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Timberline


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24th Feb 2021
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Clashindarroch snow 2019-2020
Date Posted: 14.32hrs on Tue 28 Jan 20
Welcome to everyone who followed this thread last winter and to all interested in conditions at Clashindarroch. The early part of the season saw a week of marginal (mostly very icy and thin) skiing in November and a couple of thin days in December. For nearly six weeks there has been no skiable snow on the trails, but the best prospects in most seasons are in February and early March, so there is all to hope for. Now to the current conditions: last night's snowfall delivered a fairly even cover of powder amounting to 5cm on the lower trails and 1 or 2cm more higher up. The skiing this morning could only be classed as marginal -- at times slow, sticky or scratchy. Not yet time for one's best skis! The A941 access road had slight snow. Conditions can change from day to day, so new reports are always welcome.

Timberline


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Re: Clashindarroch snow 2019-2020
Date Posted: 11.03hrs on Thu 30 Jan 20
The overnight loss of snow at higher altitudes suggests that we're back to square one at Clashindarroch, with no skiable snow for the time being. A disappointing season so far, but the previous seasons show that the snowiest months are yet to come. Fingers crossed for February...

Timberline


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Re: Clashindarroch snow 2019-2020
Date Posted: 15.13hrs on Tue 11 Feb 20
Some snow has finally struggled far enough eastwards to land at Clashindarroch, about 7cm as of today. This was the depth in the car park, but it was unevenly distributed on the trails, thin in parts lower down and subject to drifting and scouring higher up.There was sufficient snow for sliding in and around the Range area,and on Classic Start and Deer Track. In fact, Deer Track would have been worth going up just for the sake of the smooth run back down again. Unusually, the same cannot be said for Short Cut, where it was necessary to take to the moss at the side in places. Out along Telemark Twist and the Main Drag it soon became too thin and sticky to be worthwhile. So, things are a bit patchy so far, but with more snow expected over the next 12 hours we could be looking at the
first decent conditions of the season quite soon.

Timberline


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Re: Clashindarroch snow 2019-2020
Date Posted: 17.37hrs on Wed 12 Feb 20
After several false starts, today was the first day of the season at Clashindarroch, as far as “proper snow” is concerned. Happily, this avoids beating the record set in 2014 and 2016 for the latest recorded start, which was 13th February in both years. New snow did indeed arrive overnight, with the undisturbed depth in the car park increased to 13cm. On the trails this was very unevenly distributed, due to the effects of wind and tree canopy. Some parts are still scratchy, for example Telemark Twist and the descent at the start of Normans Way. Leids Leap is scratchy and scary on the steep stony section, but nice further down. The Haute Route has several wind scoured sections at awkward places, but most can be bypassed in drifted snow in the ditch. On Herringbone Hill, care is needed as there is deep gullying, mainly on the right hand side looking downhill. The trail is passable but narrower than before. Generally the snow was slow today, but with the freeze overnight it’s likely to be considerably faster on Thursday. The car park will be rutted and icy on Thursday unless the snowplough pays a visit.



telemarker


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12th Apr 2021
Re: Clashindarroch snow 2019-2020
Date Posted: 18.04hrs on Wed 12 Feb 20
Thanks for the update
I received some photos from a friend whom you met

Timberline


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Re: Clashindarroch snow 2019-2020
Date Posted: 05.56hrs on Fri 14 Feb 20
The weather was settled and cold on Thursday, followed by temperatures well below freezing before midnight, enabling the snow cover to continue as reported on Wednesday; with somewhat better skiing due to the more popular trails being well tracked by skiers. There's ample snow on the Range, and good skiing on Classic Start, Range Way and Deer Track. Elsewhere on the system, some of the trails are scratchy; and on the Haute Route there are a number of scoured sections where one has to take to windblown snow in the ditch. With unsettled weather on the way, along with precipitation bordering between snow and rain, "subject to change" is probably an appropriate comment for the next few days.

