You are NOT Logged in.
Chat about all aspects of snowsports, backcountry, climbing and mountaineering.
Goto Thread: PreviousNext
Goto: Forum ListMessage ListNew TopicSearchLog In
winterhighland


Posts: 101
Joined: Dec 2002
Last Visited: 16:13
28th Mar 2024
A Spring Season?
Date Posted: 17.35hrs on Tue 16 Mar 21
Following today's Covid update at the Scottish Parliament, hopefully a spring season on the Horizon! Of course it now depends on how the weather pans out as well as what happens with Covid restrictions.

We won't have clarity or any certainty until nearer the time when the actual new regulations are published in light of how the virus situation is progressing. However the indicative timeframe is that the currently ‘enhanced’ Level 4 restrictions brought into law on 8th Jan (which included the explicit requirement for the snowsports areas to close) will be rolled back on 5th April.

Our current understanding is that if things Covid wise stay on track, ski areas that are in a position to can resume level 4 operations from Easter Monday.

What does that mean in practice?

Level 4 travel restrictions limit access to the snowsports areas to those who live within the same local authority as the snowsports area or those resident in a local authroity where the base facilities and carpark of a given ski area (ie your start/end point for the day) are within five miles of your council boundary.

To clarify that point it is not distance by road but as the crow flies from the council boundary, but the interpretation at the time the ski areas were last open requires there to be a direct road route across said boundary.

As per early Jan, that meant:

Glencoe: Highland + Argyll & Bute residents.
Glenshee: Aberdeenshire (NOT CITY) + Perth & Kinross residents.
Lecht: Moray + Aberdeenshire (NOT CITY) residents.

Historical seasons suggests the balance of probabilities are not in favour of Glenshee reopening this season and we gather for differing reasons Nevis Range and CairnGorm will not open for snowsports. It is thus likely that if there is uplift again this season it will be at Glencoe and snow permitting The Lecht.

On that point it is worth noting the Lecht can come back from nothing to open in April, indeed it has done so even in May in the recent past!

Any hope for non locals?

An indicative date of 26th April has been given for mainland Scotland to move down from Level 4. Travel restrictions between level 3 mainland local authorities would be lifted, so if all mainland Scotland goes to Level 3 then access to the ski areas that could operate would be unrestricted within Scotland.

Had the ski areas been able to reopen on 26th April last year there would have been some fantastic spring riding for weeks in the West. So it's watching Covid numbers, watching the weather and watching the snow cover.


^Always hope... Coire Cas, CairnGorm on Sat 12th May 2012, a year that saw not a single day of lift served riding in the whole of March across all five Scottish Snowsports Areas!





Edited 1 times. Last edit at 17.37hrs Tue 16 Mar 21 by winterhighland.
Deibitto


Posts: 9
Joined: Dec 2018
Last Visited: 07:32
8th Apr 2021
Re: A Spring Season?
Date Posted: 07.17hrs on Wed 17 Mar 21
Understand travel to/from England *may* also be permitted from 26 April.

I assume it's highly unlikely group lessons would be running but wondered if there were any thoughts on likelihood of private lessons either run by Glencoe Mountain or 3rd party for May day BH weekend (snow permitting of course)? Would be for young children.
carsey


Posts: 400
Joined: Jan 2016
Last Visited: 17:11
22nd Apr 2021
Re: A Spring Season?
Date Posted: 17.36hrs on Wed 17 Mar 21
Whos the lucky handful been getting to have a slide around the last few days?
sspeirs


Posts: 370
Joined: Mar 2008
Last Visited: 09:59
22nd Apr 2021
Re: A Spring Season?
Date Posted: 18.22hrs on Wed 17 Mar 21
Certainly over the past 5-10 years, the first weekend in May is at best the last weekend of the season. After this the tow up tracks break/melt and the numbers attending drops. Both of course could be different this season, never say never. That said the lower slopes will almost certainly be broken by then, certainly the beginner slopes. Skiing retreats up the mountain through April - still can be a lot of snow

Hope this helps

PS: My personal view is that the Scottish Government will not open the border to England at the same time as inside Scotland travel. I think they'll give it a few weeks, to check the data, before opening up. And if cases in Scotland/and or England are not lower enough, neither set of restrictions will open up. My 2c


Deibitto Wrote:
Understand travel to/from England *may* also be permitted from 26 April.

I assume it's highly unlikely group lessons would be running but wondered if there were any thoughts on likelihood of private lessons either run by Glencoe Mountain or 3rd party for May day BH weekend (snow permitting of course)? Would be for young children.

Deibitto


Posts: 9
Joined: Dec 2018
Last Visited: 07:32
8th Apr 2021
Re: A Spring Season?
Date Posted: 16.30hrs on Thu 18 Mar 21
Thanks, and yes I realise good sliding on lower slopes is a very long shot but everything is on free cancellation up to a few days prior so felt I could hold onto the option. Did have great conditions once 3rd week April so never know. I was just wondering how easy it would be to get hold of an instructor if everything did fall into place.

sspeirs Wrote:
Certainly over the past 5-10 years, the first weekend in May is at best the last weekend of the season. After this the tow up tracks break/melt and the numbers attending drops. Both of course could be different this season, never say never. That said the lower slopes will almost certainly be broken by then, certainly the beginner slopes. Skiing retreats up the mountain through April - still can be a lot of snow

Hope this helps

PS: My personal view is that the Scottish Government will not open the border to England at the same time as inside Scotland travel. I think they'll give it a few weeks, to check the data, before opening up. And if cases in Scotland/and or England are not lower enough, neither set of restrictions will open up. My 2c


Deibitto Wrote:
Understand travel to/from England *may* also be permitted from 26 April.

I assume it's highly unlikely group lessons would be running but wondered if there were any thoughts on likelihood of private lessons either run by Glencoe Mountain or 3rd party for May day BH weekend (snow permitting of course)? Would be for young children.

sspeirs


Posts: 370
Joined: Mar 2008
Last Visited: 09:59
22nd Apr 2021
Re: A Spring Season?
Date Posted: 18.20hrs on Thu 18 Mar 21
You're right, Deibitto, never say never! A few years back I remember skiing on May 1st or 2nd and it was snowing with excellent cover up top and even Mugs Alley skiable.

And if you have free cancellation, maybe it's worth hanging on.

That said, you need to be careful on that. It looks like B&Bs, hotels can open from April 26th (I think) ... they may say they will only refund if they are not allowed to open. You need to check you can get a refund even if they are open and if Glencoe Mountain has not been able to open say due to a massive thaw on April 25th!

I'll let someone else answer on the private lessons - if the Coe is open, I'd imagine given this season, that some instructors will be glad of a few lessons, but again that is not for me to answer.
Your Name: 
Your Email: 
Subject: