Skiing in Scotland ? ( Now plus TR and back corries notes)

A snowHead

Time to round up the wife and head North, but which resort should we go? Any recommendation?

A snowHead

It doesn't look like my missses is gonna be able to come with me afterall.
Im still up for it if anyone else wants to car/b&b share.
Im in Cheltenham which is a bit of a detour for you London Guys heading North but
it's not too far leaving the M40 at Oxford and cutting across to the M5 at Cheltenham wink

.
I dont mind driving from here 3 Litre Bmw to travel in with snow tyres and chains should they
be needed.
Or if anyone in the south west is interested in a Nevis Saturday Glencoe Sunday back Sunday night
get in touch quick.

Leave 11 pm from Cheltenham

Regards Mark

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Unfortunately looks like I have to bail out. I have a very sore neck since yesterday and I'm not sure it would improve after a night in the car. As it is now I'd find it very difficult to ski.

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saikee, I think most of us are heading to Nevis - I'll PM my mobile (I will be leaving here in about half an hour or so so won't see anything on here after that.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Is anyone else staying in Fort William? If so let me know on my mobile where you will stay. Lochview is closed.

You'll need to Register first of course.

OK I'm off now - anyone who I didn't send my mobile number to, you'll find I sent my number to most of the rest of you. Arrive Fort William this evening. Call me then and I'll tell you where I'm staying.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

My post is probably to late, but I was skiing in Glencoe yesterday and it was absolutely fantastic. There was 3 or 4 inches of fresh snow everywhere and very few skiers, even by close of play we still cutting fresh tracks in some areas.

I would say I am a decent skier but not expert and we were skiing off piste 75% of the time with more or less the whole mountain skiiable. It is unbelievable for the middle of April in Scotland!! snowHead

After all it is free

snowball, successful trip?

right im back now, well eleven pm last night. Must say had a great weekend. Drove all night friday through some heavy snow over rannoch more at 4 30 am, it was this snow that led to all the powder skiing at nevis on saturday. I met snowball, at the ticket office as well as two others andrew and craig. We done a few laps of the goose (i was first one down!) in some great piste conditions. The visibilty was good to just below the top of the goose and the top of the mountain was under low cloud but this soon cleared and we headed over the top of the mountain into the back corries via yellow belly. Braveheart was closed so we traversed out. The snow was fantastic powder. Then we headed for the top again and the cloud had cleared this time turning right off the summit tow and a twenty min walk to summit gully i stopped to take this pic and summit gully was just beyond.

We got to summit gully and a quick look over the top and we went off one by one. I was third and it was steep (very steep!) i fell and struggled for a minute but soon got up and went down some great powdery snow. It was a great run all the way to the braveheart chair in fantastic scenery

Braveheart soon opened and we done a few runs on untracked powder ....lovely!

I was getting tired due to all night drive and when the others set off for summit gully again I on passed it but stayed on braveheart and then the goose going off piste to the right side of goose and droppping back into the gully , a few rocks to contend with but again fanastic powder

All in all a great day with much better snow than on my trip to saalbach in feb!!In scotland!!

I met snowball and Andrew after we came down and had a few pints with them and arranged a meet for dinner but couldnt beat my tiredness and soon went off to bed. I was Sorry that I couldnt make dinner but would like to thank snowball (David) and Andrew for a good day on the slopes.

The next day I decided to go to Glencoe and set off in Bluebird conditions. The others went to nevis and I hope they had a good day.I took a few pics on the way

I got up the mountain in good speed and headed straight for the flypaper, it was steep!! I done the run and kept going back for more. The snow was fantastic and this part of the moutain was almost empty! I then tried to do as many of the other runs as possible and probally covered all of the mountain.

Glencoe was great. The views were fantastic, but i must say nevis had more variety. All in all a great weekend. I left glencoe at 2 30 pm and got home at 11 pm thought there was a lot of traffic. I was knackered but it was great.

Topsmoke its a pity you couldnt make it as it was fantastic!!

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Nevis

Glencoe

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daveqpr, great pics Very Happy

snow reports

This pic from today was posted this evening on the Public Reports on Winterhighland, taken from the West Wall Poma on Monday.

