Was out for a walk and the air was feeling a bit nippy, could not see the top of the mountain due to mist so checked the web cam when we got home and yes!

The first snow to lie at the Ptarmigan restaurant this year.





Edited 1 times. Last edit at 12.56hrs Sun 29 Oct 17 by WindyMiller.

Attachments: Ptarmigan1.jpg (52kB)  

Surely enough there Helen for you to get the rock-hoppers out and secure your October turns!

Helen did it! The slightest dusting just in the nick of time...





Edited 1 times. Last edit at 00.57hrs Mon 30 Oct 17 by alan.

Attachments: Oct29snowskis.jpg (118kB)  

Well done Helen.

Is Colin back as Ops1 this winter? Post on Facebook is signed by Ops1.

A little bit late, these pictures are from Monday. Shona + Les went for a slide unfortunately I was called away on business so could not join them. They managed to skin up from the day lodge though it was not until the 105 was there meaningful snow. Once in the ptarmigan bowl the wind was howling so it was only a few turns before back down.

Much of the snow has either blown away or melted now but I do see from the CML web page the canons have been running.

Graeme

Starting from the daylodge picture copyritght Les McL


The ptarmigan bowl witha cairngorm breeze blowing picture copyritght Les McL


105


Below the traverse




Edited 2 times. Last edit at 08.58hrs Sun 19 Nov 17 by WindyMiller.

Attachments: 23472013_436348710094557_3114350322661456179_n.jpg (126kB)   23559939_436348970094531_9059979631247575244_n.jpg (14kB)   23519027_624840861239394_7341616682649695894_n.jpg (25kB)   23435093_624840887906058_5601924544315550243_n.jpg (26kB)  

You not managed to get a Job up there yet ?....Funny that, because they are going through Staff at an alarming rate !

Quite a few tourers out on the mountain today. It is possible to skin all the way up from the carpark though the snow is very thin in places. The cold northerly breeze blowing was luckily on our backs with nice sunshine. The cover varied from massive drifts on the traverse to gravel on parts of the cas path and ptarmigan bowl.

We skinned up using the lower cas path, the sunkids tow path then on to the zigzags, 105 traverse then up the ptarmigan traverse fence line. We stopped half way up the fence as the visibility was coming and going and the wind strengthening. We skied a little in the ptarmigan bowl but very patchy. We decided not to ski back down the mountain as we knew we would have to walk the last 1/3 or so, the snow is just too thin to make turns in places.

The snow canons have now been running for 80 hours and have been pumping out a significant amount of snow. A T40 at the sun kids hut and two T40s in the gunbarrel. There is one canon now positioned at the day lodge waiting for the power to be connected once the snow factory and generator arrive. The TF10 is positioned on the lower zigzag but the wind is blowing straight on to it so not suitable to run at the moment, hopefully soon. By the afternoon the PB600 bashing down the massive mound of technical snow in the gunbarrel.

All in all a good day out, cold, sunny though a bit breezy at the top.

A few pictures on facebook later
[www.facebook.com]

Graeme

Skinning up the cas path past the snow canon on the sunkids tow path


Twin canons running at the gunbarrel


Large drifts on the traverse


Large drifts on the ptarmigan traverse but gravelly away from the fence line


The upper bowl has variable cover from large drifts to bare gravel. A number of people were skiing down the middle.









Edited 1 times. Last edit at 16.04hrs Sun 26 Nov 17 by WindyMiller.

Attachments: bowl.JPG (217kB)   Ptarmigan travers.JPG (208kB)   Travers drifts.JPG (216kB)   Gunbarrel snow canons.JPG (220kB)   Snow Canon Sunkids.JPG (230kB)  

Cairngorm are opening



Edited 1 times. Last edit at 07.06hrs Thu 30 Nov 17 by Skicadets.

Another option is avaliable for the weekend as cairngorm plan to open a top to bottom run tomorrow (Thursday).

I'd rather not give them my money, thanks.

David

+1

Same won't go there unless it's the only place open only good thing is that everyone goes there and it's quiter elsewhere because of that

It was the first day for up lift at Cairngorm today. If I had drawn up a list of names I thought were going to be there I would not have been far off when I saw everyone, the same faces and nice to see everyone.

The advertised run was the traverse, 105 onto the cas tow path, the zigzags and then home road to the base station using the train as uplift which was running non stop.

The snow was a dry creamy texture, lovely to ski on the only problem was you could not see it. The visibility ranged from very poor to "where is the ground!" It was a case of pointing your skis in the correct direction and hoping you saw the next marker pole before you went off the run, which I did quite spectacularly on the home road and so did a number of others are various parts of the ski down. The good news is it was snowing constantly. The wind was significant at the top station though it did subside during the day. The lower runs were much more sheltered.

I am sure if we could have seen where we were going there would have been much more options to go off piste but as it was the run was difficult enough in the drifting snow.

The team have reported the ciste tow path has been pisted but you just could not see anything, not a day to venture away from the marker poles. The machines were working on burnside but no poles out yet so kept away.

The snow canons, including the TF10 were running constantly. Apparently this is day 7 now of constant running.

We skied from 10:00 to 15:00 when the light started to fade, time to go home. Not too bad for the first day.

Not many pictures today due to the bad vis.

I am unhappy with the situation too but it is just not economical for me to go anywhere else since I am only 15 mins way from the slopes, if we could keep this thread to conditions only please.

Graeme

Car park first thing, more snow by evening time


I think this capures the cold, wind and visiblity


Occasionally you could see, but not often


The big TF10 running as were the smaller T40s


The home road, the run down was very well prepared top to bottom, though some drifting was accumulating along the fences.









Edited 1 times. Last edit at 17.22hrs Thu 30 Nov 17 by WindyMiller.

Attachments: carpark.JPG (314kB)   Home Road.JPG (249kB)   TF10 canon.JPG (240kB)   Traverse.JPG (225kB)   Top Station.JPG (246kB)  

Today started off well, a little fresh snow and much better visibility. An other route to the base station via burnside has been opened giving a bit more variety.

The machines have been working on the ciste side and the ciste t-bar was being checked out but talking to the guys they are not sure if they will get this to open.

Then things went a bit pear shape about 11:30, the rain came on and heavy, even up to the top station. We went for lunch and came out to a very different world. The clag had descended and the snow was decidedly soggy.We skied a couple more runs but it was not very pleasant. About 14:00 the temperature started to drop again at the top station and light snow/sleet showers were passing through.

The early season thin snow pack has been damaged. At the corners of the 105 and zigzags the gravel is coming through.The home road and burnside are getting very stony and breaking at the ends close to the day lodge. We need the temp to drop quickly to save these.

It was a reasonable ski on the limited runs but keep in mind if you are planning to come up tomorrow. The snow is very thin with gravel and rocks breaking through at the worn corner areas. If it freezes tonight the snow will be firm to icy. If it does not freeze we could have issues getting back to the day lodge.

Bring a sense of humour if coming up. plan for a run or two to warm up the legs and anything else will be a bonus. I would strongly recommend for beginners to lower intermediates and young children to keep away. The routes are narrow with many boarders and skiers of all abilities squashed together. It is early season, hopefully many good days to come.

Graeme

Mid station reasonable cover on the track but do not venture off to the sides, too thin.


various routes were opened up through the lower slopes to get back to the day lodge but by the end of the day were getting very worn.


Lower zigzag, good in the morning but getting stony in the afternoon.


Day lodge before the rain came on


Gravel breaking through







Edited 2 times. Last edit at 16.16hrs Fri 1 Dec 17 by WindyMiller.

Attachments: gravel.JPG (228kB)   daylodge.JPG (312kB)   Lower zigzag.JPG (255kB)   Lower Slopes.JPG (269kB)   Mid Station.JPG (248kB)  

As I said yesterday, plan to come up for a couple of runs and anything after that is a bonus, and that is how it worked out.

The snow did not freeze over night so was quite soft with significant loss in places lower down. The home run was officially closed though some were still using it, the end being quite bare. The recommended route was to mid station and get the train back up though burn side was officially open. Burnside was quite skiable if your ability allowed you to hop and pick your turns carefully.

The bonus today was the visibility, it was a bit ropey at times with light rain showers going through but the majority was fairly good and for about 10 seconds the sun came out! The upper cas was opened giving an alternative to the 105 which was getting a bit worn at the corner with the traverse but still very skiable. The upper cas was lovely and that was our preferred route down to the zigzags. The zigzags are holding up surprisingly well, a bit gritty but fine.

The polar express was turning and a few people were using it but nothing in the bowl was open. I spoke to the ground staff, they had tried to use the machines in there but it was just too thin, more harm was being done than good.

We had a good day over all, staying to the very end, nice easy skiing to break us in gently to the new season.

Tomorrow will be a bit of take it as it comes. It was +5oC in the carpark when we left this evening so there will be more snow loss unless there is a big drop in temperature.

The same advice as yesterday still holds, come up for a couple of runs and anything else is a bonus. I would not recommend for small children or beginners.

A few pictures going up on facebook later
[www.facebook.com]

Graeme

The traverse is in very good condition, when you could see were you were going!


Link from the traverse to the upper cas


Skiers left of the cas tow path. A good alternative to the tow path its self


zigzags still holding up and easy to get back to mid station


combat skiing to get back to the day lodge. Fine if you have the confidence to hop skip and jump! Otherwise use the mid station stop.





Edited 1 times. Last edit at 16.48hrs Sat 2 Dec 17 by WindyMiller.

Attachments: lower day lodge.JPG (328kB)   skier left cas.JPG (244kB)   Traverse.JPG (243kB)   Zigzags.JPG (260kB)   Cas link.JPG (249kB)