[Closed] CAIRNGORM LOSERS!

welcome to scotland

Never ceases to amaze me. Up here, we know we are going to get the snow yet I haven't seen a gritter all day. I cant get my car out of our cul de sac and the trains are cancelled. How do the Scandinavians manage to maintain there transport infrastructure through fierce winters, yet we cant cope with a flurry? 👿

I guess all the cut-backs won't help.....

It's usually drifting snow that's the problem - i.e. no amount of road ploughing can keep it clear.

Still, if you think you can do better, hire a snowplough or too and have them sub-contract it to you.

..and if they do get the road open, they'll run out of gear all too quickly. Inept!

My only experience of skiing in Aviemore was the same - the operators seemed surprised to see snow in winter. The idea of trying to clear the road or even getting ready the night before was a mystery to them.
When you think of European ski resort staff working all night to keep things in good condition or accessible for customers...

have a look at the forecast that will explain a little.If they clear the roads and get the people up a hill it starts snowing heavy then they have a problem with a load of townsies stuck up a hill who have nothing in the car to survive not even a shovel to dig them out

Two words - Highland Welcome.

If the snow drifts its pretty much impossible to clear the road and then keep it clear so that normal cars can get up safely. And if they do get up they have to be sure that they can get back down again safely. Having grown up as a scottish skier, I learnt to be patient - maybe you should try the same thing.

Don't worry, they'll be able to clear the road when the snow thaws...

But the ski centre is not responsible for the roads.....

Buy some touring skis - fool!

But the ski centre is not responsible for the roads.....

I thought that they looked after the section from Glenmore up to the car park. No?

No. BEAR look after all roads up there

The other point is that they won't be fully staffed all year round and to expect them to staff up/down more than once a season is unreasonable. Better to wait until the snow is there for the season and then they can work right through.

TS

Peace out.

I feel your frustration, but I'm sure they do the best they can to get us in and up.

Normally ski resorts keep their access road clear. I'm not sure that is the case for Cairngorm. Also bear in mind that it is a high, exposed road up to Corrie Cas and there is no accommodation if customers get stuck up there.

Damn frustrating though. Enough to make you take up ski-touren.

Is this a thread to practice phoning in for the Jeremy Vine show?

BEAR you say...

This one?? That would go someway to explain it

[img] [/img]

It took us 1:20 to get from Aviemore to Cairngorm on Saturday due to cars struggling to get up.

However, ONLY the top section of road is cleared by Cairngorm, which was perfectly clear.

The bottom section, cleared by bear, wasnt cleared and that caused all the problems.

I'd like to see any of you lot who are complaining clear a road with continuous severe drifting so that a bunch of muppets in cars with completely the wrong tyres can get up a steep hill.

You seem to forget that in places like the alps, people have winter tyres and chains, it's rarely as windy and thus the plowed snow doesn't just blow back on the road, and they have many more snow plows in the first place.

They had some limited plans to try and deal with it but TBH the main trunk roads in the area were closed so not much chance in the cooncil heading up the ski road.....

[url= http://www.strathspey-herald.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/5848/New_measures_planned_to_ease_ski_road_misery.html ]story[/url]

I believe from aviemore to the snow gates was bad yesterday but further up was better, they often have people digging out the uplift train overnight in horendous conditions as they don't seem to like my idea of just dropping it out of the top station to smash through any snow accumulated in the tunnel.
According to their website today they were storm bound with gusts of 50-60mph and wind chill making it feel like -22*C thus just shut the snow gates to prevent people driving all the way up only to find no uplifts running. Last year it was occasionally taking 2-3 days of ploughing and digging out after a big drop of snow and a storm

Cairngorm is a seriously cool place. Am tempted to head up there again at the new year for some camping and exploration (on foot).

This thread's awesome, everyone is complaining about/defending the road situation whilst apparently ignoring the fact that the main lift gets snowed under in several places every time there's a decent dump!

Imo that's the biggest problem with the 'gorm.

Revive the Ciste!

agree with the OP. As does a pal who's been up and spent £30+ for 1.5 hours skiing and 6 hours queuing and waiting for broken down funiculars.

what Legend said; especially when you consider how much public subsidy has been lavished on this area, unlike the others.

Merak - Member
Never ceases to amaze me. Up here, we know we are going to get the snow yet I haven't seen a gritter all day. I cant get my car out of our cul de sac and the trains are cancelled. How do the Scandinavians manage to maintain there transport infrastructure through fierce winters, yet we cant cope with a flurry?

Bearing in mind that no County Council in the whole UK is going to send a gritter down a suburban (or village, or city) cul de sac, who has failed to maintain their traffic infrastructure/ability to use their chosen mode of transport?

That'd be you by my reckoning. If you are used to that much snow, then why not.....

a) buy a suitable vehicle
b) get together with your neighbours and clear your cul de sac

As an aside, one of my neighbours came up to me today and asked if I could get some grit for our 'cul de sac'. She seemed quite perplexed by the fact that although I have a 'Motorway Maintenance' sticker covering most of the rear of my truck, I don't actually work for the council, nor do I consider it my responsibility to ensure my neighbours can get off their drives.

