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suzysparkle


Posts: 13
Joined: Mar 2011
Last Visited: 19:27
7th Feb 2016
Re: Clashindarroch snow 2016
Date Posted: 22.09hrs on Sat 30 Jan 16
Any updates on Clash following the recent snow?? Cheers!


Peter Thorn


Posts: 268
Joined: Dec 2002
Last Visited: 09:17
16th Mar 2021
Re: Clash snow report 31st Jan.
Date Posted: 16.57hrs on Sun 31 Jan 16
Clash snow report 31st Jan. Temp 0degC, overcast.
There is up 10cm (occ 15cm) snow at the car park & on the trails around the Biathlon Range. Unfortunately the main drag up Highland Fling is very marginal with bare patches & rocks. The Haute Route is mostly complete with some thin/bare stretches. Leids Leap is skiable going up but there is not really enough snow to make the downhill easy. The lower trails The Grotto/Sheepfolds are skiable.
Overall skiing conditions are marginal (0-10cm) & suitable for older skis. You will find some good stretches of snow but it was a bit sticky today. Having said all this I may try to groom the triangle around the Biathlon Range this week if temperatures remain cold enough.


Timberline


Posts: 491
Joined: Apr 2010
Last Visited: 20:54
24th Feb 2021
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Re: Clashindarroch snow 2016
Date Posted: 17.15hrs on Thu 11 Feb 16
Good to be able to report some new snow at Clashindarroch. Early showers today brought 4cm to the car park and hut area, plus parts of the lower trails. But there are still long thin stretches on the Main Trail, e.g. between Short Cut and Telemark Twist. Parts of the Haute Route have up to 7 or 8cm, and the route was skiable from the mobile phone mast all the way to the top of Herringbone Hill. Leids Leap was too thin for safe descent over the stones, but anyone following my tracks could find that the verge was negotiable if somewhat vegetated. Despite a temperature of plus 2 at midday, the snow was encouragingly slidey.

With a freeze tonight and more snow predicted on Friday, the prospects are looking better than they have all season.

Photos attached show today's fresh tracks on Haute Route, with a snoadstool; and a character from a bygone year who might have enjoyed the latter facility.

Attachments: IMG_3194 (800x600).jpg (298kB)   IMG_2560 (800x600).jpg (228kB)  
telemarker


Posts: 2934
Joined: Oct 2003
Last Visited: 14:59
12th Apr 2021
Re: Clashindarroch snow 2016
Date Posted: 18.26hrs on Thu 11 Feb 16
thanks Colin

might head up Saturday

Creag Meagaidh beckons tomorrow

Peter Thorn


Posts: 268
Joined: Dec 2002
Last Visited: 09:17
16th Mar 2021
Re: Clash Snow Report Fri 12th Feb
Date Posted: 18.28hrs on Fri 12 Feb 16
1700hrs, temp -2degC. Frequent snow showers.

Conditions have improved through the day & we now have the best conditions of the season with ~10cm snow on the lower trails & 15cm+ on the higher trails. There are a few short sections where the snow is thin but these aren't really a problem. You still need to be careful with rocks on parts of the main trail through forest. I was able to ski down Leids Leap with no problems.

It was snowing when I left so I expect good skiing over the weekend.

Now the bad news. The first snow of the season when it would be possible to groom the trails but I can't get the snowmobile to start. I will make another attempt tomorrow.

Timberline


Posts: 491
Joined: Apr 2010
Last Visited: 20:54
24th Feb 2021
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Re: Clashindarroch snow 2016
Date Posted: 21.39hrs on Sat 13 Feb 16
An Alpine day today at Clashindarroch -- blue skies, temperatures at or below freezing, great views, good quality snow -- generally deep enough (7-15cm) but thin in places on the main trail. It is especially stony at Telemark Twist and the wee descent a bit further north. At both spots, if you have good skis, it's worth taking them off and walking just a few yards. Trails have been well tramlined by skiers and tracks have been set on some trails, thanks to Peter Thorn's efforts.

Timberline


Posts: 491
Joined: Apr 2010
Last Visited: 20:54
24th Feb 2021
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Re: Clashindarroch snow 2016
Date Posted: 22.08hrs on Sun 14 Feb 16
Sunshine and snow showers today, topping up the cover to give around 10-20cm snow depths between lower and higher trails respectively. There are still short stony bits on the Main Trail as reported yesterday, and on the first descent on Norman's Way. Leids Leap has been well-skied and is smooth and fast. Some trails have now been groomed (thanks Peter) and along with yesterday's cut tracks there's some worthwhile skiing to be enjoyed. Hoping for more snow showers overnight.

The lost flask has been recovered and if the owner would like to reclaim it, please contact the Huntly Nordic and Outdoor Centre -- e-mail hnoc[at]aberdeenshire.gov.uk or phone 01466 794428.

Timberline


Posts: 491
Joined: Apr 2010
Last Visited: 20:54
24th Feb 2021
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Re: Clashindarroch snow 2016
Date Posted: 21.58hrs on Mon 15 Feb 16
2-3cm of fresh snow last night gave a nice carpet of powder over the firm base from Sunday. It also helped at the short stony bits, but care is still needed on these.

Peter Thorn


Posts: 268
Joined: Dec 2002
Last Visited: 09:17
16th Mar 2021
Re: Clash snow report Tues 16th Feb
Date Posted: 15.10hrs on Tue 16 Feb 16
Clash Snow Report Tues 16th Feb

1300hrs, temp +2degC, overcast, strong winds but OK once in amongst the trees.

