Glenshee Ski resort

Thinking of heading there Thursday for my birthday for a spot of boarding. Never been boarding in Scotland before and am worried its going to be crap having been spoilt with Lake Tahoe/Mammoth for 5 years when I lived in the states and more recently Zermatt and Saas Fe.

probably more worried about it being predominantly poma tows and t bars which I hate, Conditions look fairly good though according to ski reports.

It’ll be rubbish….(compared to the US).

Only two chairlifts I can think of – one of which takes you to the top of a blue and a green. The other is rarely on and goes to the top of a black that is rarely open because it’s in the shadow of the hill and therefore is perpetually icey!

Can get the odd nice day a year when the bowl at GlasMoal is open / full of snow / sunny. How far are you travelling from? We’re only 45 mins away so in that respect it’s pretty good.

Strap it on and GO. If you can board in Scotland you can board anywhere.

Aye, it’ll be rubbish, even at its best its a bit naff compared to some resorts in high mountains. But it is on a relatively low hillside in Scotland.

http://www.ski-glenshee.co.uk/Webcam

I think whattyres works there.

Agree with the above, poma tows are actually ok on a board it’s the T-bars that are a pain (quite literally).

I learned to board (and ski) in Scotland so I’m used to it and view my trips abroad as bonus time, I’ve had some fantastic days at Glenshee but you have to be realistic in comparison to US resorts – much shorter runs and crap lifts.

Glas Maol is great fun and if the Tiger is not too icy it’s a good challenge.

There is more snow predicted for Wednesday so Thursday could actually be a great day to get some powder…

Ill be going from Dundee, so only 45-50 mins away.

Figured its worth a shot and on a Thursday it will hopefully be quieter. Supposed to snow tomorrow too, so may get a power day.

Havent boarded for nearly 3 years to will probably be sufficient to get my legs back into it.

I appreciate it will be no squaw valley, but just fancied doeing something different for this years birthday.

I’m heading up to Aviemore on Friday for a pre Alps warm up. Don’t expect the Alps/US and you won’t be disappointed. If the weather gods are smiling Scottish skiing can be amazing. Even crap boarding/skiing is better than no boarding/skiing.

It’ll be nothing like your US or Swiss trips, but it’s great if the whole area’s open.. make sure and try and get out to the glas maol side. If you get good weather it’ll be a great day. best bet is to check out

http://www.winterhighland.info/snowreports/index.php?resort=gs

Wish it was me, im recovering from a hernia and probably not going to be able to board all season.. 🙁

the poma’s and tbars in glenshee are lethal if you’re on a snowboard.

They run them very fast, and some literally pick you up off the ground.

I’ve got about 15 years snowboarding experience, and I managed ok, but still found them a challenge.

julians +1

I am pretty experienced but suffered the indignity of falling off several times before getting the hang of one of the first lifts there. It was ok when I went – conditions look a lot better at the moment though.

I don’t mind T-bars or pomas as long as they go verrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyy slooooooooowwwwwwwlllllllyyyyyyyyy. 🙂

I still have memories of getting stranded in the middle of a very tree-y, rocky nowhere in Canada when coming off a t-bar (or could have been a poma). The indignity of it…taking the board off and trudging for around half an hour before finding a piste. 🙄

‘Ski Resort’ is a bit generous.

I am pretty sure they could launch planes off aircraft carriers with the Pomas at Glenshee! I have seen children in tears being pulled off the ground by them. I too have had the indigity of walking after missing the poma too many times, when learning.

Despite half-term, it should be a little bit quieter on Thursday and am sure the lifties will help you out. If you fall off, just walk to the side and wait for another turn, rather than re-queuing from the back.

Some of the lifts have an initial kick, but once you get used to it, you will be grand. Pomas and t bars are a fact of life in Scotland, but if you can ride them here, you can ride them anywhere.

Set you expectations low, but if the conditions and overhead work in your favour, you could have an awesome day.

Enjoy

Get yourself up there and have fun. If your worried about falling off a poma or Tee-bar have you considerd taking up another hobby?

How does the Lecht compare to Glenshee? I was hearing the other night about how Aviemore’s had some great conditions this year, not so far away either.

The poma at the back of Glas Maol is a rite of passage for Scottish snowboarders, everyone is off the ground for the first 6-10 feet. Once you get the hang of leaning back and going with it it’s fine though. The real killer is icy poma tracks that slope to the side…

The Pomas of Glenshee, I’m sure that’s a song by some dodgy folk band or so (if not it should be) they are almost as much fun as the downy bits.

