 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello! Advice and maybe meeting up ?
I've never had the Scotland ski experience before, but I happen to be in Scotland for work this coming Wednesday and then I have Thursday and Friday free. So where should I go to get a couple of days skiing ? I'm asking here because the advice on the countless tourist websites make all the Scottish conditions sound like a good day in Tignes, yet all the skiers I know say "forget it, fly to France for a long weekend".
So, Thursday / Friday next week, own transport, own kit, intermediate ability - where should I go go in Scotland ???
I'm going to book accom etc as I go, so just want to head to the best conditions. And if anyone is free let me know as happy to meet up for a ski / beer.
Thankyou in advance for any genuine helpful advice.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I'd wait until the Tuesday or ideally the Wednesday, then check the forecast and snow reports before deciding where to go (if anywhere) and booking the accommodation.
In best-case scenario of conditions and weather being good everywhere, I'd head either to Glenshee or Glencoe, but that's just my personal preference.
You should be able to get a last-minute booking at one of the Youth Hostels local to whichever ski area you go to, especially as it is mid-week.
Good luck - in the right combination of good snow and good weather, the skiing in Scotland is fantastic!
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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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http://www.winterhighland.info
Follow ze webcams.
My own preferences are usually Glencoe or Cairngorm, but anywhere can be fun in the right conditions.
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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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Thanks for advice.
Does anyone know at present if any particular ski area is currently doing much better (snow wise) than another? Or equally if one area is far worse than another? All look OK ish on the web cams but peoples blogs are miles apart from epic to ice bomb!
Thanks
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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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jph123, good advice above, snow conditions are great at the moment but look out for high winds and bad vis by checking updates on Winterhighland, the best place for information on the web.
Today the overheads were great at Cairngorm and every lift was running with great fresh snow on every run, you'll find I think it was similar at all the other ski areas too. Over the course of the season Cairngorm has had the most consistent conditions, a lot of hard work goes into pisting and snowmaking there these days, and has been open since, IIRC early December. Right now there's top to bottom riding and there were around 2000 people on the hill today and little in the way of lift queues because everyone was spread out over the ski area. On a busy day with limited runs the picture can be very different with bad queues building up and a lot of standing around but if things go right, like today, it's not like that.
Like anywhere Scotland is fab on a good day but can be awful on a bad day, it's just that our weather can be a lot more fickle than Alpine weather and the Scottish mountains are much wilder and less predictable despite their relatively low height (one of the reasons many serious mountaineers train here). For sure Scottish skiing is an acquired taste and often doesn't offer the same easy wide pistes that you get in the Alps but IMHO if you are of the right mind set and are a decent skiier/boarder you can have a lot of fun and we sure beat the Alps for apres ski curry and good ales, so what's not to like eh  
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks for the advice everybody, I'm going to be skiing Scotland Thurs / Fri and I'm very excited about it!
You've all been very helpful so it's down to fingers crossed, check the web cams Wednesday afternoon and start driving. I've had a few weeks in the Alps already this years so I see this is a bonus / unexpected ski, so as long as I can see where I'm going and have snow under my skis it's going to be alright!
If anybody else is around for a ski, then just give me a shout.
Thanks everybody.
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Oh my god Nevis is looking amazing! Have to interview folk next week so can't get a day off! 
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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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Scomber, innit and I'm stuck at Cairngorm damn it
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I'm so up for giving Scotland a go now! Great pics, really good. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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^ yup, been hooning it down in Aviemore for the last day, goodness knows how much on the hill but looking forward to seeing it as conditions moderate later in the week 
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