More: http://www.winterhighland.info/publicreports/index.php?50,898

The air temperature at the summit is -5c as I type and the rain radar is showing some pretty colours. Will be a further covering of fresh for Tuesday at all areas and some further snow showers during the day for the Cairngorms. Settled mid-week, some bright or sunny spells for the 'Gorms, but long spells of sunshine expected further West.

Mid-week is shaping up to be of the sort that is worth unemployment for? Come on I mean priorities right! snowHead

You know it makes sense.

Good to ski with you daveqpr.

I stayed on for Monday and it was the best of the lot. One of the most enjoyable day's skiing I've had anywhere. I skied till 4.25, then down the gondola. Got back to London nearly 2.30am.
I'll write a fuller report later today. I did an entry from the highest point possible above Chancer (steepest normal entry on the main back-bowl - but this was even steeper!).

I think daveqpr's first photo is Easy Gulley (ironic title) on the right of the shot and had a big cornice (offshot - and climbers, as you can see), A couple of people had gone in yesterday with a rope. Summit Gulley didn't need a rope and was glorious snow - did it twice again yesterday with new snow.

There may be photos to come from the others and possibly me (just on my new phone - but the light was so bright I couldn't see anything and I think I might have accidentally deleted them - I'm trying to find where I put the lead to download (if there is anything to download.

Next weekend is the last of the season - after that they close Nevis, I'm told. Insane!!! Get there if you can.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Definately insane, but tthe gondola will still be running so you could buy a gondola ticket and then skin up to do the back Corries. However rumours aren't always true.

Given decent snow and reasonable numbers Cairngorm plan to stay open into May so you could always ski there instead - conditions are very very good at the moment.

A snowHead

I've got my neice and nephew staying with me for the spring break, weather looks like it is going to be lovely tommorrow so I thought I would take them to Glencoe for the day for some Scottish skiing. It's closed! Now I understand that people need their leisure time but in a bumper year with great snow and probably blue skies in the school hols........ Is it me?

I've booked half a day at Nevis Range snowHead

A snowHead

snowball,

by next weekend, do you mean this coming WE, or 26/27? As was planning a possible trip then. looks forward to your pics.

Norris

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

ickabodblue,

They are actually opening more this year than most years with only one day off midweek (wednesdays usually). One problem Glencoe have is that midweek numbers are low. The same can be said for most of the resorts. I think numbers have been holding up well midweek at Cairngorm partly because overhead conditions have been pish at the weekends but good midweek.

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norris, well I was told this sunday in 5 days is the last day. I would imagine the problem is staff once they have been told they will not be needed.
You probably need to phone them.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

snowball, thanks will give them a call. hope its open or its DIY time Evil or Very Mad

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norris,

Theres always cairngorm or Glencoe, or as you say DIY. At least with the gondola you can still atke skis up it out of season (as far as I know) but once CML close for snow sports the stupid VMP means they can't allow you up with gear. However if there is still god touring then I'll be (trying to)download on the train.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Dave Horsley, thanks for the info. I just really want to hit those back corries!

After all it is free

A staff member in the Braveheart queue told the guys behind me on saturday that they intend shutting on the 26th, but if the snow is as good they may still open weekends. Glencoe usually have 2 days off midweek as they are so quiet. Posted a report on Glencoe on winterhighland for sunday (the one already posted for Nevis was spot on). Intending heading up again this w/e if forecast OK. Didn't go to Cairngorm due to the cloudy forecast (luckily cos they had a peasouper on sat).

More pictures of both here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/neil2829

please ignore my hol snaps - they're up so my girlfriend can show her workmate (who's going there next week)

what...snow,

It was a peasouper both days, at times you could barely see the Ptarmigan building from the top of the M1 poma, just a vague shape in the mist. Skiing wasn't bad Saturday and more of the area was open, but the light was very flat so the skiing was hard, as very little pisting had been done. Piste drivers were unable to see where to go, and the fact that most of the fences have been removed by the deep covering of snow didn't help on the navigation front. Sunday was better, the top bowl didn't open due to the visibilty, but the light wasn't so flat and there were some sdecent clear spells that meant the East Lady could be skiied giving offpiste on initially untracked powder - amaazing how quickly it got tracked out though.

