Scotland & snow making.

In message , FionaTinnie
writes
Peace,

Easy to say when you have just called someone a liar. You seem to have
become an expert on Scottish conditions as quick as our snow can melt. I
can see you won't need to ask any more questions of us locals.
--
Devs
"Punchdown Pete the old Kroner"

Skied both Glenshee and Lecht last year. Lecht is limited (only about 250m
vertical) and many of the runs seem to be very similar. Bored stiff after
1/2 day. Glenshee however, IF you manage to get there when the snow is good
AND the visibility is good is magic. Its quite a sizeable area with slopes
in several different directions so there's a chance of getting out of the
wind.

Nevis has more altitude but can get stripped by the wind. In 3 years of
scooting up there to catch the snow I've still not managed to hit it when
the back corries are open! Year before last I skied a full 6 days there, 5.5
of them in whiteout! If it wasn't for the kids learning I would have chucked
the towel in!

As long as you don't go expecting the alps, take plenty of money and only go
on spec when the snow lands its worth doing especially if you like walking
and peace and quiet as well as the amber nectar! Have been every year for
the last 5.

John

"FionaTinnie" wrote in message
...
Thanks all for your replies,



Although I'll never understand the negativity of the 'testosterone toting
tosser' types nor the 'thread-trashing smarmy' types, in their own way,
they've both been informative ;-) but it also turns out they're both wrong
!
I've done a bit more reading around + now know that glen She has snow
making
machines as well, looks much more interesting than Lecht and is a lot
closer
to Glasgow too.



Also, while keeping in mind all that fresh new knowledge of how rubbish
the
weather for skiing is in Scotland, I'm also more than certain that on
planet
earth, snow cannot melt at the rate of 3 foot in a morning so that would
be
another load of old cobblers.


Anyway, I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope that if I am unlucky enough
to
meet either of them when sliding, it's not while asking for directions !



Peace,



Fi

"FionaTinnie" wrote in message
...
Reading around, it sounds like the weather may conspire to give Scotland
more than it's fair share of snow this year and looking at some webcams
it's
already way ahead of the alps.

http://freespace.virgin.net/kings.house/image.jpg
http://www.cairngormmountain.com/cams/image.jpg

Although I have read that scottish skiing can be unreliable, I am staying
with friends a few miles south of Glasgow over christmas and the new year
and will have a car so will make the effort to go for a slide. I would
like
to know if Scotland uses snow making and which of the centres is the
likeliest to be open.

Fi.

Ta.

FionaTinnie wrote

Thanks all for your replies,



Although I'll never understand the negativity of the 'testosterone
toting tosser' types nor the 'thread-trashing smarmy' types, in their
own way, they've both been informative ;-) but it also turns out
they're both wrong ! I've done a bit more reading around + now know
that glen She has snow making machines as well, looks much more
interesting than Lecht and is a lot closer to Glasgow too.

Forget snow-making in Scotland. There's nothing to speak of. Better to
wait for the proper stuff.

Glenshee is my favourite. For me it's the size of it that's a big
factor. I have been to Glencoe, Nevis and Glenshee. The biggest
problem I find is uplift. Not always the most reliable, and can mean
long queues at times. Of the three mentioned, I would say the Nevis
Range was the best in this regard, plus it has Scotland's only gondolas
to get you up the hill.

I'm near Glasgow. We now have a SnoZone place
(http://www.snozone.co.uk/) which is an indoor "real snow" 200 metre
slope, and it's pretty good actually for practice (I'm not an expert).

I suppose we are spoiled up here. I am going to France in January, but
can always jump in the car when there's good snow!

--
Charles Sweeney

Charles Sweeney wrote:
FionaTinnie wrote

Thanks all for your replies,



Although I'll never understand the negativity of the 'testosterone
toting tosser' types nor the 'thread-trashing smarmy' types, in their
own way, they've both been informative ;-) but it also turns out
they're both wrong ! I've done a bit more reading around + now know
that glen She has snow making machines as well, looks much more
interesting than Lecht and is a lot closer to Glasgow too.

Forget snow-making in Scotland. There's nothing to speak of. Better to
wait for the proper stuff.

Glenshee is my favourite. For me it's the size of it that's a big
factor. I have been to Glencoe, Nevis and Glenshee. The biggest
problem I find is uplift. Not always the most reliable, and can mean
long queues at times. Of the three mentioned, I would say the Nevis
Range was the best in this regard, plus it has Scotland's only gondolas
to get you up the hill.

I'm near Glasgow. We now have a SnoZone place
(http://www.snozone.co.uk/) which is an indoor "real snow" 200 metre
slope, and it's pretty good actually for practice (I'm not an expert).

I suppose we are spoiled up here. I am going to France in January, but
can always jump in the car when there's good snow!

As already indicated decide where to head for as late as possible.
Weather forecasts have been improving over the
last few years but until you are convinced that you have
an accurate forecast try to keep your plans flexible. I used to
base my chioce of destination only on the snow conditions and weather.
As you know the weather in Scotland varios greatly over quite a small
area and with two West coast locations, one in the middle and one
in the East (oops forgot The Lecht but I have never been there) the
snow and weather conditions are often vastly different at the
various places.

If you can avoid the busiest days (no I have no idea what they might be
over the christmas period) do so. A while back Sunday was the worst
and mid-week was quiet.

Good luck. I was last in Scotland with the intention of
skiing about 4 years ago about 20 Jan and there was no skiing
in Aviemore at all on the day in question and I don't think that
there had been any yet that season.

I met the Ski School manager who, while not in the least
dispondent, did lament the good old days of say 30 years ago
when he had 600 instructors. I think he said that he had 20
lined up for the season. (These are rather vague memories).

Felly sgrifennodd Charles Sweeney :
Glenshee is my favourite. For me it's the size of it that's a big
factor. I have been to Glencoe, Nevis and Glenshee.

You haven't been to Aviemore? You should!

But then I haven't been to Glenshee...

Adrian
--
Adrian Shaw ais@
Adran Cyfrifiadureg, Prifysgol Cymru, aber.
Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Cymru ac.
http://users.aber.ac.uk/ais/weather/ uk

Adrian D. Shaw wrote

Felly sgrifennodd Charles Sweeney :
Glenshee is my favourite. For me it's the size of it that's a big
factor. I have been to Glencoe, Nevis and Glenshee.

You haven't been to Aviemore? You should!

I prefer the drives to the others!

--
Charles Sweeney
http://CharlesSweeney.com