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alan


Posts: 10768
Joined: Nov 1994
Last Visited: 17:02
27th Mar 2024
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Re: HIE announce removal of Coire na Ciste uplift
Date Posted: 23.27hrs on Mon 7 Aug 17
Quote:
It is clear since the funicular was built in 2001 that making it a success became priority


The problem with that is that Snowsports keep the Funicular afloat, not the other way about as the two previous CEOs of CML liked skiers to believe. That has become abundantly clear under NAIL because they have not been afraid to show up the Funicular for what it is, it helps when they get the begging bowl out.

There has been substantial personal changes in CML, including a complete replacement of top management, yet the same agenda and attitude remain, it is there for logical to conclude that HIE is the problem, HIE is driving the agenda.

CML needs to be removed from CairnGorm Mountain, but not as much as HIE needs removed. At least the Scottish Government realise HIE is a problem in many situations not the solution. People used to talk about a bonfire of the quangos, HIE needs to be on the top of the the pyre.
h1ghlander


Posts: 57
Joined: Jan 2011
Re: HIE announce removal of Coire na Ciste uplift
Date Posted: 03.02hrs on Tue 8 Aug 17
I remember back to our start of season Ambassador sessions with Ian Whitaker. It was explained why we could not invest in the Ciste side of the mountain for winter sports as any investment of public money had to be sustainable. Snow sports is not sustainable when we don't get snow and last season is testament to that.

The vision/strategy back then was to invest in summer activities, mainly mountain biking on the Ciste side which would allow, to start off with, the resurrection of the Ciste chair. The result of course, would also benefit winter sports. I know many people on this forum criticise previous management for whatever reasons but at least they had that in their heads. I remember Ian telling us that they will not be removing the old chairs for the very reasons you are all talking about earlier, it is far harder to get a planning application through once you do.

As a skier brought up on Cairngorm skiing this is just so sad. Sorry to be so blunt but really, what an arse they are making of this. :-(
Doug_Bryce


Posts: 1373
Joined: Jan 2003
Re: HIE announce removal of Coire na Ciste uplift
Date Posted: 07.53hrs on Tue 8 Aug 17

The problem with that is that Snowsports keep the Funicular afloat.


Agree - the obvious problem with the funicular is that visitors are unable to get out at the top. Therefore the potential to attract repeat summer trade is inherently limited.

For the last decade we have seen good money after bad thrown at the funicular in desperate attempt to make it a success - for example recent crazy proposals to spend £4million on a new base station and further retail. What Aviemore actually needs is investment in uplift that will attract extra visitors in summer and winter.

Cairngorm has always been the flagship resort of Scottish skiing - the entire Scottish ski industry suffers indirectly if it is left to decline. The obvious frustration is that the considerable money invested in Cairngorm has actually damaged the ski area, reduced visitor numbers / local employment opportunities : plus it could have been spread among the other 4 areas.

[www.haggistrap.co.uk]



Edited 1 times. Last edit at 07.54hrs Tue 8 Aug 17 by Doug_Bryce.
roscoeh


Posts: 258
Joined: Jan 2011
Last Visited: 23:23
24th Mar 2018
Re: HIE announce removal of Coire na Ciste uplift
Date Posted: 09.18hrs on Tue 8 Aug 17
Not been for the past 3 seasons, unlikely I will ever go back now until they offer better uplift.

The other areas deserve my money much more than they do.








01cookjk


Posts: 141
Joined: Jan 2014
Last Visited: 09:09
6th Apr 2021
Re: HIE announce removal of Coire na Ciste uplift
Date Posted: 12.00hrs on Tue 8 Aug 17
Who is ultimately reponsible for this? I would like to find him, get out a Sharpie pen and write 'I am a very stupid man' on his forehead.


tim1mw


Posts: 700
Joined: Nov 2006
Re: HIE announce removal of Coire na Ciste uplift
Date Posted: 23.54hrs on Wed 9 Aug 17
Sounds like another reason for me to not bother going to Cairngorm when I make my (normally) annual trip north next year. I'll stick with the real flagships, their names start with a G.
sspeirs


Posts: 370
Joined: Mar 2008
Last Visited: 09:59
22nd Apr 2021
Re: HIE announce removal of Coire na Ciste uplift
Date Posted: 10.41hrs on Fri 11 Aug 17
Like Doug and everyone here, I am astounded at the amount of public money being spent on Cairngorm to move backwards. I though the idea of appointing NR as operator was that they had "deep pockets" and able to invest to rebuild the business? OK rhetorical question here - we all know this is not happening.
handyman


Posts: 131
Joined: Nov 2003
Re: HIE announce removal of Coire na Ciste uplift
Date Posted: 23.05hrs on Sat 12 Aug 17
As one of the older skiers, I do remember being at the opening day of Coire na Ciste. Season ticket then, £25.

Quite sad it is being dismantled. Having said that, winter weather in the Gorms is undoubtedly warmer now than in the 60/70's.

When did you last put anti-freeze down the cludgie to stop it freezing overnight?
Doug_Bryce


Posts: 1373
Joined: Jan 2003
Re: HIE announce removal of Coire na Ciste uplift
Date Posted: 14.36hrs on Sun 13 Aug 17
^ for sure - climate change is real.

however : once full of drifted snow the coire na ciste gully is clearly one of the most snow-sure runs in Scotland. can easily last well into May some years. that is the real frustration...