Have to see what I can get tomorrow - may ski over to ciste Mhearad or over the back if everything is tracked out.

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Nevis might go into Friday to Monday mode for snowsports, this has been done in the past both early and late season if it's quite mid-week, but I would be flabbergasted if there wasn't skiing on the Mayday Holiday weekend if there is still reasonable snow.

If this was going to be the last weekend coming up with current conditions and the Highlander Freestyle comp coming up I think they would be making a big thing out of it being closing weekend to get as many people up as possible for one last slide.

Incidentally CairnGorm Mountain closed two weeks ago according to what some of the lifties were saying! wink

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Unfortunately the only weekdays I am not working are the 6th, 7th & 8th May. Maybe I'll finally get to Cairngorm then. I'd really like to ski everywhere in England & Scotland this year as I've been to 6 different areas now. I've missed Yad Moss (I discounted Allenheads - too flat, after talking to someone at Swinhope Moor).

snow reports

So who is going to be at Nevis range or Glencoe this week end?

cc_7up

Can someone do some digging and fill in the gaps.

Scotland's resorts will fully, 100%, permanently close down for the ski season on:

1. Glenshee = closed already;
2. Cairngorm = ?
3. Glencoe = ?
4. Lecht = ?
5. Nevis Range = Mon 5 May

You know it makes sense.

Whitegold, can I get back to you in a month or so Wink

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

what...snow, Was it you I spoke to in the car park in glencoe on Sunday? If it was thanks for the tip about avoiding glassgow and driving towards stirling

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Yes that was me if you were driving a Transit. No problem - it's far enough to London without sitting fuming on the M8. Hope the A84 was OK, it was a bit slow for the last 20 miles when I was driving down, but I was still doing 50 for most of it (which is the speed limit on the City section of the M8 anyway).

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Glencoe will continue, providing snow and demand exists. They may revert to weekends only. Although there will be snow high up for ages on the top runs, the plateau poma run usually breaks up first causing a dramatic drop in trade as people don't want to walk across the plateau to the Cliffhanger chair, to get access to the Main basin T bar.

For those who don't know, access to the top is gained by the Access Chairlift, Plateau Poma, Cliffhanger Chairlift and finally Main Basin T Bar.

There should be snow in the main basin right through to end of May or into June or even later.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Worth banging home this point about Glencoe. The walk across the Plateau to the Cliffhanger Chair is shorter than and less than half the vertical rise of the Plateau Poma itself as the Poma takes you half way up Mugs Alley. It's fairly flat and takes between 5 and 10minutes on a good quality path. There is often an Argo Cat providing a taxi service for families (and the lazy! NehNeh

).

You are also assured of queue free skiing once the Poma is off. For now though the run is getting patchy at the very bottom, the poma uptrack has a good depth of cover still and will be with us for a bit yet (providing the weather doesn't do anything obnoxious).

Meanwhile on CairnGorm on Wed:

More at http://www.winterhighland.info/2006/pix/pixalbum.php?pix_id=471

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

I walked across from the chairlift a few weeks ago (might have been Easter Monday) just because there was a queue on the poma, it really is a very short stroll, even in skiboots, carrying skis. Is it still going to be sunny at the weekend??? (esp at Cairngorm but % chance of clear skies west also)

After all it is free

Nevis Back Corries TR

Edit: For good piste map click on http://www.nevisrange.co.uk/winter/mountain/map.asp
(photos off my phone so not high quality)

I drove to Fort William on Friday and found a B & B at £25 on the seafront – one of a long string of them on the southern road in.
The next morning I kitted up and realized I had left my boots in the front hall at home. Luckily I discovered that Nevis lift station rents them and, against all expectations – after trying 7 pairs - I found some that were OK if I did them up tight.
Andrew (“Jungle” on Winterhighlands website and a regular ski companion) met me, and discovered Craig, someone he had met while doing steep gulleys solo on Ben Nevis, who was also kitting up in the carpark. We were told there was some new snow up top.
The 3 of us, together with daveqpr, did a couple of runs on the goose (is that a couple of geese?) and fresh tracks down Warrens a few times, and then went over the back.
The top of the mountain was in thick cloud and the cornices large so we decided to start with Yellowbelly. Entering the steepish and deeply cut traverse completely blind was rather unnerving.
We then trecked for about a quarter of an hour along the crest to Summit Gulley. It was in dead flat light but we made first tracks down it, and then the cloud lifted for the highly scenic descent down the long valley ending at the bottom of the Braveheart Lift.

