 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
possibly, depending on conditions etc. mind if i don't commit to the last minute? i'd be be pretty happy to give that a go sans guide if there is decent visibility
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
I'm not sure that I'd want to do the walk from Steall to the car park in ski boots on ice  Other than that it looks great. A beautiful area and a chance to get away from the lifts.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
snowball, I might be up for it at the end of March. Although I would be packing a decent set of walking boots for that last walk...
|
|
|
|
|
|
brian
brian
Guest
|
Elizabeth B, the Steall wire bridge would be v entertaining with ski boots as well (don't need to cross it for snowball's route) ...
I'm another possible but won't commit until last minute. Actually, I'd have thought there were enough variations of the Nevis back coires ending in traverses to lifts to keep us going without needing to head for Glen Nevis ?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Me too.. I thought the weather would dictate this would be a last minute throw-together thing but I am for it, in principle.
The last time we talked about this we could easily get a nice group. Happy without the guide and go with the flow
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
brian, just standing by the bridge in summer usually provides entertainment as you will get someone who is terrified. I take groups of teenagers up there each summer, and we get them all on the bridge to pose for a photo....and then start shaking it
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well perhaps, brian, especially if you haven't done them before. But thought it might make an interesting end to the last day (and a longer descent on snow than you can do in the main on/off piste areas.
And yes, Arno, we could, perhaps do it sans guide - depends a bit on conditions - I would hate to be caught in cloud or fog on that sharp ridge where the climb is supposed to start, or trying to find a ribbon of snow at the bottom.
And all this of course would be decided at the last moment - David said he could easily find us someone else if he wasn't free. And the whole outing, as we said before, would probably be decided the weekend before, or even later.
I've walked that bridge too. Good fun and the walk up from the car park beside the stream is a really nice one.
Last edited by After all it is free  on Thu 1-01-09 17:56; edited 3 times in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
That route looks cool.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yup, I thought so. I'd wondered previously if it might be possible to ski into that valley.
For those who haven't been there the bridge is immediately to the right and below the arrow saying "Walk".
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| Quote: |
we get them all on the bridge to pose for a photo....and then start shaking it
|
Elizabeth B, That sounds a very 'evil' thing to do - remind me not to go walking with you 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
It's not that high off the ground. Only the adventurous ones make it as far across as the water, so it serves them right if they get wet
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sounds interesting - and skisimon's walking boot idea is a great one!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
I'll most likely be there but don't know about that tour. I have taken walking boots up and had a wander last winter - last Feb snow was boiler plate till the afternoon so went for a wander on the plateau where there was no snow - 
Had a bit of trouble skiing with my boots in my ruck sack in the afternoon though - not used to such a heavy rucksack....
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Wow, now that really is a lack of snow. Was there really anywhere you could ski?
By the way, those who haven't skied there, that's the bit I marked "Flat walk or skin" (looking North?).
Elizabeth B I assumed they were over the water when you shook them. Didn't most of them cross? I seem to remember the bit by the far bank is the deepest.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
snowball, we usually have about 30 of us, to we take up the whole bridge.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Topsmoke, the first one looks interesting (though as a Londoner I'm not sure how much use I'd get out of it). How much of it requires actual climbing skills, rather than just a steep (or not) plod up?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Hi,
The whole of the ski mountaineering in Scotland is ski touring,No climbing,Though it does list required kit crampons etc if needed.
Your route is in there but going the other way starting at the Glen Nevis car park and skinning up Sgurr a'Bhuic.
It's an excellent book with a few other routes including Ben Nevis itself which looks very nice. All with maps and detailed route text.
I can scan this in if your interested in taking a peep before you buy.
Carn Beag dearg , Carn Mor Dearg offer some nice 45 ish west facing slopes which tourers were playing on last year when I was there.They had traversed the ridge untill finding a nice looking decent.
I would definatly recommend you get the book,Well worth the read.
Regards Mark 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
roga, Yes, but I was with non-skiing Mrs snowball and on best behaviour so she will tolerate me taking a Scottish ski weekend in March, as well as my 3 1/2 weeks in the Alps and USA already booked.
Topsmoke, I was reacting to it being called "Ski Mountaineering".
What would be the point in doing the route the other way round- a long climb up a nice off piste slope and then ski down a piste you could have taken a lift up 
But yes, I would be interested in stuff from the book.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Sat 3-01-09 17:40; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I prefer to do the minimum up for the maximum fresh tracks down.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| snowball wrote: |
Topsmoke, I was reacting to it being called "Ski Mountaineering".
What would be the point in doing the route the other way round- a long climb up a nice off piste slope and then ski down a piste you could have taken a lift up
|
I've sent you the bits you might like to read.
Regards Mark
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Also sounds v. interesting to me - depending on dates and other commitments. I'll keep an eye on the thread.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| snowball wrote: |
Wow, now that really is a lack of snow. Was there really anywhere you could ski?
By the way, those who haven't skied there, that's the bit I marked "Flat walk or skin" (looking North?).
|
The goose on the same day
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
II, looks like death cookies, how was it?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Topsmoke wrote: |
I've sent you the bits you might like to read.
Regards Mark |
Where? I've not had it as a PM or an email?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
One factor in doing the route the other way round was that it would have been a long wait for the Gondola when the book was published in 1987 as Nevis Range didn't open till 1989!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Ah right, it was a very tiring and involved way of skiing the Goose!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
I'd be up for it too snowball. BTW, here's a gradient plot of the trail from the summit to the road.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
From summit tow? Seem to be too many ups and downs over the first part - very slight rise to by Easy Gulley (10 or 15 metres) then almost no change till a slight up to Aonach Mor summit (another 15m?), then gently downhill before the only proper climb (150m).
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
That's the vagaries of the contour mapping match to map in the software I suppose. Here is the map route that generated the contour ...
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
I could be interested as well got a bit of a gap in my winter itinerary in March.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
moffatross, I think the software needs a rethink. Do it by hand and those 100 and 200m plunges near the start will vanish completely and you'll just have a steady descent. Clearly, your mapper was not following the line along the ridge - instead it took a couple of plunges off the cliff.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
For those who didn't see those threads, this thread is a follow-up to several in which a March visit to Scotland was discussed (Mid and late March are normally the best for Scottish snow depth, though April was even better last year). The Various merits of Aviemore and Nevis were discussed (I in favour of Nevis because of the longer off-piste and back bowl descents). However snow conditions east v west may decide it if Aviemore (as now) has much more snow.
Again, for those who did not see it this was my Nevis Resort report (followed by my Trip-Report with photos) about the back-bowl skiing last April.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If anyone is REALLY skint (and hardy) I noticed at the new-year that the camp/caravan-site by the sea at Glencoe was open.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
go up late in the season. Perhaps we could hire him for an afternoon if there is enough snow. He says there is often enough snow to ski all the way down because snow tends to persist in the gulley (while on the front side the snow line is normally at about 600m or so (2000ft).
, not half bad and not very expensive if you had a group. Only problem would be that once there you probably wouldn't want to go anywhere else! 