The trails were groomed today. Skating is possible. Conditions are good but you still need to be carefall of stones in some short sections of Highland Fling, particularly at the top of Telemark Twist.


Attachments: P2160004 small.jpg (357kB)  
Timberline


Posts: 491
Joined: Apr 2010
Last Visited: 20:54
24th Feb 2021
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Re: Clashindarroch snow 2016
Date Posted: 16.12hrs on Wed 17 Feb 16
The overnight snow elsewhere in Scotland didn't quite reach the Clash, although Bennachie appeared to have a fresh dusting. The groomed trails now have compacted snow, where it was relatively deep to start with. This will hopefully provide a base if more snow arrives. The downside (for me at least!) is that after the overnight freeze the snow was hard and very fast, requiring frequent recourse to the softer verge on the downhills. Leids Leap was for the tigers. Due to yesterday's slight daytime thaw, there has been some loss of snow on the lower trails. More stones are poking through on the Main Trail, and there is 100-150 metres of unskiable terrain between Short Cut and a point halfway way down Telemark Twist. The Telemark Twist grassy bypass loop has insufficient snow for continuous skiing. Lesser-used grassy trails such as Sheepfolds, The Lair, The Grotto and Hedder Wye may offer long stretches of softer, user-friendly snow and a wilderness touch to the skiing. The Biathlon Range looks more heathery than snowy but still has continuous cover. The Car Park is rather icy.


telemarker


Posts: 2934
Joined: Oct 2003
Last Visited: 14:59
12th Apr 2021
Re: Clashindarroch snow 2016
Date Posted: 16.24hrs on Wed 17 Feb 16
Thanks Colin
Sheepfold was good on Sunday and since the felling there the trail holds more snow now

Peter Thorn


Posts: 268
Joined: Dec 2002
Last Visited: 09:17
16th Mar 2021
Re: Clash snow report Thurs 18th Feb
Date Posted: 17.31hrs on Thu 18 Feb 16
Clash snow report Thurs 18th Feb.
Temp +5degC, sunny, no wind.

Lovely day in the forest. As would expected with the current freeze/thaw conditions the trails are currently fairly hard with a few icy patches. In the sunshine there is some softening. The trails are 95% complete. The main Highland Fling trail has to be skied with care as more stones & thin patches are appearing. There a few stretches where you need to remove your skis (i.e. top of Telemark Twist) but in total this only amounts a couple of hundred metres. On the Haute Route the skiing is good & the trails holding up well. The downhills are interesting & fast but I found enough loose snow to keep control. I had no real problems descending Leids Leap.

Having said all this I would describe conditions as good to marginal but not ideal for novices & less confident skiers because of the tricky downhills.



Peter Thorn


Posts: 268
Joined: Dec 2002
Last Visited: 09:17
16th Mar 2021
Re: Clash snow report Sat 20th Feb
Date Posted: 15.14hrs on Sat 20 Feb 16
1500hrs, sunny, +4degC. Rare light snow flurries.

Although there is plenty of skiing left in the forest conditions are now marginal. The main trail up to Highland Fling has numerous bare/thin stretches. The upper part of Highland Fling & the Haute Route give the best skiing & I was easily able to ski down Leids Leap. The trails around the Biathlon Range are complete. The lower trails in the Grotto & Sheepfolds are largely bare.

There is a firm base with occasional icy patches but the warmer temperature has softened the snow. There was a sprinkling of snow last night but no real depth.

We need more snow & the forecast shows there is a chance of snow over the next few days but we are at the eastern edge of it.


telemarker


Posts: 2934
Joined: Oct 2003
Last Visited: 14:59
12th Apr 2021
Re: Clashindarroch snow 2016
Date Posted: 16.47hrs on Sun 21 Feb 16
Snowing on and off lightly most of morning when I was out. About 1" new snow, much improved on yesterday. Managed to do a big loop up around wind turbines by skiing one track edge and in ditch filled by snow.

Herringbone hill and Normans way badly rutted in mud bu vehicle tracks during summer.. So tricky to ski on now

Timberline


Posts: 491
Joined: Apr 2010
Last Visited: 20:54
24th Feb 2021
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Re: Clashindarroch snow 2016
Date Posted: 20.01hrs on Mon 22 Feb 16
Thanks Telemarker for Sunday's report, which shows how individual skiers' reports are vital because monitoring of the available websites hadn't suggested that much if any snow had reached Clashindarroch. But it had, and it was still there today where it had fallen on a compacted base. This gave stretches of really good smooth skiing. Unfortunately by this morning it had gone from the bare or unskiable sections, leaving grass, ice or stones depending on the situation. Over 150 metres is unskiable at Telemark Twist. Range Way, Deer Cut and Short Cut are negotiable, uphill at least, but very thin with grass showing through. The steep part of Leids Leap has been pisted smooth by skiers, and it will be very fast when the temperature drops. There is generally good skiing between the mobile phone mast and the top of Short Cut, which suggests that the rest of the Haute Route should continue to be in reasonable shape. The Lair and The Grotto start off looking OK but the snow runs out completely after a while.

Conditions are therefore marginal. The wintry showers were just starting when I left at 3.30pm but with the temperature plus 4 at the time it was only falling as light rain.

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