The thaw continued after we left the mountain yesterday, then some time during the night the temperature dropped below freezing producing a very hard surface this morning with pleanty of death cookies for everyone to share.

Its was tough going for the first couple of runs before the freezing level slowly climbed up the mountain giving a soft ski from the middle of the cas down. Above the traverse the surface remained hard.

The run around burnside is now broken though some people were trying it, we decided no and made use of the mid station stops, as did the majority.

The gun barrel is now open with packed down man made snow. There is quite a depth in here but as you would expect it is quite hard now the snow has frozen.

The zigzags are getting a bit brown but still very usable, the traverse is good.

Still a no go for the upper bowls but the polar express was running for beginner classes.

The forecast is not good for the next few days, rain, so I don’t think I will be heading up till the end of the week unless something major happens. I hope we keep the snow we have on the runs as it is forming a good base but who knows what will happen.

If you have not been up for your first slide and are local, go up for a couple of runs though don’t expect alpine conditions.

Santa may be coming soon to CML, a few new toys for the boys have been ordered that will help with maintenance and the runs but as they say don’t hold your breath till they are actually in the car park and unwrapped!

Graeme

The traverse still has good coverage.


The cas tow path is still the best way down. Yesteday we were using skiers left of the fence but today is was brick hard and best to use the path.


The snow on the zigzags softened up and is getting a bit brown in places but still quite skiable.


The lower gunbarrel has been stuffed with man made snow and machine packed down.


We went over to the top bowls to have a look. This is why they are not open.





Edited 1 times. Last edit at 16.28hrs Sun 3 Dec 17 by WindyMiller.

Attachments: gun barrel.JPG (324kB)   cas tow path.JPG (296kB)   traverse.JPG (266kB)   zigzags.JPG (378kB)   Top Bowl.JPG (238kB)  

Maybe Santa should bring a webcam first?

Is it the freezer that is coming with some more guns?

The freezer is coming this week and is on trial for two months before moving on to another ski centre. It is a smaller version of the one(s) they are looking to purchase if the trial is a success. One of the T40 snow guns has been moved to the lower slopes to run off the same generator the snow factory is going to use. This will see if man made snow can be utilised on the lower slopes.

There is another surprise to come along very soon but I don’t want to jinx it as it was meant to be there last season and was put on hold. I will be happy once it is unloaded in the car park and is officially theirs! I have seen a picture and apparently it has limited edition go faster stripes I will post in the cairngorm non condition thread when/if it finally arrives, unless some one beats me to it. I will try to keep this thread conditions only

Graeme

Windy are you guzzling at a bottle of cheap Wine to cover your fumbling attempts at trying to be an Ambassador for Ooops, Natural Retreats and others ?

You can rest assured that not a penny of money will come from NR or their latest reincarnation !

Maybe they going to add some racing stripes to the train? lol

That was one of the plans thought up with the enlarged/revamped Ptarmigan and kept secret until a Freedom of Information Request uncovered this rubbish and more !!

A plasma cutter to replace the worn out gas torch?

Has to be a new basher!

Plenty toys to make and move snow, shame there's nothing to get you to the top of any of the runs any quicker.



Edited 1 times. Last edit at 22.12hrs Sun 3 Dec 17 by some frustrated skier.

A piste basher trailer to pull skiers up to the top of the hill.....with go faster stripes ?

If it's not a detachable quad to run right up the ciste then meh

So a fixed grip quad would also be meh then? I have said it many times before but the additional higher capital cost, higher maintenance costs and higher running costs of detachable chairlifts make them largely uneconomic in Scotland.

A fixed four/three/double with loading belt can go 2.5m/s+ very comfortably. Is more then enough for the length of the line. Plenty available second hand.

I have always thought that a Hybrid needs to be devised for the Scottish climate - a standard double, tripple or quad chairlift with standard drive and return terminals, but with detachable grips, a parking rail and some way of easily getting the chairs on and off. This is so that during a storm or the summer the chairs can be stowed away, perhaps even under cover.

sounds very, very familiar. one for the historians i think.