Afternoon on Friday was first day on skis this season.
Only Sunnyside open. A bit commando at the top but ok furter down.
Saturday proved to be much better With Butcharts & Access open.
Nice piste work guys!
Snow was great but needs a good bit more.

A good start - lets get the snow dancing done

Well done Glenshee

Quite possibly the shittiest December I have ever seen.

it'll come good. also prevents the snow vs xmas priority clashes

Quite normal for this time of year. ..hopefully it'll pick up soon.

Looking better today but it will no doubt be quite thin...

Snow canons poised and ready at Glenshee. Will be interesting to see a direct comparison between the new T40 and the older machines.

Have GS bought another snow cannon this summmer? I didn't see this anywhere else.

I suspect it's a trial like the other centres. If you need evidence look what's sitting next to the pump house on the webcam. I seen it in the flesh at the beginning of the month too.

Any reason why they haven't been switched on? Find it hard to believe it's not cold enough?

From Glenshee Facebook page, yesterday morning:
"Snow guns are all ready to go when the temp is correct.
Will let you know as soon as we get enough snow to open."



Edited 1 times. Last edit at 14.46hrs Sun 28 Dec 14 by Piperfraz.

Just a guess here but the temps for this week are forecast to rise and some rain is forecast even to the tops :-( ...... so possibly a waste of time/money/energy as any man made snow would be washed away? Better to put them on when the snow is forecast to stick around? Just a guess. IF we didn't have a mild spell this week I would bet they would be on

It would make sense to pump as much man-made snow as possible, whenever the temperature is low enough - especially during the holidays.

When it melts, so be it - that's the nature of the climate of the Highlands.

Of course, the obvious statement is that by making enough snow, in the right places, it can outlast a thaw (unless the thaw is sufficiently warm and long).

There is literally, a mountain of evidence from ski areas in Australia and to an extent the mid-Appalachians. Our ski areas can be their own worst enemy - there is the presumption that you cannot book ahead because there is a chance they will be closed due to bad weather and/or too little snow on the ground. A decent system of snow making in the right places keeps the runs open, even in very mild weather is essential. I've been to Thredbo many many times; the valley temperature is more often than not well above freezing, yet top to bottom skiing is almost guaranteed through the season - and is advertsied as the reason to go to Thredbo.

Scotland often gets enough snow, and is often cold enough, but we just fail at handling the inevitable killer thaws that happen several times a winter.

WeeSam, does Thredbo get heavy rain and strong mild winds as well as above zero temps? The former two are the worst snow destoyers.

The weather beyond the New Year looks decent base building material, but nothing that looks like it will get things open soon. I'd venture a guess that glas maol has snow. Any one been in there on skins?

Must be very frustrating for Glenshee as the only area not open over the holidays.

Place was busy with visitors and family sledging. Cafe was full and queued. But obviously no ski ticket sales.

Ground is fairly well frozen. Patchy snow depth. We skinned from & back to car. Two of our returns were on fenced runs after being out beyond Carn Aosda. First down off Aosda poma piste. And best was Cairnwell Red Track which is definitely ok for piste prep. Full length. But the Bunny link is scoured by wind.

We looked over to GM. And I'd think that Fionn has snow. But links to it will be thin at moment. One good days snow and it could all be open.

Claybookie lights and snow cannons on....lots of sledgers