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not much to do with skiing but I wonder what this will bring for the people of Dufftown/cabrach & rhynie?



Edited 1 times. Last edit at 18.22hrs Wed 28 Dec 11 by EMCD11.

I love it how they say "could power 90,000 homes"....aye right!..I don't want to start a wind factory debate but i think enough is enough - time to start building them off shore or get some money into tidal (or perhaps real power stations)...to make it worse - we're paying for them through government subsidies (our taxes), the companies and the landowners make loads of cash and then they sell the power back to us (with an added premium)... they then offer a bribe to the local community to keep them onside and to say sorry for blighting your landscape and destroying any tourism you may once have had.
Rant over....please let it snow soon!

Shame about the turbines. One of the places i like mountain biking, rarely see anyone when out there. Looks like the trails i bike wont be spoilt though.

Heavy snow showers in aberdeenshire this afternoon. Bennachie and hill of foudland/gartly going white again. Hopefully clash is getting some snow too. Will have to assess in mornibg if skiing possible at clash.

1-2" fresh at clash. I managed to do main haute route. But left good skis behind and used old trashed pair, hit many stones, so only just doable and only on old kit. Nice winters day for a ski and no wind for a change

Well done for giving it a try, Telemarker -- your report was appreciated! Looks like it's snowing on the A9 at Drumochter now, but possibly rain at Aviemore, so guess things are getting milder as forecast.

I early aborted my trip on way up there several times due to roads being treacherous with ice, and lack of snow,
even at tap o 'noth there wasnt a great deal, but i always know the clash can suprise you with the depth of snow there and again it didnt dissapoint

i took some photos, but no point posting as things will be different tomorrow... with double-digit temps, its due to snow before turning back to rain, so we shall see

Thursday saw Clashindarroch's deepest snowpack this season, with 10cm wet snow on the lower trails and up to 25cm heavy powder on the Haute Route. Unfortunately the snow was melting from the ground up although frost is forecast for Thursday night. Some trails have been compacted and some others have been "skied in".

Thanks Timberline for info
More snow than i expected
hope it lastsp for weekend

Hi Telemarker -- today's snow depths were indeed a pleasant surprise. Incidentally, the snow off-trail on the open hill hadn't consolidated and was of course still drifting. Skis disappeared into 30cm of snow and heather, upward progress easy enough but skiing downhill nigh on impossible! A lot of spindrift on the Buck, blowing over to the east-facing slope above the burn.

A "Clashindarroch" interpretation of the E Highlands Met Office forecast offers some hope for Friday and Saturday. MWIS's slightly older forecast isn't so optimistic.

We are hoping to hold our Ski Orienteering Fun Event on Sat 7th Jan. Turn up anytime from 10am & collect your map. It is open to anyone.

Conditions are good at the moment but the weather has been quite changeable. We will make a final decision on Friday about the event & I will post a message.

Peter Thorn, Huntly Nordic SC.
www.nordicski.org.uk

Apart from a few short, thin bits it looks like the snow at Clashindarroch should survive through Saturday, assisted by further compaction today on the main trails (thanks, Peter!). Temperature rose above freezing but not drastically so.

excellent news Timberline- hope to be out tomorrow as its looking too windy for skiing on the higher hills

Come and do the Ski orienteering.

need to goto Huntly and back in morning to get some timber...
so if its still on in the afternoon maybe..
used to do a lot of orienteering in the past, never tried it on skis though

Conditions for skiing were still good in the Clashindarroch today (Fri 6th Jan) with the trails mostly complete with a few thin/bare on the lowest trails. I have run the snowmobile over most of the trails & compacted the snow but haven't taken the roller out. You will need to classic.

In light of this we are going ahead with the Ski Orienteering Fun Event tomorrow. Turn up anytime after 10am by the Biathlon Range & pick up your map.

Regards, Peter Thorn (Huntly Nordic SC)
www.nordicski.org.uk