Timberline


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Re: Clashindarroch snow 2019-2020
Date Posted: 15.01hrs on Fri 14 Feb 20
A rise in temperature in the early hours of Friday brought a change to high winds, showers of rain and sleet, and sunny intervals. In the morning there was still sufficient depth on trails near the Range, although by lunchtime the snow had softened and become slower. These conditions are likely to last into Saturday unless (a) there’s an overnight frost, which could speed things up, or (b) more rain or snow, with unpredictable results. More distant trails were generally not in good shape today, suffering from weather conditions and wear and tear, with some sections too thin to ski and parts of the Haute Route bare due to scouring by the wind.

telemarker


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12th Apr 2021
Re: Clashindarroch snow 2019-2020
Date Posted: 18.01hrs on Fri 14 Feb 20
It was Good to get out before It goes




Edited 1 times. Last edit at 07.35hrs Sat 15 Feb 20 by telemarker.

Timberline


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Re: Clashindarroch snow 2019-2020
Date Posted: 16.34hrs on Sat 15 Feb 20
It's been a day of sleety rain on and off, with strong winds outside the forest but reasonably sheltered within. Most of the snow has gone, leaving short icy stretches on the trails, trying to melt but not quite succeeding. The Range still had proper snow cover on 30% of its area, and a skier was seen this morning skating on a thin icy stretch of about 60m just beyond the Hut.The car park has patches of ice made more treacherous by the rain. Fingers crossed for more snow during the next few days.

Timberline


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Re: Clashindarroch snow 2019-2020
Date Posted: 13.48hrs on Sun 16 Feb 20
The trails were whitened overnight by a centimetre of fresh snow, but this was only enough to cover up the residual thin and icy patches left over from last week's modest snowfall. Today's new dusting will certainly have improved the Range, 30% of which already had reasonable surviving cover. With a generally cool forecast for the week ahead, and some modest amounts of snow included, there is some scope for optimism.

Timberline


Posts: 491
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Re: Clashindarroch snow 2019-2020
Date Posted: 18.03hrs on Wed 19 Feb 20
There may have been a slight top-up of snow in the past couple of days, as today the snow depth on the trails was 1-2cm. Although someone did ski along Classic Start, one cannot really say that the trails are skiable. The exception is the Range, where there should be sufficient depth of old and new snow for practice and gentle skiing on the flat. There may be a further top-up on Thursday, but there's a warm interruption expected on Friday before more snow is currently predicted for Saturday.

Timberline


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Re: Clashindarroch snow 2019-2020
Date Posted: 20.56hrs on Thu 20 Feb 20
The overnight precipitation fell as rain or sleet rather than snow, removing Wednesday's dusting but having minimal effect on the occasional short stretches of older snow which have survived from last week. The Range had about 15% proper cover and the Little Range about 20%. The walk in from the main entrance was icy today. Parts of western Aberdeenshire had snow showers this afternoon but it is unknown whether these reached Clashindarroch; and there is a possibility of rain on Friday during a brief warm interlude.

Telepine


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Last Visited: 15:44
12th Mar 2021
Re: Clashindarroch snow 2019-2020
Date Posted: 13.54hrs on Fri 21 Feb 20
There was virtually nothing left this morning; if any of yesterday’s snow got to Clashindarroch, there was no sign of it. It was 5.5 degrees at the car park at 9:30am. I ran a route past the range, up shortcut, along the Haute route and back via highland fling and sheepfolds. There was probably less than 10% of that route with any snow/ice cover at all, although if you really wanted to there were short sections that would still be skiable. Took my new rock skis out for a test on the range but even that was mostly soft ice now. Let’s hope the weekend brings some more snow!

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antbjanne


Posts: 4
Joined: Dec 2011
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11th Apr 2021
Re: Clashindarroch snow 2019-2020
Date Posted: 09.31hrs on Sat 22 Feb 20
9am, sat, whitened up, 0c in car park and snowing, covering ground quickly but marginal at mo, underlying ground soft and wet. It's improving fast, could be useable by midday if keeps snowing. Tony



Timberline


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Re: Clashindarroch snow 2019-2020
Date Posted: 12.25hrs on Sat 22 Feb 20
This morning's brief but heavy showers left an accumulated depth of 1.5cm at the car park; sadly not enough for the trails to be skiable unless more showers make it across from the west. Looking better for next week though.Thanks Telepine and antbjanne for reports. Must have just missed you this morning Tony.

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