way, where you were camping looks amazing. |
It was in the Lairig Ghru on a little island (grid ref NN 98437 95548) near Corrour Bothy, having just skiid down the Taylor's Burn (Allt Clach nan Taillear) which you can see to the north of the camp site- the gully running SW from the top of BenMacdui
Hope do do something similar this spring....
I've marked it on a google map >>here<<
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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roga,
| Quote: |
geoffers, interesting!
What kind of tent and camping kit would you recommend for that kind of trip?
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If you're doing that particular route, the Corrour Bothy looks quite quite comfy, but we weren't sure so camped. Lots of boggy ground where it's flat by the river in the Lairig Ghru, but the island was nice & dry. The route does get done in a single day, but it would be a biiiiiiiig day 
There were 3 of us, so 2 in the tent & 1 in a bivi-bag. Bivi is a lightweight option if you're sure the weather is settled - otherwise light 4-season tent (eg NorthFace:Westwind) - 4/5season down-bag & thermarest mat (superb for snow camping) - MSR Whisperlite stove etc.
Have done 4 camping overnighters in Scotland, plus 2 longer tent-based tours in the US Sierra Nevada & Canadian Rockies. You get used to the load, and it's epic being out in the wilderness overnight, particularly if you can set up camp and do some yo-yo-ing without the sac the next day  .
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FAQ