Friday looks a bit less wild than Thursday.

And don’t forget to check the road before setting off. Been closed a few times recently.

How does the Lecht compare to Glenshee? I was hearing the other night about how Aviemore’s had some great conditions this year, not so far away either.

It’s MUCH smaller than Glenshee and fairly basic on the runs but it’s still enjoyable.

It does have a decent chairlift if you do struggle with pomas.

The Lecht is a superb place for beginners as they have specific beginners lifts (including a travelator type one). The cafe & bar unit was only built a few years back and is pretty good.

I’ve had some great days up at Glenshee. Yes the tows are a pain, but you will be there during the week, so at least won’t have a crowd looking on if it takes you a few goes to get the hang of it. As you say the snow forecast for tomorrow should freshen up the slopes.

It’ll never match the US, but how cool is it that you can leave home for a days snowboarding and be home again for tea! Love it 🙂

EDIT: although I think it is half term break for Edinburgh and Stirling at the end of the week, so might be a bit busier than normal.

Was up on Friday,*it was fine.

*I learned to ski in Scotland ,so I have a built in heather and rock avoidance system

Going back up on Saturday 🙂

Oh look

🙂

It will be a challenge so you’ll love it. You don’t ride on canal towpaths all day so why stick to lovely groomed European pistes?

Some breaking news that a chairlift has derailed at the Lecht, not much more on it at present, hopefully no major injuries.

Edit for link
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-21434338

Had 4 foot of powder about 2 weeks ago, excellent between the chair pylons… Careful of the large boulders though !
45 minutes for me too, so go for it. Not as good as alpine resorts but sufferable if only 45 minutes away tbh.

Ski ‘area’ is more factual than ‘resort’.

Went there last year when Aviemore was closed on account of the wind (when we got to the top it was topping 60mph and they wouldn’t let us up again). Glenshee had a more ‘relaxed’ view of danger and were still open. After finally getting to the top on the mental fast pomas (i’m a boarder), a huge gust came in and I was litterally blown off my feet / board and deposited on a fence 5ft away.

I’ve filed snowboarding in scotland under ‘an experience’ rather than ‘epic boarding’.

[/url]
IMG_0246.jpg[/url] by Ewan Panter[/url], on Flickr

That was Avimore. Lovely. Walking on ice IIRC here…

[/url] IMG00143-20100301-0938[/url] by Moose[/url], on Flickr[/img]

On a good day with fresh snow boarding in Scotland can be great. Had a great day here in 2010 when the wife was pregnant and we didn’t go with our usual group. They were in Tignes and having a grey foggy day when I emailed them this photo from the slopes.

However I only got 1 day out of the 2 planned because the road was closed the day before. On site catering isn’t a patch on the States or Europe more like Bulgaria 🙂

Just go for it. We regularly used to head up from Dundee for the day and I can tell you it is a shock after learning to ski in Scotland to encounter pistes without rocks/heather, a lack of driving sideways rain, short lift queues and this soft stuff called snow rather than ice when I finally went abroad to ski.

Having said that the day above was a fantastic day and ranks as 1 of the best days boarding I have had.

http://www.facebook.com/GlensheeSkiCentre

http://www.braemarscotland.co.uk/cam/cam.htm denied

we were up there on tuesday – conditions were great! all but one lift open. it’s not the biggest ski-resort and the tickets are comparatively expensive (with europe and north america), but it’s better to get a day there than not get out at all.

Cairngorm is closed as well.

Should be good once it clears

So just got back from an awesome day at Glenshee. Snow was perfect, so was the weather.

My wife tells me not to get used to it, as it was a one off, but a good day boarding was had non the less.
Pomas werent too bad either 😉

Excellent, looks like a great day. Pomas make you work a bit but are not that bad.

Bank that day of blue skies and great snow as a memory to keep your spirits up and enjoy the next visit when normal service of grey cloud, rocks etc reappears.

I’m just jealous as unlikely to get any snow days this year.

Today was an epic day…first day in 10 that the sun has come out…it’s getting a bit slushy but still fun.the trick is forget your foreign experiences and just enjoy it for what it is…the last couple of years the infrastructure has improved remarkably…2 new piste bullys( which makes a massive difference when they’re is snow) a lot of the lifts have had new motors fitted which cuts down on the vertical situations…they’re not as bad as I remembered… Come say hi if your up,I’ll be in a yellow instructors jacket residing on dink dink picking up small fallen children incessantly… 🙂