 Poster: A snowHead
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The Scottish ski areas of Cairngorm and Glenshee closed their snow gates to cars yesterday as demand outstripped parking capacity. Overnight (Sunday-Monday) temperatures at Aviemore fell to -18C. Colin Kirkwood at Cairngorm said that Sunday had been their "best day for years"...
Reports from:
Glasgow Daily Record.
BBC News.
Aberdeen Press and Journal
Prospects look good for sustained favourable ski conditions through to half term.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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That'll be all the heli skiers causing global warming 
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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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going to do glencoe on saturday and cairngorm on wednesday - hope the snow holds until then!
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brian
brian
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Recorded -9.5C on my car between Laggan and Dalwhinnie yesterday. Pretty impressively low for 5.30pm. Beautiful moonlit evening.
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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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If only I lived a bit closer...
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^ You're closer to Aviemore than to Les Arcs:
London to Les Arcs = 814.05 miles
London to Aviemore = 535.68 (straight drive with no ferry)
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roga, and if I had a place in Aviemore I'd probably drive there more often
I drove to Aviemore last May and was there for a week. It's a lovely place and if I lived two or three hours away I'd undoubtedly be there more often. But as it is I think conditions are just too hit or miss to plan far ahead, and I think for us it's just a bit too far to go at short notice when conditions are good (as is Les Arcs).
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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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| David Goldsmith wrote: |
| "Bargain berths from £19 single": |
Wonder how much they cost if you book them at short notice.
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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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| Quote: |
Wonder how much they cost if you book them at short notice....
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...going up Friday and returning Sunday. A fortune to anywhere near the ski resorts last time I looked, which is a shame.
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| Sideshow_Bob wrote: |
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Wonder how much they cost if you book them at short notice....
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...going up Friday and returning Sunday. A fortune to anywhere near the ski resorts last time I looked, which is a shame. |
Last what I thought would be the answer. Are you staying in Aviemore? How much is your accommodation?
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brian
brian
Guest
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| roga wrote: |
^ You're closer to Aviemore than to Les Arcs:
London to Les Arcs = 814.05 miles
London to Aviemore = 535.68 (straight drive with no ferry) |
Sorry to counter your valiant efforts on behalf of Scottish skiing roga, but at 814 vs 535 miles I think I'd be heading to Les Arcs every time as well !
I love a blast up the road when conditions are right but we just can't compete with the alps for any holiday where skiing is the main component. Might as well be honest about that.
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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 got back its 475 miles to cheltenham and did it in 6 hrs 45 mins with one short stop, great skiing on saterday and sunday so was worth the drive, its 13 hours door to door from cheltenham to valloire so pretty much double..... Maybe Cairngorm could do a new england and cover the mountain in snow canons so that when it IS cold enough they could put down 5 inches a night, that might make the skiing a little more reliable, and there seems to be plenty of water!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| rob@rar wrote: |
roga, and if I had a place in Aviemore I'd probably drive there more often
I drove to Aviemore last May and was there for a week. It's a lovely place and if I lived two or three hours away I'd undoubtedly be there more often. But as it is I think conditions are just too hit or miss to plan far ahead, and I think for us it's just a bit too far to go at short notice when conditions are good (as is Les Arcs). |
I agree it is, to say the least, 'speculative' planning ahead but for short notice trips it's great.
Having said that I planned well ahead for a trip there at Easter last season and felt reasonable secure in the knowledge it's invariably good at that time of year. As it turned out I found some of the best snow of that I had all season at Glencoe and I skied both the Alps and North America last season.
Of my one trip up so far this season (couple of weekends ago) I also had the best snow I've had so far this season at Glencoe, so far have been in France, Austria and Scotland.
Problem with these David is as far as I can see you end up paying an arm and a leg unless you buy well in advance and, as discussed above, it's not the best idea to plan a trip up too far in advance.
| alex_heney wrote: |
For most of us it is quicker to reach the Alps than to reach Scotland  |
Hmmm, I'm not convinced of that - for example the other weekend we skied on the Sunday up at Nevis until 4.30 then headed back down here - I was back home just after midnight.
Now if you factor into an flight to the Alps the time taken to reach the airport, then the two hours you spend waiting in queues and checking in (leaving aside any delays), then the flight and transfer time to resort not so quick to the Alps. Driving over you have to factor in the time spent on the ferry/chunnel as well as the cost of tolls etc.
| brian wrote: |
Sorry to counter your valiant efforts on behalf of Scottish skiing roga, but at 814 vs 535 miles I think I'd be heading to Les Arcs every time as well !
I love a blast up the road when conditions are right but we just can't compete with the alps for any holiday where skiing is the main component. Might as well be honest about that. |
LOL, for a long planned holiday yes I'd agree but for short breaks when the weather is good I think it's a viable alternative IMHO.
I think what we often have here is a difference in perception between on the one hand (and at the one extreme) those who view wintersports as a holiday excursion, essentially a winter version of the beach holiday, and, on the other hand (and at the other extreme), those who view getting into the mountains as a regular, and necessary, part of their lives. Now those are extremes and I think people here are all over the spectrum (bit like a scattter diagram) but some are closer to one extreme or the other.
