The Clashindarroch Nordic Ski Trails had their first significant snow of the season on Saturday night, so this seems a good time to start a new thread. By this morning, Sunday 4th December, around 5-7cm of powder had arrived, but there were long sections of trail with only a dusting, and the ground isn't frozen although temperatures today were in the range zero to plus 1. So the trails aren't in condition yet, but looking hopeful.

Though that didn't stop Alex Standen skiing the Haute Route this morning at some god awful hour to take the Golden Boot.

I didnt bother with clash as thought it might be marginal.
So headed for grassy hill fields of foudland and hill of skares. No rocks to scratch skis on

Clashindarroch remains marginal. There's been a dusting or two of fresh snow since Sunday. Temperature today stayed at or below freezing, so any lying snow continues to be powder.

Snow report -- Tuesday 6th December: The snow which hit the north overnight only brought around 1cm of fresh to Clashindarroch, so snow depths remained at 4 to 7cm generally, but with long thin stretches which were not really skiable. The mid-section of the Haute Route was not bad however. Temperature minus 1 during today, and sky clouding over slowly in the afternoon. The good news is that the ground is beginning to freeze as there hasn't been enough snow to insulate it. No doubt there'll be a succession of changes in the next 48 hours.

Several hours of damp snow today, with the temperature zero, brought the snow depths at Clashindarroch to 7 - 10cm generally. There are some windblown patches, and the snow wasn't deep enough on Leids Leap to avoid the stones. Much too soon to speculate about the weekend. As Alan says, it's "wait and watch" time.

All rather academic, but the Clashindarroch trails have had another 2-3cm of fresh snow since yesterday, with snow depths generally now 10-12cm apart from the usual thinner bits.Snow was wet today, especially on lower trails, promising an excellent base for the future if temperatures drop as forecast. Temperatures plus 3(am) to 4 or 5(pm) at car park; but only plus 2 at the top of Short Cut. This differential was reflected in the snow conditions. Occasional flurries of sleet and wet snow during the day. A lengthy section on Leids Leap was bare due to windblow and thaw. The Snowgoose and Timberline snowfields are filling in nicely, with drifts getting packed by the wind. Car park had been ploughed, but no guarantee it'll stay that way! Oh yes, and the wind like Niagara in the treetops.

The storm contributed only another 1-3cm of fresh snow, but the snowpack froze overnight, promising a good base if it lasts. Typical snow depth stays at 10-12cm. Condition varies from fast "frozen ice cream" surface to excellent powder on crunchy base, e.g. mid-section of Haute Route. Descent of Leids Leap still not recommended, and there is thin cover in the usual places elsewhere where it's a case of choosing one's line carefully or making judicious use of the verge. Snowgoose and the northern part of Timberline have already filled in with 0.5m-deep snowpack, velvet-topped for superb skiing and 20-30 metres in width. The southern part of Timberline has skiable frozen snow on heather. The storm brought down several trees between the main entrance and the foot of Highland Fling. These can be bypassed with some ingenuity. Other trails may also be affected likewise, and there is a fair amount of twiggy debris. No snow fell during the day. Temperature at car park today was zero. The A941 from Rhynie is icebound, no doubt as a result of Thursday afternoon's power shower and subsequent wet snow freezing onto the road. Car park had been ploughed before the storm and is icy.

Good report Timberline,

I went to Suie this afternoon, but not enough snow, so I countinued to clash.
Take care on roads - Icerink from Ryhnie to Clash, if you need to brake hard you may slide instead so take care with speed and blind bends..

I will bring a chainsaw & HSE kit tomorrow to remove the offending tree near enterance (I have completed the required forestery commision training & certification)

I thought the snow was going to be boilerplate, as it was near carpark, but things improved greatly in the forest.
some photos













Edited 3 times. Last edit at 17.22hrs Fri 9 Dec 11 by telemarker.

2-3cm fresh powder overnight at Clashindarroch has kept conditions much the same as on Friday, helped by sub-zero temperatures today. Several parties have been out so there are good tramlines to follow. Care still required on thin sections. A941 from Rhynie still very icy.



Edited 1 times. Last edit at 16.28hrs Sat 10 Dec 11 by Timberline.

some pics from clash today

not enough really on the Buck for skiing


timberline had good fresh powdery snow on a deep base

Little change from yesterday. Road was softening and slushy by the afternoon. Main trails were good started fast and icy were softer and a bit sticky by the afternoon. Mostly complete, a little thin in places, Leids leap only skiable up not down (long thin section with gravel coming through). Tree down on Normans Way is now passable underneath, but remember to duck!.


Attachments: P1010376.JPG (214kB)  

There were a couple more attachments looks like they've dissappeared into the ether. I'be posted more pictures in the backcountry reports section here:

[www.winterhighland.info]

I made a start on that tree yesterday dave, but only had a small pruning saw. Good to see you made hole bigger

I attacked it with a bow saw, and (as long as you remember to duck) you can take it at speed. Timberline reckons we should be able to get the skidoo and track cut under it too so we should be able to piste past it once we get the piste machine back into the forest. Most of the work looks to have been done yesterday as I saw a lot of other trees that had been cleared and no other trees down on the main trails I skiied.