Scotland 'boarding/skiing this Easter…

Howdy, so I am a fairly recent convert to the world of snowboarding, I do ski as well but have just done a week in Italy on the board and I love it. I have my own gear, including a basic board.

So, I am up in Scotland over Easter visiting family and want to have a day or two at whichever place has the best snow at the time (prob Glencoe or Cairngorm). Problem is that the person I was going with is in the states and I didn’t fancy going solo.

Does anyone fancy joining me, or is anyone planning a visit and could cope with an “improver” tagging along?

I have never been to a Scottish “resort”, so advice and/or a real person to show me round would be ace.

Ta

I certainly wouldn’t be making any decisions until the day before you are due to go.

real person to show me round would be ace.

You won’t need much help there, especially if you are sticking to the beginner pistes. The Scottish resorts are a LOT smaller than you will have experienced in Italy.

I might be heading up at Easter too but I’ll probably be going to Nevis if I do.

Have fun whereever you go. Boarding in Scotland is an experience.

If it stays anything like it was up Cairngorm last night it’ll be brilliant, loads of powder kicking about, trouble is it can thaw quickly and there’s virtually no base this year. Best to check just before you go as others have said.
Also get used to riding drag lifts, I too was in Italy a couple of weeks ago (Val di Fassa) and really was spoilt riding the chairs all the time.
Glenshee is my favourite resort and they’ve just installed a new chair up the Cairnwell, that would be where I’d head for if conditions are good. Also don’t discount the Lecht, it’s my local hill but tends to be much less busy when Cairngorm can be rammed.

Enjoy, Scottish resorts can be great, you just have to pick the right day 😉

Cheers for the replies, I am staying in the central belt at the inlaws, so I will drive up to which ever spot is the best on the day. Drag lifts are fine, done a bit in Austria which seamed to have loads of pomas/t-bars.

Temps are expected to hit mid teens this weekend so the snow could well be gone by easter 😡

This. When we’ve had a decent fall, conditions have been great. The slightest thaw and it’s gone. Cairngorm was open through to the first weekend in May last year. I can’t see that being repeated this year.

Also – try to get up the hill first thing in the morning. The snow will be much better. Once it warms up around lunchtime it will get wet, draggy and very cut up. If you are driving from the central belt that means either a very, very early start or stay overnight.

Cairngorms during Easter Holidays will be mobbed, suggest Glenshee if snow hasn’t gone as it covers a huge area and most people stick to the main valley.

Have to say I’d avoid Cairngorm like the plague now. Over-priced, few lifts left running and horribly crowded. Massive Q’s for:
access up to the base area; tickets (even if you bring cash..);
your first train up;
then on-hill queues much of the day as reduced uplift can no longer cope with the volume of customers. Very expensive ticket and food.

Go to Glencoe (hardcore, small, brilliant);
Nevis (extensive off-piste on the backs, decent lifts and good snow on the frontside);
Glenshee (if it has snow.. far the largest area, friendly, and nearest to the central Belt).
Get your best weather and snow conditions reports from Winterhighland reports. Try not to take the whingers on the forum too seriously…

How many additional uplifts did there used to be? The only ones I was aware of are the two in the Ciste.

2x Ciste chairs and White Lady T-bar all gone; West Wall, Car Park & Fiacaill lifts all not running when they should have this year.

Natural Retreats (the operating company) are focussing on the cake hunter market at the expense of maintenance & investment in snowsports infrastructure.

2x Ciste chairs and White Lady T-bar all gone; West Wall, Car Park & Fiacaill lifts all not running when they should have this year.

To be fair I suspect the snow this week is currently as good as it’s been all winter and Day Lodge is truly marginal to open. I think West Wall had no snow on it for long enough and then was avalanche risk when snow did come so fair enough keeping that shut too.

On the other hand, I don’t dispute that the snow infrastructure needs investment but the removal of Ciste chairs and white lady have nothing to do with Natural Retreats. They were long gone beforehand.

The amount of uplift is totally acceptable for a normal weekday (both top carparks were full on Monday and Thursday this week and I never queued for more than a couple of minutes anywhere and most of the runs were straight onto the lifts) but I grant that I avoid the place at weekends as its just not worth the bother for me. I don’t fancy it much at Easter…

It was pretty prime this week 🙂 :

2x Ciste chairs and White Lady T-bar all gone; West Wall, Car Park & Fiacaill lifts all not running when they should have this year.

White Lady T-Bar I’d forgotten about
This.
Car Park and Fiacaill seemed to be open as soon as there was enough snow to make it worthwhile (arguably before given how thin it was at the bottom).

2x Ciste chairs and White Lady T-bar all gone; West Wall, Car Park , Fiacaill lifts all not running when they should have this year.

White Lady T-Bar I’d forgotten about

Not to mention two chairlifts in Coire Cas and the Fiacaill T-bar – all gone.

I skinned up next the West wall pomma a few weeks ago and there was plenty snow and it still wasn’t running. It would’ve really helped the queues on the Ciste t-bar.

Have to say I’d avoid Cairngorm like the plague now.

This. Bunch of robbing barstewards with no interest in improving their service. Captive audience though, people just keep going and keep paying no matter how shoite it is.

There used to be Aonach poma too I think.

However conditions up to yesterday have been superb up cairngorm. All uplift is open so even when there are loads of people on the hill it doesn’t feel busy. Apart from cafes at peak times I presume but that can be avoided.

Very warm up there now and windy too so hope the snow lasts…

Yup, got to agree with the people bashing the Gorm. Unbelievable succession of utter **** making shit decision after shit decision over the years to ruin the place.

If you look at the money poured into the place and what the net loss of uplift and ski facilities they’ve managed to provide. Then compare that to what other resort managed with a fraction of the money.

despicable

Also – try to get up the hill first thing in the morning. The snow will be much better. Once it warms up around lunchtime it will get wet, draggy and very cut up.

The OP has the means to a solution to this, ski in the morning, board in the afternoon 😀

I love being on a board in the afternoon when it’s cut up, lots of bits to pop/jib off. Boarding on groomed slopes is boring.

Recently was at Glencoe on my board all day. The T bars got pretty painful towards the end of the day, hooking it under your front leg results in a tender inner thigh. Though if it’s busy and they’re making people pair up, T bars are a great social point if you’re solo, and don’t worry about pairing up with a skier. Skier/boarder combo is more stable than boarder/boarder I reckon

Better off riding T-bars on your own on a board I reckon. Means you can adjust the angle a bit to avoid castration or testicular mutilation.

Natural Retreats (the operating company) are focussing on the cake hunter market at the expense of maintenance & investment in snowsports infrastructure.

This. Bunch of robbing barstewards with no interest in improving their service. Captive audience though, people just keep going and keep paying no matter how shoite it is.

You’d have to be brave to invest in further uplift (even if that is resurrecting existing facilities) when the car parks are so frequently full when conditions are good.

Glenshee has a nicer vibe and is easier to access when conditions allow IMHO