If you time the weather right, by checking it daily a few days before you can have a great time.
AT PRESENT MOST OF THE SCOTTISH SKI RESORTS HAVE EXCELLENT SNOW CONDITIONS FOR THIS TIME OF THE YEAR.
The Cairngorm Mountain Area seem to have great powder snow conditions at the moment if you can get up there.
View from the Day Lodge at Cairngorm Mountain Ski Centre
PLEASE CHECK OUT WINTERHIGHLAND.INFO website for up to date Lift Status, Weather Conditions, Webcams, Live Traffic Cams, basically all the possible information you can get to make a educated judgement on taking a trip to the one of the Scottish Ski Centres.
Please check the weather forecast and the road conditions before setting off, as it could be a wasted trip or time lost stuck on the access roads.
Also check where you can hire equipment, as you may have to queue at the Ski Centre Hire Shops. They may even be out of equipment by the time you get there. So please plan ahead as this is not one of the European resorts that has an endless choice of Hire Shops. If the Ski Centre Hire Shops are running short there is normally a note on the specific Ski Centre page on Winterhighland.info.
The Lecht Nursery Slopes - Ideal for beginners
We have planned and been on many a long weekend trips to one of the Scottish Ski Centres. We timed it right all from getting information from the mention website and we had great conditions every time. The community on the forum are also very helpful if you want a second or third opinion. Gone are the days of checking Teletext Snow Reports and once your get up there find the data was a few days old which can make such a difference in the Scottish Climate.
Anochmor - Nevis Range
Have a fun and safe trip !
Hello
Took 3 new boarders up to the Cairngorms last weekend (5th & 6th Feb 2010) as we didn’t want to miss out on all these great conditions ?. Bought the tickets online as we were expecting massive queques coming out of ticket office, to our huge surprise there was none. I got a ticket from the cash desk and the other three exchanged their print off’s for lift passes. Then we looked at the lift queques for the button and T bars, at least 20 – 30 minutes wait as the Train was not running as the snow had drifted over the tracks in a large section adjecent to the White Lady. It must have set like concrete as it had become milder in the last couple of days. The visibliltiy was poor down to approximately the start of the M1 Poma (Button lift Catapult) then the lower nursery slopes were clear and busy. The train started up about 2.15pm and then we made the most of the runs from top to bottom until the Train stopped at 4.30pm. Overall the new comers enjoyed the experience and now know what to expect if the train does not run, a massive thanks to all those people who dug out the tracks on Saturday, just hope you got some reward.
Sunday, the visibility was much better and rose to half way up the White Lady Run, to my surprise there was no queques for tickets or lifts, so a full day of top to bottom runs. One thing the newbies picked up on was the lack of signage for the runs as at one point two of them ended up going down the East Wall of the Lady which was very icy and dangerous.
I wonder why Cairngorm doesn’t invest in new/more signage and more marker poles on the trails, as I think most new comers are nearly always going to compare this to the other European resorts. Nothing has changed for years in this department, it can’t be that expensive to move with the times on a rolling replacement program.
The T bar exit method is a very dangerous affair too, if you are standing close by. More signs are needed on the way up the lift explaining how to get off safely with out damaging the users and the lift tows.
Overall we all enjoyed it and would make the trip again soon, one regret that I never boarded back to the Ciste Car Park by the Gully as it was ridable all the way down. You don’t offend get the chance to do this. I will not go on about the disused chair lifts that sit there like great metal grave stones, its just a great shame more investment can not be made for this ski area.
Now the shuttle buses run every 15 minutes from the lower car park, I can’t see them doing much more as the buses will never be effected by the wind, and cost far less.
This is the most snow depth I have seen for many years and hopefully it will produce a long and properous 2009/2010 season.
Cheers
Hi – can anyone tell me how to get in touch with Tony Cardwell please? Thanks – arnie wilson, editor, Ski+board
Hi
Is he head of Ski Patrol still.