Best Conditions of Season So Far in Scotland

It’s the best conditions this season, and equaling the best for the past few seasons, on Scottish ski slopes at present.

An online post from Nevis Range ski centre advises, “The skiing is far too good to go to work today so call in sick now!”

They add that their ski patrol report that the skiing is exceptional from their morning safety inspection.

Up to now Scotland’s ski season has played out in a similar fashion to recent years with some good snowfalls but then temperatures rising soon afterwards so the snow largely melts away making it difficult to build a base.

This time though Storm Ciara kept dumping for four days and currently it is still sub-zero.  More snow is forecast for the weekend.

SkiScotland report that more than half of the country’s 100+ ski runs – equalling the most open reached on a few occasions last season, and the best this winter to date by some distance.

The most are open at Glencoe, which is almost fully open, with Cairngorm (slope prep earlier this week pictured below), Glenshee (pictured above and top) and Nevis Range opening nine or more runs each.  Only The Lecht so far says they do not quite have enough snow yet to open more than their base area nursery slopes.  

All five Scottish Highland ski areas have been able to open at least some terrain all winter hanks to their investment in all-weather snowmaking machines which make snow inside large chambers before it is spayed out on to the slopes, so it can work regardless of the external temperature. The centres have used this to create beginner areas, snow play slopes short ski runs and small terrain parks.