It may be a little early for this thread but I’m currently considering what to do with the coming weekend, so how much snow is there up around hope cross/ mam tor area? are the trails currently well trodden in or am I likely to find its a matter of cutting through very deep snow?

Its very strange. Some really high drifts and then areas where the sun has thawed most snow.

However its very icy.

We actually skied down 20 trees on Saturday.

ok, I can just about cope with ice but deep snow is a real pain, just out of interest where is the area known as 20 trees? I’ve probably ridden it but don’t know it by that name

Hayfield.
From Kinder Road turn left up a brildeway/field, (so not as far as the campsite), its a short cut to Middle moor and can be done as part of the Kinder loop.
crazy-legs may be along in a moment as he’s ridden the Peaks this week and is more likely to tell you the best place to ride.

is that the bridleway that goes up towards middle moor from the end of kinder road? starts off on very steep cobbled section?

is that the bridleway that goes up towards middle moor from the end of kinder road? starts off on very steep cobbled section?

No, it’s the one at the other end of Kinder Road, just on the edge of the village that goes past, erm, nnnnn-nineteen trees. That end of Middle Moor is pretty good at the moment, lots of traffic, but the other end, yesterday anyway, was hard going in a stop start sort of way.

I’ve not been over to Hope in the last week, but last winter the Roman Road and anything else vaguely walled or sunked drifted quite badly. Anyway, forecasters seem to think it’s going to thaw at the weekend before refreezing next week, so you’ll probably be riding deep slush, soon to be sheet ice 😉

Coldwell Clough and down behind the camp site in Hayfield is mint at the moment, well it is with ice tyres anyway…

Was out in the Western Peak at weekend and Hayfield side was all rideable as was Kinder, The woods down to Coldwell Clough were fun too, 20 Trees (aka Snake Path) was a bit slushy but more rideable after the third gate. Middle moor was rideable in parts but involved some walking. Don’t even think about the PBW (Snow drifts were level in parts with the stone walling) to get to Kinder use the road up to Blackshaws Farm from the main road.

I’m tempted to go up and have a look tomorrow so will give you a report on conditions…..

Anyone heard anything about cut gate? would have thought with it being so exposed it would be reasonable?

I am driving up to the Dark Peak to ride on Sunday, so any weather/condition tips appreciated.

…not that I am even sure where about I will be riding yet!

“cut gate? would have thought with it being so exposed it would be reasonable?”
Most of the northern side is in a dip, I would imagine (never been up there in snow though) drifts could be an issue?

It’s not lovely at the moment, temperatures have gone up a few degrees and stuff above Hayfield that was compacting and getting rideable is now turning softer, plus off the compacted line, it’s stop you dead sort of stuff, so if you veer slightly off line on, say, the Jacob’s Ladder track, you pretty much stop dead(ish), there are also places with big sheets of ice on the trails, not an issue with ice tyres, but could be ‘interesting’ with normal knobblies.

Riding well? Er, Coldwell Clough, the descent behind the campsite in Hayfield, the Hayfield end of the Shooting Cabin and the direct descent from Mam Nick was lovely today. Had a look up the Rushup trough and that was drifted, I think the Roych track will also be a dog’s dinner of drifted snow. Some of Jacob’s is good, but the line is really hard to follow and often veers off the track proper, some of it is rubbish.

I don’t know what the forecast thaw will do to things, there’s a lot of snow in places and I doubt it’ll be cold enough for it all to simply disappear. Presumably it’ll semi-melt then refreeze into pleasingly lethal ice when temperatures drop again – if they do – next week.

I don’t know what’s going on above Hope or round Ladybower, but I doubt it’s very different, viz anything walled or sunken tends to collect snow and hold it, sheltered, wooded stuff – the so-called Beast for example – tends to be better. The bottom of Potato Alley usually becomes a sheet of lethal water ice etc.

It doesn’t stop me riding because I am incorrigibly stupid and stubborn, but don’t expect perfection at the moment although a few bits are blindingly good. the Pennine BW under Lantern Pike is badly drifted btw and hard going, particularly away from Hayfield. Blah.

Oh, and Cut Gate was insanely good the Sunday before the snow really hit with a thinnish dusting. I also rode it in the snow last year and quite a but of it was fantastic, but it does tend to hold snow in parts, so it all depends on what type of snow it is…

Mam Tor was excellent last Sunday too. there was just a fine dusting of snow and everything was really dry. Cavedale was a frozen death trap

I imagine Cut Throat / Ladybower will be a little like this from last Jan – http://www.vimeo.com/8563444 (skip straight to about 8mins)

We had a similar amount of snow then

My mate was snowboarding at Cut Throat earlier in the week so I’m guessing its had a fair old dumping of snow.

Last year we did a pootle and a month after everywhere was clear there was still bits above ladybower that were blocked solid