[www.haggistrap.co.uk]
Olderalan


Posts: 1510
Joined: Feb 2006
Last Visited: 15:23
7th Apr 2019
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Re: HIE announce removal of Coire na Ciste uplift
Date Posted: 20.33hrs on Mon 14 Aug 17
In July 2010 Cairn Gorm Mountain Limited commissioned a report to determine the costs for putting the Ciste Chairlift back into use. The study was done by Rowema. The written quotation was for a price of £300,000 excluding anything that might require to be done to the towers and/or tower foundations.
The operations manager is quoted in writing as stating that the work could be done in-house for much less but that CML would have to employ additional skilled labour to do it.

Nothing ever came of that and the Chairlift is now to be scrapped. Notably, the actual chairs, that have sat idle in the carpark for years, are now disappearing. That fact added to the knowledge that the tower foundations are to be partly removed makes it very clear that everything possible is now being done to put Coire na Ciste out of lift served use for good.

Sadly, that is the choice that is being made by HIE and NR.

The drift away from CairnGorm can only continue as nothing at all has been done to encourage anyone to go back there.....on the contrary, it seems that everything possible is being done to discourage snow-sports enthusiasts.

Sad days for Cairn Gorm enthusiasts, the wider local economy and the Scottish snow-sports industry in general.

Olderalan
dhorsley


Posts: 1665
Joined: Oct 2003
Last Visited: 16:55
16th Mar 2021
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Re: HIE announce removal of Coire na Ciste uplift
Date Posted: 12.09hrs on Tue 22 Aug 17
Very sad, unlikely I'll be back at CairnGorm except for the occasional tour and I was a season ticket holder for several years prior to NR taking over. Guess Glenshee will be getting my custom in future. Its a shame though has Cairngorm has some great runs that hold snow really well long into the spring. Shame I'm not closer to Nevis and Glencoe as I'd love to give them more business as they at least seem to be interested in skiing.
jabuzzard


Posts: 885
Joined: Jan 2010
Last Visited: 11:02
16th Apr 2021
Re: HIE announce removal of Coire na Ciste uplift
Date Posted: 13.17hrs on Wed 23 Aug 17
Olderalan Wrote:
In July 2010 Cairn Gorm Mountain Limited commissioned a report to determine the costs for putting the Ciste Chairlift back into use. The study was done by Rowema. The written quotation was for a price of £300,000 excluding anything that might require to be done to the towers and/or tower foundations.
The operations manager is quoted in writing as stating that the work could be done in-house for much less but that CML would have to employ additional skilled labour to do it.


So for more than the cost of bringing the lifts back into operation, they have been removed from the landscape. As I said clearly someone in HIE has an agenda of erasing any ski infrastructure from the landscape wherever possible.

Further I doubt that they where even offered to the other centres and will end up being melted down for scrap.
Olderalan


Posts: 1510
Joined: Feb 2006
Last Visited: 15:23
7th Apr 2019
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Re: HIE announce removal of Coire na Ciste uplift
Date Posted: 15.08hrs on Wed 23 Aug 17
jabuzzard Wrote:
Olderalan Wrote:
In July 2010 Cairn Gorm Mountain Limited commissioned a report to determine the costs for putting the Ciste Chairlift back into use. The study was done by Rowema. The written quotation was for a price of £300,000 excluding anything that might require to be done to the towers and/or tower foundations.
The operations manager is quoted in writing as stating that the work could be done in-house for much less but that CML would have to employ additional skilled labour to do it.



Further I doubt that they where even offered to the other centres and will end up being melted down for scrap.


Absolutely correct......the towers are being taken down in such a way that they are unusable.

Kind regards

Olderalan
alan


Posts: 10768
Joined: Nov 1994
Last Visited: 17:02
27th Mar 2024
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Re: HIE announce removal of Coire na Ciste uplift
Date Posted: 10.49hrs on Fri 25 Aug 17


For those who may not have seen the front page, there is an album of photos from Wednesday showing the smashed up West Wall Chairlift in Pix from the Slopes.

[www.winterhighland.info]
Doug_Bryce


Posts: 1373
Joined: Jan 2003
Re: HIE announce removal of Coire na Ciste uplift
Date Posted: 13.19hrs on Fri 25 Aug 17
Olderalan Wrote: In July 2010 Cairn Gorm Mountain Limited commissioned a report to determine the costs for putting the Ciste Chairlift back into use. The study was done by Rowema. The written quotation was for a price of £300,000


^ Cairngorm are about to drop £4.5 million of public money on a dry slope and extra retail.

The money to refurbish / replace these lifts is there : however Cairngorm and HIE choose not too. Indeed they have actively used public funding to diversify away from snowsports and remove uplifts. Ironically without the funding they might have had no other option but to maintain and operate Coire na Ciste.

No one goes to the Cairngorms to ride a 90m dry slope when better facilities already exist in the central belt at Breahead / Hillend. Extra retail is basically anti-funding that can only dilute trade from local shops in Aviemore. Complete and utter insanity.



[www.haggistrap.co.uk]
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