First day of the season for me yesterday. Took the day off work at the last minute and headed to Cairngorm.
Driving up the road was spectacular. Loch Morlich at Dawn
First train up and straight to the White Lady. Fresh tracks all the way. Only one set of tracks from the day before. Continued to lap this 5 times before another sole ventured down!
More fresh over towards the M1. Getting a little tracked out...
Time to head further afield. Skinned up the Marquis Well to the summit of Cairngorm and into the sun.
Fantastic views from the top across the plateau. Excellent snow cover for the time of year.
Down the west face of Caringorm and up towards Sneachda. Looking into Coire an-tSneachda.
Coire Raibert and Cairngorm from Sneachda summit.
Hmm... time for something a little steeper. Looking into Alladin's couloir.
First pitch after the split between Alladin's and Jacob's. Perfect snow, 2" fresh on a hard but grippy base.
Not too banked out yet, giving interesting skiing with a small ice pitch to negotiate.
Out into the appron. Fantastic snow.
A slog back to Coire Cas via the Fiacaill ridge and back onto the lifts.
Back onto the lifts for a few laps then another skin up to the summit for sunset.
Skiing down the Coire Cas headwall after sunset. Cracking way to end a great day.
I just hope the snow doesn't all melt now. The weather is not looking great this week too. Heres hoping we get many more days like this!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
hey, i used to live in sunderland but im now in london, question is do you think its worth gettup there over the xmas week for a a weekend? i wil be in sunderand then any way so may drive up for a pre ski holiday warm up
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?
Bl**dy H*ll
That's got to be one of the earliest descents of Aladdin's for any season.
hey, i used to live in sunderland but im now in london, question is do you think its worth gettup there over the xmas week for a a weekend? i wil be in sunderand then any way so may drive up for a pre ski holiday warm up
You can never tell with the snow. I wouldn't book in advance as odds are against you for this time of year. You've got to drop everything when it comes. I didn't deciede I was going yesterday till thursday night. From London would you not almost be better getting cheap flights to the alps for the weekend? You'll be fairly guarenteed some skiing at Cairngorm in the top bowl but thats not really worth coming from London. To put it in perspective the other four ski areas are currently closed and may well be till after xmas.
Meh... There is no snow in Scotland anymore.
It *always* wet and windy.
The snow is always slushy.
The alps are much closer to Landan anyway.
Plus Cairngorm only has 40km of piste.
The rental kit is awful.
Glencoe & Glenshee closed years ago
All the lifts are tbars, they really need to install some chairlifts.
And plant some trees lower down!
The road will be blocked whenever it snows anyway.
There is no decent chalet accommodation.
You will be skiing on rocks, grass and heather.
....and the locals wear skirts and eat deep fried mar bars
A proud mission Hamish!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
scottishskier, wonderful. Thanks for such beautiful and inspiring pictures.
After all it is free
After all it is free
wow and wow again
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Spectacular!!!!!!!
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Thats fantastic! I went the weekend last season (earlier this year) for the first time to the Gorm (my gf learnt to ski there and was a member there for years ad years) and got the best dump for years was told, still found it hard!
Those images are excellent and am very jealous!
Def going to go up in the new year!
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
scottishskier, Fantastic pics! What a great day you had. It's been a good 10yrs since I skied in Scotland - must do it again someday.
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.
scottishskier, amazing photos. Thanks for posting them and glad you had a great day.
Haggis_Trap, yes, but it's also nice that scottishskier produced a considered, non-chauvinistic response to bookham_mat's question.
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
Stunning. Loved the Aladdin's couloir pics.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
scottishskier, Ace!..... and here was me happy with doing a few laps of the M1 and ciste yesterday
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Anyone know anything about the public transport links form Aberdeen to Cairngorm? Migth be time for my first taste of Scottish skiing! Also, how much is a day pass?
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
clarky999, by train it is a trip to either Perth or Inverness then a change. Journey planner suggests a less than ideal 3-4 hours.
Mmmmm, nice.
Still don't know if I'll make it up this year: Mrs snowball is making it clear she won't willingly extend my 3 (slightly stretched) weeks per year ski- license.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
scottishskier, Fitzwilliam. Guess you're nicely warmed up for the season now and you'll be out before me! Good one though what skis were you on? I'm guessing not the Gots?
After all it is free
After all it is free
Swirly, you changed your dates for getting out to Nendaz?
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.
scottishskier, Fantastic pics. If you are trying to sell Scottish Skiing you are doing a good job.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Swirly wrote:
scottishskier, Fitzwilliam. Guess you're nicely warmed up for the season now and you'll be out before me! Good one though what skis were you on? I'm guessing not the Gots?
Was on the touring gear although I was wishing for the Gots and alpine boots in the crusty stuff first thing. Bit of a baptism of fire to get the ski legs working again. I was absolutely wrecked yesterday. Don't think you'll be missing too much coming out later anyway. Its only the Tortin and Novelli-Combatseline pistes open in Nendaz so far.
Bigger pics and a few more photos here if anyone is interested.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
scottishskier, any chance you could fire me an email with a hi-res of this:
Would make an awesome background!
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.
arv, PM sent
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
scottishskier, What is the difficulty level for coming down from the summit of Cairngorm. Is it much higher than a French black?
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Absolutely fantastic pics! Looks like you had an awesome day......
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
ph, WTFDTM?...............scottishskier, you lucky lucky bstard........nice stoke mate.....
okbye
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
ph, the gradient off the summit of Cairngorm back to the ski area is about 10% max. Some days though it's been so wind blasted that there's no snow on the top 100 metres. Some days there's just strips of ice between the rocks and sometimes it's perfect powder. Either way, it's a good hike to the weather station at the top.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Sun 6-12-09 18:54; edited 1 time in total
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Excellent
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?
ph wrote:
scottishskier, What is the difficulty level for coming down from the summit of Cairngorm. Is it much higher than a French black?
Its certainly lower than most french blacks
In which direction do you mean? The Coire Cas headwall varies in steepnes at different points and it depends on snow build up as it can bank out or have large cornices. It was probably no steeper than 30-35 degrees where we skied on friday but that is probably because its early season. The marquis well to the North East is the most beign of descents and holds snow well so is probably the best place to start.
Hamish - you did well to score Aladian's so early in the season, when it only had one set of climbers foot prints in it. Whenever I have taken a look it is almost always full of refrozen deep foot prints - which can really ruin your descent.
Bookham_mat - Check out Winterhighland.info for scottish snow conditions.
Who knows what xmas will be like, the snow & weather can change (either for the better or worse) very quickly.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I read in the paper that now theres top to bottom cover that they will be opening weekdays
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
Heres hoping we get many more days like this! 
I'm not at all jealous 
WTFDTM?...............