More sun (and ice)

Posted Sun, 01/15/2012 - 16:22

Clear skies and sunshine dragged me back up the hill (Nevis Range) again today.  The top half of the goose was actually not too bad considering - good job on the grooming boys!  I suspect the back was one of the iciest I've skied it (or maybe I just need to get the file out and sharpen my edges more!)  Just went down Spikes and despite the bulletproof ice covering most of the mountain we still sniffed out some nice turns (about 3 of them) in soft snow!

Nevis Range - Snowgoose hanging onto snow
Snowgoose hanging onto snow

 Nevis Range Patroller Suzie - Lookin Good!
Nevis Range Patroller Suzie - Lookin Good!

Nevis Range - Davie B
Davie B - Cheese Shot!

Nevis Range - Filming the Clouds
Filming the Clouds

Nevis Range - Spikes Gully
Nevis Range - Spikes Gully

Nevis Range - Easy Gully
One of the few nice bits of snow on the hill, Easy Gully in background

Re: More sun (and ice)

Posted Sun, 01/15/2012 - 16:35

Nevis Range - Sniffing out the Pow

Davie B sniffing out the good turns despite the ice!

Re: More sun (and ice)

Posted Sun, 01/15/2012 - 17:24

The picture of Spikes almost looks like it could be taken on a pow day! If only....

Re: More sun (and ice)

Posted Mon, 01/16/2012 - 20:25

First post here, so hi!

How was the snow outside of the nice 3 turns? Has it made the move from hardpack that edges stick to to bulletproof? I'm hoping to get up at the weekend, not looking for great snow just nice enough to enjoy a day at it rather than hating life on ice!

Cheers,

Scott

Re: More sun (and ice)

Posted Mon, 01/16/2012 - 20:50

Hi Scott, good to hear from you!  On the SkiMountain Scale of Icyness I would say most of the snow over the back had shot straight through "Grippy but Firm", through "Bulletproof", and on to "Sheet Ice".  Give it another week without snow and it'll become "Blue Ice" with "Glacier" not too far off after that!

Having said that the upper part of the goose that they'd groomed was actually pretty good when we skied it, and they had groomed pretty much the entire width of it.  I think theres a slight chance of a bit of snow over the next few days (though possibly some rain as well) so I guess it 'might' be worth it at the weekend.  Keep an eye on the conditions and see what it looks like later in the week...

Re: More sun (and ice)

Posted Tue, 01/17/2012 - 00:23

Thanks for that, sounds like it was just smashing! Think I will just keep an eye on temperatures and snowfall and make the decision at the time. Desperate to get out for a ski anyway, been home for a week after a ski holiday in the states and it nags at you when you can't get out. Have a new pair of skis to play with too that need tested...

Is warrens skiiable at all or is it only the upper goose on the front side?

Re: More sun (and ice)

Posted Tue, 01/17/2012 - 10:42

Not sure about warrens - suspect its pretty horrendous at the moment and the traverses in and out of it might well be broken by now.  Be interested in where you were in the States & what the snow was like... and what are the new skis?

Re: More sun (and ice)

Posted Tue, 01/17/2012 - 11:56

That's what I thought, need to keep up the snow dances then.

 

I skiied Breck for 7 days, had 11 days over there so was able to meet up with friends for new year etc, was a good holiday. The snow was not what we'd hoped for at all. Very dry weather. For the lack of natural snow, the amount of terrain that they managed to open from snow cannons and grooming was amazing, yes it was well down on what you'd usually hope for but you have to commend them for an excellent job of turning nothing into something. It was getting old just hammering down piste after piste day after day mind you, so we started to pursue our novice park skills. Last two days we got some snow, 7 inches fell so managed to get some nice fluffy turns in. It's been a dry winter over in Colorado, except the south actually, Wolf Creek is fully open. They're starting to get a bit of snow now, typical since we've left!!!

I managed to get a good deal on a pair of lightly used Line Chronics so looking forward to playing with these. Should help me progress my noobie park skills whilst having fun all over the hill! I currently ski on 09 Prophet 100s so will be interesting to compare.

I saw a post that you are off in late January, where you heading too?

Re: More sun (and ice)

Posted Tue, 01/17/2012 - 13:29

Ah well, 7inches of fresh is alot better than none... and 10 days skiing is always better than sitting in an office, even if the conditions coulda been better!  I haven't skied the Line Chronics yet but they look like alot of fun and really versatile - we've got a page for the Line Chronics here... no reviews of them yet so once you get a shot on them will be interesting to hear what you reckon (and you get 10 'stoke' for adding a review so you know it makes sense if you want to get the SkiMountain T-shirt!)

The current plan is for a SkiMountain roadtrip to the alps - i.e. drive to wherever the powder is!  Will be posting all about it as soon as the plans finalised!

Re: More sun (and ice)

Posted Fri, 01/20/2012 - 17:09

Hi Scotty - got some good skiing up there today - photos etc here http://www.skimountain.co.uk/forum/fresh-snow-nevis-range

Suspect its going get winded off tomorrow though unfortunately so not too sure its worth the trip up...

Re: More sun (and ice)

Posted Sat, 01/21/2012 - 12:37


winger wall last week every turn counted :)

Re: More sun (and ice)

Posted Sat, 01/21/2012 - 15:55

Hi huckandhope - nice pics!  It wasn't a day for catching an edge that was it!