:: Winterhighland // General Situation // Scottish Ski & Winter Activity Report // CairnGorm, Glenshee, Lecht, Nevis Range, Glencoe Ski Reports

Saturday looks like being the best of the weekend days, mostly if not completely dry with some bright & sunny spells and moderate winds, Sunday looks much more overcast with showers and Gale Force winds. Gusts up to 45mph are expected Saturday, but impact on snowsport operations should be small given decent overhead conditions and consolidated snow pack at most levels.

However as is always the case when there is any doubt about the weather, checking the latest on route is advisable over the weekend. Sunday looks a poorer day with gusts to 60mph+ which coupled with poorer overhead looks like having a bigger effect on mountain operations. However sometimes the worst forecast days turn out to be not so bad, so worth checking the latest in the morning if you can only make Sunday - it's almost certain there will be some lift served sliding on Sunday thanks to good cover at lower and thus less exposed elevations.

On Friday in the West the soft wet fresh snow falling above mid-mountain on Thursday afternoon crunched up overnight with a layer of drier fresh on top giving some great riding on the upper mountain. At Glencoe the Main Basin was skiing very nicely indeed and was great fun when the sun came out with some small bumps close to the lift line higher up. Low down the snow became steadily softer through the day, but was already crisping up before the lifts shut in the shade.

At Nevis Range the East face of the Goose Gully round to Warren's has an incredible cover and it's a similar story skiers right of the top tows at Glencoe where the uptracks merge into Rannoch Glades, T-bars on the downline of the Main Basin T-bar are touching the snow on the groomed line of the Top Button uptrack in places! The Etive Glades also have some of the best cover on that part of the mountain for a number of years.

Nevis Range has great cover of spring snow with softening fresh on top on the Alpha for more confident snow plough turners and on the Linnhe for novices. Trainer Rope Tow has good cover for first timers and the Lochy Trainer Tow is also open for the weekend.

This evening the air temperature is at or below 0°c down to the lower slopes across the five snowsport areas and all are dry. Dew Points are below 0, so the snow should firm up on the lower runs.

At the Summit of CairnGorm Mountain it's -3°c with a West wind coming in at 30 gusting 38mph. It's also -3°c at the Summit Run AWS at Nevis. It's just a fraction above -1°c at the foot of the Main Basin T-bar at Glencoe where the SSC Hut AWS is reporting a WNW'ly, around 17-20mph with gusts to 30mph in the past hour. Wind speeds are expected to be slightly less in the West on Saturday than in the East.

At Glenshee all runs are complete with firm packed snow, which should again soften on the lower slopes and on slopes with a Southerly component to their aspect such as Butchart's Carn Aosda and later in the day parts of Meall Odhar. During the week the best sport mid-morning has often been on Carn Aosda and in the afternoon off the Meall Odhar T-bar. Extensive groomers across green, blue and red terrain and stacks of snow outwith the fences.

The Lecht has a very impressive cover with good depth across all main runs with good riding on machine groomed firm packed snow which had a softening surface on Thursday. The Buzzard side has an enormous amount of snow with the fences obliterated and the entire hill-side available for off-piste. Earlier in the week traversing out a fair bit to skiers right (North) of the Poma gave smooth largely track free off-piste. Excellent cover across the beginner areas with the Magic Carpet ideal for those just starting out.

CairnGorm Mountain continues to offer phenomenal cover across the mountain with all 11 of the available lifts scheduled and the Ciste Shuttle Bus also operating daily. The Ciste Gully remains complete to the Ciste Carpark and along with the Laogh Mor Return means the 'Gorm is offering 2000ft of vertical from the top of the Ptarmigan to the Ciste Carpark. Great nursery areas at the Daylodge level as well as at the top.

:: Snowsport Area Signage Survey - Win a five day pass!

Over the past year new signage has been introduced across the five Scottish Snowsport Areas, the latest signs having gone up earlier this season at Glencoe. The bi-lingual signage has been produced and funded in association with Comunn na G?hlig who are currently conducting an online survey with regards to the signs. The survey and further information at:

http://www.cnag.org.uk/soidhnichean/

One lucky participant in the survey will receive a 5 day all area pass for use at all Scottish Ski Centres drawn at random from the submissions.

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:: All Scotland 5 day pass £115

Just a reminder that this season there is the option to buy an All Scotland five day ticket which can be used at all five of the Scottish Snowsport areas on five consecutive days.

If your heading to CairnGorm Mountain these can be bought online from CML at http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase?agency-CAIRNGORM&organ_val=24897&schedule=list&event_val=SKI5 .

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:: Mountain Weather Outlook

Some areas look likely to get away dry one on Saturday though some scattered snow showers can't be ruled out. Part cloudy skies with variable cloud amounts but some bright or sunny spells giving reasonable overhead, thus the forecast NW 20 gusting 45mph winds shouldn't be a major issue for lift served snowsports, though some higher lifts could be subject to wind related stoppages or holds.

Sunday looks like seeing shower activity pepping up once again, snow on the Munros, but maybe falling as sleet on the lower slopes. NW winds back Westerly and will pick up to mean speeds of 30 to 40mph with gusts to 50-60mph, with poorer overhead the increase in gust speeds could have more of an affect on uplift availability.

Continuing shower on Monday, but perhaps some brighter interludes in the East and the NW wind will moderate some what, but still be fresh at 20mph with gusts to 40mph.

High Pressure is not to far away and at this stage looks like ridging in enough to give a couple of relatively fine days mid-week, but still some doubt about the detail, but one to watch if your planning to ski in the coming week and can be flexible.

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:: English Club Fields Summary

Yad Moss was open Thursday with a hard packed cover softening up during the day and was closed on Fri, but scheduled to open Sat.

Allenheads aims to open for 11am and a frost is expected tonight, irrespective of what the weather does there is only a couple of weeks sliding still possible at Allenheads as the tows have to come down before the end of the month.

Weardale does not expect to open on Saturday, cover is getting patchy.

Harwood will be open Sat and Sunday with still good skiing available.

Check club sites and phone messages for the latest and access for non-members at the weekend.

Harwood: http://harwoodski.webs.com/
Allenheads: http://www.ski-allenheads.co.uk/
Yad Moss: http://www.yadmoss.co.uk
Swinhope/Weardale: http://www.skiweardale.com
Raise: http://www.ldscsnowski.co.uk

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:: Winterhighland Webcams

NEW: Loch Morlich Webcam showing CairnGorm from the Windy Ridge, west over Coire Cas, Sneachda and Lochain is now live.

NEW Glencoe: http://www.winterhighland.info/cams/glencoe/ .

CairnGorm SSC: www.winterhighland.info/cams/cairngorm-mountain .

Live weather data and graphs of the past 48hours weather from CairnGorm Mountain at www.winterhighland.info/cairngorm .

Mountain Spirit host our Aviemore Webcam which looks down Grampian Road in the direction of the Ski Road. See www.winterhighland.info/cams/aviemore .

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:: Ski Area Contact Numbers & Websites

Glencoe: 0871 871 9929 www.glencoemountain.co.uk
Nevis Range: 01397 705825 www.nevisrange.co.uk
Lecht: 01975 651440 www.lecht.co.uk
CairnGorm: 01479 861261 www.cairngormmountain.co.uk
Glenshee: 013397 41320 www.ski-glenshee.co.uk

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