 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
I just had a look at the Lecht cams and I would say that once they do some shoving and pisting almost everything looks complete and it will be amazing as its super cold still for a couple more weeks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Needed to set off for home by about 09.30 this morning, so went for a first light ski tour up the Cas at Cairngorm for 90 mins or so. It was great - the sky and light were fantastic. And on my birthday too 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
@mountainaddict, looks brilliant. Green with envy! Chained to desk today. Grr.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
@mountainaddict, nice did you ski over the back at all or mostly frontside?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Many happy returns @mountainaddict, I think today will be a tough one to follow however!
I also imagine it was a little bit cold up there first thing?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Any sign of Cairngorm opening early? Looks like they have the most snow of all, seems crazy to wait until the 21st.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Looks like they are preparing the Car Park Tbar tow track but no tbars on the line yet.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| skiscot14 wrote: |
| Any sign of Cairngorm opening early? Looks like they have the most snow of all, seems crazy to wait until the 21st. |
They don't seem to live opening earlier than planned/staying open longer than planned or opening late season if snow falls after they've shut!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
15.05 white lady webcam shows a 'train' on the Funicular -- the testing continues..
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@albob, we walked up Cairngorm earlier today. They were indeed checking the train. Nothing else was open - it could have been. Beautiful day with virtually no wind. Knee deep loose snow. I don’t recall ever seeing so many non competitive ski tourers and split boarders in one place. People were complaining that at least one lift should have been open.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
What’s the script with the Funicular? Last I read it was knackered, like permanently?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Ben Wyvis
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
@Fifespud, it's been repaired (at great expense) and is undergoing testing. Expected to reopen to the public sometime this winter.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
We stuck with skiing on the front side at Cairngorm yesterday and Sunday - but did see some epic-looking tracks over the back.
Yesterday morning it was -11C in Aviemore but a relatively balmy -7C at the Cas car park. It was bitterly cold skinning up in the shade.
Yes, the train was being tested. We saw it making two or three runs yesterday morning. Looks like two new carriages - or repainted old ones.
Thanks for the birthday message @Rogerdodger.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| Quote: |
| I don’t recall ever seeing so many non competitive ski tourers and split boarders in one place |
Touring is booming! We must've seen between 30 and 50 others at it last Saturday at Cairngorm. There was a procession to the summit, with it almost crowded round the weather station
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Have skied Cairngorms twice, both times at Easter! Was awesome! Would love to again this season!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Should be some significant drifting in the Cairngorms going into next week. The very dry snow, strengthening wind and additional snowfall should whip up some impressive drifts. Conditions on the plateau could be quite challenging.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
looks like the west could get some good snow Friday & sunday this week. but then a milder spell.....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Did you get anywhere close to skiing in your backyard @Peter S, . I was amazed at the snow just above us on Sunday morning. We are in North Wales this was only 150- 180 above sea lvl.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| mountainaddict wrote: |
| Given the current Narnia-esque snow conditions, it's absolutely shocking that that's the best they can do. |
Totally agree. Contrast that to Glenshee, which has far less snow yet opened several days earlier and has been steadily opening new lifts every few days. (Plastic, then Baddoch, then Sunnyside, then Claybokie, and most recently Butchart's.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Or in stark contrast to the Lecht - a well run ski centre. Oops scratch that. A full cover of snow and no lifts open. A message on Facebook saying they will open the beginners area this weekend...
What?
After the sad passing of the managing director earlier this year, they sacked their main groomer/lift mechanic and alienated other important long serving staff members.
It sounds like there isn't many hill staff left who know what they are doing... not good.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
^^^^That's another shocker @Skibum66  I wasn't aware that The Lecht was joining the Losing All Interest in Providing Snowsports Club, along with Cairngorm and Nevis Range.
Thank goodness for Glencoe and Glenshee.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Skibum66-To balance that, the roads been basically shut for about 6 days with it only opening briefly. So it’s slightly difficult to get there even if they did manage to open, they said they would open this weekend which I’m told is the plan. Assuming the road is cleared as all this drifting won’t help with that. Staffing is tricky as well even at Glenshee , they don’t have a load of people sitting waiting-it doesn’t work like that this time of year.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
@orange, more likely that the road is shut because the staff who usually clear the road aren't at the lecht any more.
Seasonal staffing is difficult early season. Even more difficult if your full time year round and long term seasonal staff cant or wont work for you,
Any staff now has little or no experience driving a snowplough, piste basher or lift operations.
Check the webcams - people have been up there all week but no effort made to get the hill ready for skiing. Why? Sadly the answer is in my post above.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Interesting, i thought the council was responsible for the road still, i know when i worked there we used to do bits of it but they didn't like it and it was carparks etc only. Police have to open gates as well. I knew about the staffing changes - hopefully this snow sticks around and they get going as they all need supported otherwise they will end up like Cairngorm - useless.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| mountainaddict wrote: |
^^^^That's another shocker @Skibum66 I wasn't aware that The Lecht was joining the Losing All Interest in Providing Snowsports Club, along with Cairngorm and Nevis Range.
Thank goodness for Glencoe and Glenshee. |
You can't run a ski area without staff, you can't run piste bashers and ski tows without spare parts. Let's be polite and say Brexiteers not welcome around here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
The annoying thing with Cairngorm is 2 weeks of cold temps like we've had and they should have got a decent man made base (with all the cannons they got on grants) down that probably would pay itself back when the warm spell arrives.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| Quote: |
| they should have got a decent man made base (with all the cannons they got on grants) down that probably would pay itself back when the warm spell arrives |
When we there last Monday, they seemed to have done that - there were a fair few 10 ft mounds of snow near the Daylodge.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
@mountainaddict, isn't that just for the beginner zone area?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Quote: |
| isn't that just for the beginner zone area? |
Yes. The double Snow Factory unit is right next to The Cairngorm Daylodge. It doesn't power a battery of snow cannons, rather pumps snow out of a single pipe. The double unit (which is the size of two shipping containers) isn't going anywhere - so there must be a limit to the length of pipe and how far up the mountain the snow can be pumped. Given the Snow Factory Iocation, it seems a bit unrealistic to expect artificial cover much beyond the bottom of the mountain.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@mountainaddict, they’ve got 8+ snow cannons from memory…..
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| kitenski wrote: |
| @mountainaddict, they’ve got 8+ snow cannons from memory….. |
They’ve 8 new TR8s bought with the snow factory, 4 T40s and a TF10. One of the T40s appears unaccounted for recently.
There’s been one lonely gun working intermittently by the Sheiling Tow hut which is mains powered. Aside from that it looks as if they have not been used apart from one complimenting the snow factory.
They did manage to get a couple more going at the base when cameras were there - maybe instead of the snow factory. However most of them are sitting on the hill with no power, no generators and no pumps.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
When are we likely to get skiing on CG with most runs open, will it be this year?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
An object lesson in how not to run a snowsports area. Despite repairs being seemingly complete, what's the betting that the train doesn't run before April - if at all this season? 