I politely explained my distinct lack of connection with said local authorities, despite my overwhelming urge to point out that, just in case she hadn't actually noticed the 2 tonne vehicle parked on my drive, I actually drive a 4x4 and couldn't really give a toss whether or not she could get off her drive and safely make the 200 yard journey to the completely clear (and perfectly gritted) main road.

Yawns

Other ski areas are available 😉

btw - there's usually a moaning minnie thread over on Winterhighland dedicated to all the Gorms shortcomings. Run along there now and try not to get banned.

>I cant get my car out of our cul de sac<

Neither could I so me and my 18 neighbours got busy with the shovels and dug our way out. Poor rant - try some elbow grease.

That's the stuff, good on you. Thanks for that I never thought of helping myself, thanks again and gods speed.

Up here, we know we are going to get the snow yet I haven't seen a gritter all day. I cant get my car out of our cul de sac and the trains are cancelled.

Yeah as you Cul de Sac is high on the highways authority and local councils list for clearing.

I've just finished a weekend of night shifts driving around North Northumberland. They've worked very hard to keep the main roads open when they've had time and resources have concentrated on streets. Saturday night there were constant runs up and down the A1 to keep it going.

However, I can see they got that wrong and should have cleared out number 42 Whinger Close.

Merak lifes a bitch isn't it ! Why don't you invest in a 4 x 4 with snow tyres and your own snow plough to clear your cum de sac?

I can't believe I'm going to post on this (Winter Highland does it to death) but I'm a local and have skied on Cairngorm for over 20 years. It's not a ski resort; it's a hill which has some 30 year old tows on it and a very expensive choo choo designed for summer visitors, sometimes it snows sometimes it doesn't.
Some of the staff try very hard, some of the management are........ let's just say they don't plan or manage very professionally.
Last years exceptional season took them by surprise, unfortunately the same has happened again - unfinished maintenance schedules, lack of hill prep', machines in for servicing, lack of spares.
The only way to get the best out of Scottish skiing is to be equipped for anything, cross-country, ski-touring or lift served, to have the correct tyres on your vehicle and to expect to be frustrated, to not expect Alpine levels of efficiency/weather/snow and to live close enough to grab the good days on a moments notice.
However, when everything comes together it is ones of life's finest experiences to lay first tracks in knee deep champagne powder, in sunshine, 15 minutes from home.

[i]Last years exceptional season took them by surprise, unfortunately the same has happened again - unfinished maintenance schedules, lack of hill prep', machines in for servicing, lack of spares.[/i]

So they've had all summer to do this...

A bit like the Sarah Beany restoration project that is on at the moment, she complains how the snow impacted their schedule because they couldn't do the roof - you do roofs in the SUMMER, not WINTER!

Always struck me that Aviemore could make life easier for staff and visitors alike by having the main winter car park somewhere around Coylumbridge and run properly equipped shuttle buses to the top. That would stop the nonsense with cars blocking the road, allow a number of competing ski hire companies to operate by the parking (including selling lift tickets) and be much greener

allow a number of competing ski hire companies to operate

There's part of the reason right there!

But yes it would make sense, if they could get planning permission and Rothiumurchus estate would sell / lease them the land.

I write this pretty much every time this topic comes up.

The kiwis have a pretty similar situation with their ski resorts. High, above tree-line resorts with no local accommodation, so everyone has to drive up every day. Their access roads are worse than the Cairngorm one by a factor of several orders of magnitude (think steep, unsealed, massive ruts and bombholes, no barriers, death-drops to the side). The weather is pretty similar.

They have a very simple policy when it snows - no chains, no access. There is an enterprising chap at the bottom of the hill renting/selling chains. Simples.

France is pretty much the same too - no access beyond this point unless your vehicle is properly equipped.

So take up a sport that doesn't rely on ridiculous, expensive, ugly, unsustainable infrastructure just to tow you and your posing plank/s up a hill. 😀

The answer is a Pugsley

Check out their website today and the pics may explain why it wasn't open, huge drifts. Having to dig out the ticket office, station, cafe, car park etc.

I live on a cul-de-sac. It's not been gritted.

I parked my car at the end of the street instead, what's the issue?

Oh, and skiing < bikes so I don't care about cairngorm.

I live in a dead end street (it's yorkshire, no poncy 'bottom of sacks' here). It's not been gritted (and never is).
I have winter tyres on my car, so it cause me zero problems.

Ok guys thats the swear ban over,hopefully.Ive been snowboarding in Scotland for about 15 years and have had good and bad days but my point is theres nothing worse than driving for 2 1/2 hours up the A9 to get there,theres loads of snow and the access roads closed.Bus people up or get them on the hill whatever way they can.If they have more snow days=more money then the price of a lift pass might come down.I also think they need to open the gondola to mountain biker in the summer but thats another topic.I thought the point of paying millions for a funicular was to improve access to the mountain.

should we all chip in?[url= http://www.edisposals.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/WFS/Disposals-Public-Site/en_US/-/GBP/ViewProductDetail-Start;pgid=MieqQ4wkQg8000ArvQ_8K1sp0000CArJWN34?ProductUUID=fXrAqBELXF0AAAEan4LbFisf&CatalogCategoryID=0lbAqBELg4cAAAD_PKVpc4d5&JumpTo=OfferList ]Linky[/url]

P.S. did anyone brave the roads/queues today?