Cairngorm Open - if not for a training course would of been back for Easter - bummer

After ski touring Slochd in the morning I made my way to Cairngorm.

Absolutely brilliant afternoon Skis have a few extra scrapes but worth it !

I wandered, so sticking to the Fairway would probably have not resulted in any damage.

Wandering photos here [www.winterhighland.info]

Helen

Last train up post-work = 90 mins of fun. I didn't think I would be skiing fresh when I drove through Aboyne last Tuesday.

Good value above 800m, multiple base damage and one head plant below.

Pics attached.

P

Attachments: photo (2)_3_1.JPG (401kB)   photo_2_1.JPG (339kB)   photo (3)_1.JPG (393kB)  

saw the tracks on the white lady on the way down, looked amazing but I broke my skis. Turned into a brilliant day towards the end.

Not often you get the M1 running and not the CAS - fingers crossed for all the areas that the snow keeps for easter

Westerly wind, gale force on Summit, below 0 at the top and NMM shows some showers coming through giving an inch or two of potential snowfall overnight. Would be great if that could plug the gaps in the Ciste Tow track. Fingers and tows crossed!

Was up Friday from 1pm and it rained heavily and continuously at all levels.

Fairway was complete and slick giving good sliding and the West Wall poma track was still complete at the end of the day thanks to some shovelling .

I went down the M1 first run and it was very rocky in the middle of the top section and very heavy. The lifty hadn't seen anyone for an hour. The poma track was more or less complete then but it shut later in the afternoon.

Such a shame the forecasted temperature drop didn't happen as there was plenty of potential snow coming out of the sky ! Hopefully it does drop and firm up what's left as MWIS forecasts for Saturday.

Just realised I posted the above in the wrong thread earlier ... moved it and temp at summit is now -2.4C

Helen

From the Cairngorm Website

Last Updated on: 07/04/2012 09:25
Top Station weather: Light winds, 0.0C at top, hill mist,100M visibility, snowing at present. We are working to patch up the WW poma and polar express uptracks. These lifts may come on at 11.00am. There is no uplift on the Cas side of the mountain. Meantime we are setting up a minishred area at the top of the Ciste fairway, with 3 features. The conditions at present are not really suitable for beginners or small children.

Full marks for effort

Helen

Bit dreich, but a dreich afternoon on snow is much more fun that a dreich afternoon elsewhere [www.winterhighland.info]

Helen

You must have arrived as I was leaving. My plan was ski till the forecast rain started, when the drizzle came on I did one more run, then headed down. Should have taken the Funicular down, was practically drowned by the time I reached the Daylodge and to prove you shouldn't use touring boots with thick rubber soles in downhill bindings, had a spectacular double eject on Coire Cas in the soft sticky snow mid mountain!

Looking at your photos I think you had the better weather.... Was quite strange, for a while it was absolutely chucking it down at the start of the Fairway but almost dry at the bottom..... Should have done the shopping after !

I'm encouraged by the SAIS report [saisncairngorms.blogspot.co.uk]
I'm still waiting for the mist to lift to head up to see what the plateau cover is like, but the fact that they are recommending using skis higher up sounds good to me

Helen

Helen,
You arrived just at the worst point of the weather. It had been a fairly good morning up until just after lunch with light snow falling. The snow was firm and fast, even getting enough speed to get some air over the roller 1/3 of the way down. The visibility had been good most of the morning.

All credit to Colin and the team getting the run and up track into such good condition with the snow available.

We took the train down as the rain was starting to soak in and saw Alan running out of snow along the fence line. Graham driving the choo choo had a laugh seeing alan and pointed him out to the tourists in the train, everyone gawped, some took pictures!

Here's hoping for cooler temps next week.

WM

Timed it a bit better today and managed to get a view of the plateau from the summit, but carried the skis up as there's no longer continuous snow to skin.

Skied the tor patch then the rain started so I skied the snow to the east of the Ptarmigan tow and headed back by the M2 which is complete to the rocky section, then complete again to below the top of the Aonach. The snow was heavy and slow and thawing at all levels so I'm very glad to see the forecast... hope it's right

There were a few people playing on the mini shred.

Helen

Attachments: view from summit 8th April.JPG (86kB)  

I love reading your updates Helen. Been looking at the weather this afternoon, snow showers for the next 5 days, pretty heavy at times so let's hope that cones off!

Thanks Rick. Maybe if it comes off an overnight B and B at Aviemore or Glenmore while you're at Aberfoyle might be worth it. Hope you have a fun week whatever you do.

Helen