For my part I grew up with the Scottish mountains and walked them before I skied them, I never went anywhere near the Alps or any other mountains abroad until a few years ago and I still find it hard to view skiing as a once (or even twice) a year trip. I ski every week on dry, I get to the mountains both at home and elsewhere as often as I can and I think probably perceive skiing more like those mountaineers who regularly head up on the overnight weekend train from London (and all points between) to Scotland than like those of our brethren who view our sport as being a once in a year holiday excursion to somewhere snowy, sunny and relatively flattering to their ability. It's a matter of perception I guess, but I think I'm reasonably clear and honest about where my perception lies.
I'm off to France on Saturday for 8 days but to be honest given the current Scottish conditions I'd frankly rather be up there. Yeah I am biased, it's home territory for me and I love the Scottish mountains more than any others but I don't think I'm completely barking ... not completely 
Point is though that I booked up the French excursion well in advance and I'd have been a fool to have done the same for Scotland, but now the conditions are as good as they are perhaps you'll forgive me a few pangs of regret 
JimSearle, Nice one - sounds about the same time as we have managed to do the trip in (one of us is based in Cheltenham too).
Totally agree with your comments on snow canon too - it is being investigated I'm pleased to say 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| Last what I thought would be the answer. Are you staying in Aviemore? How much is your accommodation? |
Sorry, my bad phrasing, I'm just emphasizing the cost of tickets and am not going this weekend Were I living back near Preston where I grew up I'd be packing the car already but the trip from London is too far to drive and too expensive on the train.
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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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| Quote: |
| Colin Kirkwood at Cairngorm said that Sunday had been their "best day for years". |
Bangs head of wall! You'd think from some press stuff that it hadn't snowed in years. Sunday had fantastic skiing, no doubt about that, indeed it was the best since lets see November or last April!
BTW we're now into the 5th calendar month with lift served sliding in Scotland this winter.
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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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Winterhighland, I suspect he didn't necessarily mean "best snow for years", but rather (speaking on behalf of the company), the "best custom for years".
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Could be. Maybe 'highest number of lift tickets sold for years'.
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| roga wrote: |
| alex_heney wrote: |
| For most of us it is quicker to reach the Alps than to reach Scotland |
Hmmm, I'm not convinced of that - for example the other weekend we skied on the Sunday up at Nevis until 4.30 then headed back down here - I was back home just after midnight.
Now if you factor into an flight to the Alps the time taken to reach the airport, then the two hours you spend waiting in queues and checking in (leaving aside any delays), then the flight and transfer time to resort not so quick to the Alps. Driving over you have to factor in the time spent on the ferry/chunnel as well as the cost of tolls etc. |
Hmm well 2 Sundays ago I left Zinal at 5:30pm local time, despite a 30min delay leaving Geneva I was home in Leeds by 1am, so not much in it from my POV....
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I have a worry on accommodation for a long weekend, If it looks like it is to be a good weekend, can I find anywhere to stop? how soon do I make the commitment?
As I have been banned from having any more time off work until the EOSB I my try to get a long weekend in March.
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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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| kitenski wrote: |
| Hmm well 2 Sundays ago I left Zinal at 5:30pm local time, despite a 30min delay leaving Geneva I was home in Leeds by 1am, so not much in it from my POV.... |
Not bad at all, much quicker than when I've been to the Alps but still longer and, IMHO, far more hassle flying than just hopping in the car and heading up the road.
Correct me if I'm wrong but a lot of places are a longer drive away from Geneva than Zinal is too... like Dwarf Vader's death star for example
Anyway, I'll see how it goes to Tignes next weekend, am avoiding Geneva for cost and because it'll be carnage on Saturday so am heading for Grenoble instead, longer drive but hopefully worth it!
Dwarf Vader, you shouldn't have any major hassles with accommodation, I never have at least even when wandering into places on the dfaty I want the accommodation. There are a lot of beds in Aviemore for example so there should be room somewhere but if you're sure where you're going no harm in booking a few days ahead - enjoy
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At dusk on Saturday I was on my phone in Nevis Range carpark, Lonely Planet in hand. Took 15 mins to find a bed in the Spey Valley for that night. Considering this was about the busiest since the heady days of the '80s, I think that's not bad esp for £14. Had to wait 45mins for our main course at dinner but advised repeatedly & with good humour about waits, service etc. Obvious that they were at full capacity (as were Cairngorms lifts). If you don't want to drive so far - there are 3 ski resorts closer than Cairngorm for anyone in England - I only went there as my friend had never been. There is lots of accom near all the ski resorts - just think a bit. eg if places in Aviemore full try Carrbridge, Kingussie, Newtonmore, Grantown etc.
'Left ski resort in Alps at 5.30pm Sunday, home for 1am.'
kitenski, If you'd been at Glencoe & got home at 11ish, I'm sure the following day would have been much more pleasant, those are a fairly important 2 hours for the rest of my week!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| JimSearle wrote: |
| Maybe Cairngorm could do a new england and cover the mountain in snow canons so that when it IS cold enough they could put down 5 inches a night, that might make the skiing a little more reliable, and there seems to be plenty of water! |
That's what they do in Southern Ontario where I ski most weekends. Without the snow guns, skiing here would be marginal at best.
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