(Andrew)

Braveheart was still closed so we had a bite to eat (I relying, I’m afraid, on stuff the others had brought). During this the lift started, at first almost imperceptibly and then a bit faster (its normal speed). Only one person is now allowed on each double chair or it breaks down – did I mention this lift is called Braveheart?
There was no Liftie: should we get on? Craig phoned the lift office. The lift stopped. “No, no” he was told, “this is just a test, you can’t get on”. “There are a dozen of us down here now”. After a pause the lift started again and a liftie skied down: “OK, we’re opening”.
In the afternoon daveqpr left us, not fancying another treck to Summit Gulley. This time we crossed to the further bowl - and then we did Chancer on the main back bowl. The cornice was large, and the entry required a jump in.
All the back corries entries are steep to varying degrees, but Chancer is the steepest of those on the piste map. I decided to try an entry from 20metres further up the ridge, the very top of the slope, which nobody had tried. I could only see the slope by leaning out.

Edit: just seen this fantastic picture on Winterhighlands.

It was very, very steep, starting vertical and landing on a slope of, I think, over 50º. I thought I’d landed it but trying to turn across the slope my heels skidded away and I did a yard-sale. Despite the hard snow under the sprinkling of new stuff the steepness made it hard to climb back up to my skis and even harder to put them on. I thought I’d managed it finally but when I started to ski they both came off again.

In the evening Anmdrew and I went to the Crannog fish restaurant on the seafront. I had halibut on a bed of leaks with a delicate cream and Pernod sauce. Andrew had local langoustines with herb and garlic butter. £40 each for 3 courses with coffee and a good wine – but certainly worth it.

The next day was similar, a sprinkling of new snow and occasional glimpses of sun but often the top obscured by cloud. Braveheart again opened. We did 2 more Summit gulleys (the first time blundering around in thick cloud trying to find it) but heard that Easy Gulley (ironic title for the hardest of the main entries – not on the piste map) was icy and pockmarked by climbers boots so gave it a miss. We did Chancer again (I took the normal entry this time). We thought we would try Spikes near the end of the day, since the snow had softened (it involved a jump in off a cornice and the snow had been harder than on Summit gulley) but decided we couldn’t do it before Braveheart closed, which would have meant a long climb out.

On the Monday the others had all gone home and I was expecting an anticlimax, especially as there was no hope that Braveheart would open, however it turned out the best day of the lot. I met a Scot called Stuart in the car-park who had never skied Nevis but had skins with him (as I did) and wanted to explore the back corries.
The sun was bright and there had been some new snow to fill the old tracks but it started poorly. The warm, churned up snow from the day before had frozen into hard rubble over which we rattled, first down the Goose and then the lowest run down the back which starts from the top of Warrens tow (I think it's called Winger Wall). However the snow soon warmed up and things got better and better as the day went on. I showed Stuart Summit Gulley and it was positively enjoyable walking there on skins in the sun with huge views in every direction.

We made first tracks all the way down and returning to Braveheart, which was closed, as we had expected, found that the walk out was only 10 minutes to a point half way up the lift where we could traverse out.

So of course, we had to do it again in the afternoon. Someone had dug a loop-shaped trench to hold the top of a rope as they lowered themselves into Easy Gulley.

This time I entered further left (as you look down) and, except for our own, we saw only one other track in the valley.

(This is Stuart with Spikes top left and Easy Gulley entry top right in the slight cleft.)

We also noticed a big off-piste area to the left of the Goose and Summit tows (as you look up) with enough snow and only a few tracks (and a few rocks to avoid) which we skied twice top to bottom (see map). As you converged with Goose gulley near the bottom you just traversed right a couple of times and started another pitch.
Stuart said goodby and I finished by jumping into Backtrack, all alone on the backbowl, and traversed out in superb softened snow to find all the lifts closed. A marvellous end to my last ski of the season.

