 Poster: A snowHead
|
Good to ski the BBC publishing a 'good news' story about Scottish skiing 
Lots of developments and investments in the pipeline at all 5 resorts for this winter.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-15719202
| Quote: |
Scotland's five ski centres have taken measures to attract more custom once the new winter season starts.
Last year ski-ing and snowboarding started early - on 13 November.
This year CairnGorm, Glencoe, Glenshee, Nevis Range and The Lecht are still waiting for heavy snowfalls so they can open runs.
Among new moves made by the centres ahead of the snow have been freezing or cutting prices and new holiday accommodation called Hobbit Houses.
Glencoe plans to construct 10 tube-like "Hobbit" bunk houses into a landscaped area and also to offer camping space and a shower block.
A beginners' ski tow, new ski school and a reduced price for the adult lift pass midweek have also been added.
“We plan with our TechnoAlpin snow cannon to make enough snow”
Andy Meldrum Glencoe Mountain
The resort also plans to use a snow-making machine so it can open in mid December.
At CairnGorm, a tunnel entrance for its funicular railway will be heated to help speed up de-icing of the hillside rail system.
The centre said it had also made improvements that would smooth flows of people at its hire and ticket area.
Glenshee has a new chairlift for its Cairnwell area and a larger beginners' area along with buying 200 new sets of hire skis and new snow fencing.
Nevis Range has increased its equipment hire, added an online equipment booking and snowsports school enquiries service and built an area for training in the use of avalanche transceivers.
At The Lecht, a new snowboard area and rails have been added.
It will also put covers over its Magic Carpet conveyor belt-style ski tow when not in use so it can be opened more quickly in mornings.
Last season, CairnGorm, Glencoe, Glenshee, Nevis Range and The Lecht were able to open early following heavy snowfalls in November and December.
Glencoe opened before Christmas for the first time in 10 years.
Glencoe is among Scotland's five resorts hoping for another good winter season
The Scottish Snowsports Strategic Review published earlier this year estimated that snowsports in Scotland generated an average £30m a year for the economy and supported 634 jobs directly.
Heather Negus, of Ski Scotland, said all the centres had been working hard to prepare for the new season.
She said: "Last winter the numbers of visitors were about 290,000 across the five resorts, which was slightly less than the previous year when there were about 375,000 - but two years ago that figure was about the best for 14 years.
"We are absolutely looking forward to this year and hope it is as good as last year, if not as good as two years ago."
Glencoe's Andy Meldrum said the centre should open on the weekend of 17 December where snow had fallen from the sky or not.
He said: "We plan with our TechnoAlpin snow cannon to make enough snow prior to this date to ensure that we have a covering of snow on our sledging area and a beginners' area.
"If the snow arrives earlier in December we will of course open as soon as we have enough snow." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Nevis Range as usual closed between 14th Nov - 16th Dec for lift maintenance, so it can never open for early snow, if there is any.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Haggis_Trap, great news. Let's hope the Coe can get the accommodation sorted for the winter. Spoke to Andy yesterday. Exciting times for Scottish skiing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Yeah, all great news for sure - just need some blimmin snow!
Dot., are you guys doing some demo days in Scotland this season?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
roga, I'll be up at the Coe. I along with Andy from Storm and Steve from Perfect Moment are helping them organize the UK's first freeride comp (the Coe Cup) at the start of March. We'll bringing either Fred Syversen or Jeremy Nobis as a judge so it should be a great week.
The wife and I are expecting another wee skier so I can't do a demo tour like last season so are staying put in the Coe doing demos from there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Dot., sounds great, I'll try and get across to watch and if you have any demos there will have a go - we deffo need to see more of those cool dotty topsheets over in the Gorms tho 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