BagOfCrisps 24 Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 Quote: Blizzards, whiteouts and temperatures plunging to -17c (1F), but they couldn't be happier. "It's better than Utah" declares the CairnGorm's snow patrol, as Scotland's ski resorts revel in perfect powdery snow. The best conditions for more than a decade have sparked a boom at Aviemore, Scotland's biggest resort, where 20,000 skiers have so far taken to the slopes, four times the number at this time last year. Beaming Scottish tourist officials report that ski accommodation bookings are up 500%. At Ben Nevis, the highest skiing location in the country, resort manager Heather Negus said it expected to be "mobbed out" after slashing the cost of a one-day pass including lifts, tuition and ski kit to £23.50 – for this weekend only. The heavy snow is also drawing record numbers of skiers to England's "premier ski slope" at Yad Moss in Cumbria. There is only one ageing tow-rope, and it's staffed entirely by volunteers, but the three pistes have never been so busy. Usually it's open just a few days a year, with grass poking through in places, but conditions this week were "utterly fantastic", said skier and snowboarder Georgie Cray, 24. "There's deep powder and you can even potter off piste." Visitors are being told to dig their own parking space out of the snow – and to expect "serious queues" this weekend. The early snow and persistent sub-zero temperatures enabled Scotland's main resorts – Aviemore, Glenshee, Glencoe and Nevis – to open much earlier than usual and enjoy a bumper Christmas season. Angela Dingwall, general manager of the Glencoe resort, said: "This year was the first time since 1999 that we opened before the New Year. We haven't had any thaw at all, with lots of powder and only the odd patch of ice. It's picture postcard stuff." Only three months ago Glencoe's skiing facilities, the oldest in Scotland, was threatened with closure after several years of mild winters and thin trading conditions. Its owners put it up for sale, and only a last-minute takeover in November allowed it to open for the 2009/10 season. Aviemore, the best-known resort, suffered as its 1960s-built centre dated quickly and unreliable snow meant it struggled to draw visitors. But this winter the Highland resorts are celebrating a "perfect blizzard" as the high euro deters British skiers from the Alps while the heavy early snowfalls attract some, for the first time, to Scotland. Didn't know about that ski resort in Cumbria Link to post Share on other sites
Jynxx 4 Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 Good for MikePow Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted January 9, 2010 Author Share Posted January 9, 2010 Yes - get up there and report, Mike! Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 How's the apres ski there? Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 This sat pic shows just how white the island is at the moment! Link to post Share on other sites
tripler 0 Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 wonder what the vertical is in those Scottish resorts. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 Glenshee- 300m Cairngorms- 700m Glencoe- 700m (if there is snow down to the car park at valley floor) Nevis Range- 540m The Lecht- 200m Yesterday was -22.6 in the Western Highlands of Scotland, only .3 degrees warmer than the South Pole, which was a toasty -22.9!! Link to post Share on other sites
tripler 0 Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 wow, 700m is pretty good. More than Shiga Kogen! I once skied a weekend in Scotland but can't remember the resort name. Was better than I expected. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 I'm sceptical of the Glencoe figure tbh. Usually Glencoe doesn't have the run open down to the car park, maybe different this year with the snow. Access is usually by lift from the car park to the bottom of the main slopes Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 somewhat Snow forecast here in my part of Wales for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, so a chance for me to get my season report up and running. Best conditions I've skied in Wales, and it looks set to continue through January. Not a bad winter to be home Vertical here is: Pen-y-Fan peak down to the Nant Sere river 360 m (this is the steepest stuff) Pen-y-Fan peak down to the Llyn Cwm Llwch (lake) 330 m (the most scenic) Corn Du peak down to the car park 439 m (this is the home run) 8 days skiing so far this winter Oh and the apres is top notch. Aberdare is known as the Las Vegas of the Valleys. Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 Got any Wales pics for the Overseas Snow, Mike? Very curious to what it looks like. Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 Ah, didn't notice that comment up there. Link to post Share on other sites
tripler 0 Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 the title of this thread just reminded me that Jeremy Paxman said "it's going to dump" on Newsnight a few days ago. Dump's gone mainstream... Link to post Share on other sites
big-will 7 Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Just turned on BBC to be greeted to reports of the snow in the UK and they showed a shot of the ancient pull-you-up lift at Aviemore. Don't know what its called. Couldn't help laughing. Good for them though they must be well pleased. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 the poma lifts are a nightmare!! Link to post Share on other sites
tripler 0 Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 you gotta love the starting jerk and skiing round people as they fall off in front of you. Wonder if they've still got them in france. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Lots of Poma's and T Bars in Australia. Didn't notice any in Zermatt. They used to strike fear into my heart at the mere sight of them - but got them sorted now Thing I don't like about them is you can't 'rest on the lifts' - you actually need to take a break every now and again. Link to post Share on other sites
hellyer 216 Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 MB, I recall a pair of paralell T-bars in Zermatt up at the top of Klein Matterhorn on the Theodulgletsher. At least there was when I was there in 04 Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 Looks like there are too! That is on the Glacier - the other lifts around there are summer only lifts - we didn't go there....everywhere else but not that spot! Heading up the Klein Matterhorn the only direction we went was over into Cervinia for a decent pasta! Was blurry BITTER weather up there! That's where I cracked a rib this time last year. Link to post Share on other sites
1 4 Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 I would just love to go there. How does it compare with Niseko Mamabear? Link to post Share on other sites
tripler 0 Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 Originally Posted By: 1 How does it compare with Niseko Mamabear? for vertical, europe pisses over anywhere else in the world. Also lift infrastructure is far superior to anything in Japan. Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 This photo is amazing http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk/8447023.stm Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 Originally Posted By: tripler Originally Posted By: 1 How does it compare with Niseko Mamabear? for vertical, europe pisses over anywhere else in the world. Also lift infrastructure is far superior to anything in Japan. If only Europe got as good powder as here I'd be living there instead! Link to post Share on other sites
tripler 0 Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 doesn't every resort claim to have shed loads of champagne powder? But 2,8002 meters of vertical is indisputable. Any resort in Japan claimed that and they'd soon be banged up under the trade descriptions act. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted January 13, 2010 Share Posted January 13, 2010 Originally Posted By: tripler doesn't every resort claim to have shed loads of champagne powder? But 2,8002 meters of vertical is indisputable. Any resort in Japan claimed that and they'd soon be banged up under the trade descriptions act. That is one hell of a vertical. Link to post Share on other sites
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