A quick blast up the M90 to have a cheeky wee half day at Glenshee. A nice way to spend Boxing Day. I would be lying if I said it was a great day on the hill though. A little snow fun however is way better than no snow fun at all – even with my broken toe. There wasn’t a lot open and the queues were pretty mahoosive at times. Everyone was in good cheer though. Long live the festive spirit!
The snow coverage across Scotlands five resorts isn’t anything to write home about at the minute. On the positive side though today was the first day that all of the resorts had some runs open. I am hoping to check out Glencoe and Cairngorm over the next couple of days so will keep you posted about the conditions.
The snow at Glenshee was of the sticky variety with a few holes, rocks and clumps of heather thrown in for good measure. We definately need another storm to pass through. A substantial quantity of the magic white stuff tumbling down from the sky accumulating in vast quantities across the mountains would be a perfect end to stormy old 2013 and the best possible start to a snowtastic 2014.
The early indications are, unfortunately, that the MET office prediction of 100 days of “artic temperatures and record breaking snowfalls crippling the country” isn’t going to materialise. I have noticed numerous times over the years that whenever we expect bucket loads of snow the weather actually conspires to give us the opposite. A virtual two fingers thrust into our face by the snow gods. In the years when we are not expecting anything special the heavens seem to open and give us the type of snowfall you think only exists in your dreams.
Last winter we had plenty of snow but the weather was quite often against us. Storm after storm rolled in with hurricane force winds. It is a testament to the skill and dedication of the operations staff working at Scotlands ski resorts that they are still standing. A few weeks ago Nevis Range was tormented by 142mph winds. That is pretty serious stuff.
My mission for tomorrow is to try and get hold of some skins. There are some nice lines in them thar hills and I want to hike up and slay some of them. If I had taken my touring skis and had skins today I could of easily trebled the amount of skiing I did. It would of been a nice wee workout to help shift some of the Christmas podge I have accumulated around my waist over the past few weeks.
I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and that all your skiing dreams come true in 2014.
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