I started home through Glencoe and beyond feeling exhilarated, the sunny mountains looking glorious with ribbons of snow reaching down between the rocks to the crushed-velvet mossy greens of the slopes and lower down the deep dark green of pines and the orange of budding birch twigs.

Notes on the Back Corries.

(map squares are 1 km)

(Please bear in mind that you shouldn’t go exploring here in bad visibility as there are high cliffs to fall off and many extremely steep slopes. Much of it is off-piste where the normal caveats apply, and very few people ski there who could rescue you.)

To access the main back bowl turn left at the top of the Summit tow and follow the line of poles which diverge slightly right from the pisted path. You will arrive at Chancer the highest and steepest entry point. Beware, most of the bowl edge usually has a cornice. Yellowbelly is an easier traverse in, at the lower end of the bowl.
If you do neither and continue down you will arrive at the top of Warrens T bar and the path you originally diverged from. Continuing down the ridge bear immediately right where you will find yet another, usually slightly easier, entry to the back (I think called Winger Wall) , separated from the main bowl by a rocky bulge.
If you ski the main bowl and Braveheart chair is not running you cannot ski down the line of the chair unless you are prepared to climb out half way (ie the steeper part).
To exit the bowl you must turn left (anywhere between level with the top of Braveheart and about 1/4 down it) and traverse out. It is about a mile of traversing and occasional small slopes to ski around to the lifts on the front. You can use a small beginners’ draglift (before the final path beside a chairlift) if you get a bit too low.

To reach the off-piste entries into the back corries turn right at the top of the summit tow (by the ski patrol hut). Except for the first bit slightly uphill, most of the walk along the wide ridge is flat.
Walk parallel to the cliff edge till you reach Easy Gully, after which the cliff edge turns sharply away from you. Easy gully is extreme skiing, involving a jump onto a steep slope or an extremely steep forward travelling side-slip (about 60º?). Below the entry is a short gulley with rock sides which opens onto a huge slope about 500 yards wide and with a vertical drop of over 1,000ft.
Watch out, the cliff edge directly behind the gulley is currently about 6 metres back from the snow edge which is breaking away from it. Better to avoid walking on it.

From Easy gulley head a bit to the right of the slight hump ahead. Passing this you will see in the distance some rocks which mark the entry to Summit gulley. However, if instead you go left you will find the edge curves back towards you after the cliff-promontory and gets lower.
This section is not a cliff but Spikes, which is a wide steep slope, usually with a cornice entry. Currently the least cornice is near the left end, but the snow is harder than at Summit Gulley, which is somewhat easier skiing.

(Summit Gulley)

The rocks and slight bump on the left of the ridge (almost level with the summit Cairn of Aaonach Mor) mark the Summit gulley entry. You can do a short, steep traverse under it, from a dip just before, which will bring you onto a short snowy spine. Either turn left into the obvious bowl or continue the traverse into the next bowl. Alternatively you can enter about 40 or 50 yards further left (as you look down). I gather you can also go beyond the rocks and bump and access directly into the second bowl. In any case, after the first few turns these are all relatively easy and most enjoyable slopes with a vertical of about 850 ft.
Emerging from the Gulley either follow the middle of the valley down very gentle slopes towards a wide dip ahead and then a nice wide gulley, perhaps keeping high left for another slope or continuing down the valley, keeping left of the stream for a total run of about 2 km till you see the bottom of Braveheart chair just above you to the left.
Alternatively after the Summit gulley keep high left, traversing around the slopes below Spikes and into the bowl below Easy gully. Watch out if the weather has been warm - there is a Lochain (small lake) at the bottom of the bowl. Keep right of it then keep high left. You will eventually join the other route. There are several alternatives and no great problems if you take another way.

If instead you keep to the right out of the Summit Gulley till you reach the col you can climb up the left of the ridge ahead and ski the obvious big slopes from the top.

(by Easy Gulley)

PS To the other (snowheads) Andrew (not sure of your snowheads name) - sorry we never managed to meet up.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Well done Snowball, it looks like you had a fantastic time and skiied more of the back bits of Nevis than I've managed in half a dozen trips there ! I did try your mobile when I was there on the Sunday but it was 'unobtainable'.

Help!!

Skiing in Scotland ? ( Now plus TR and back corries notes)

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