Aviemore Ski Trip advice?

[snotrag]

No Alps trip for me this year for various reasons. Me and a few mates fancy a few days sliding in Aviemore to get the hit.

When do we realistically need to go by? Will there be any snow left in March? Obviously dependent on Weather etc but when, typically, do things tend to melt away?

I've read up on the touristy, official type sites but what with them being no doubt desperate for custom, I'm taking it all with a large pinch of salt.

If we only want to do Thurs-Mon, any reccomendations for a good cheap B+B, Hostel type thing? Warm, clean, A Big breakfast and close to the snow is the only real consideration.

We'll drive up from Yorkshire in Diesel cars so transport is easy and cheap, and we're not fussed about the distance.

Is this a daft idea - I.E. will we actually get to do any half decent skiing? No expert, I'd just like to do more distance than the length of Xcsape this year!

I hear all sorts from people I know - some claiming they loved it and the Ski area is plenty big enough etc, others claiming its a total waste of a trip, no snow, no runs open, like turning up to your local park with a pair of planks to slide on the muddy sledging runs. Clearly this is subjective and YMMV but I'd like to hear some other opinions...

Thanks all.

[alfa pint]

It's entirely weather dependant! So don't book anything, or if you do book something, be prepared to do something other than skiing.

I was skiing in Glencoe in late March last year and most of it was still covered in snow, right down to the main access chairlift, although there was a bit of rock dodging. The snow wasn't great - the first hour was effectively concrete and then it turned into sugar, but you could ski on it. Aonach Mor was more or less the same.

(I don't go to Aviemore very often because of the distance; the 2 'resorts' above are much closer)

In 2010, you could ski in Aviemore in June. It was effectively hardened slush and was a thin strip of 'snow' about 200 yds long. Not worth the effort frankly.

I'll leave others to recommend particular places in Aviemore to stay, but my general advice is to be open minded about focussing on Aviemore and go where the snow is as there's sufficient distance between say Aonach Mor and Aviemore to have completely different snow conditions. Only Aviemore, Aonach More and Glenshee have enough runs to make it worth a weekend of pure skiing. The Lecht is tiny and Glencoe, while really friendly and cheap, has enough runs to keep you occupied for about a day, tops.

[RVVUNM]

I went there for two weeks back in (Jan)1980 and managed to ski 4 days out of 13. Very cold, windy and foggy most days.

[a311]

snotrag said:

Is this a daft idea - I.E. will we actually get to do any half decent skiing? No expert, I'd just like to do more distance than the length of Xcsape this year!

Thanks all.

As alpha pint says the key is to be flexible. You simply can’t say ‘right I’m heading to Scotland X-weeks in advance’ then expect to turn up to good conditions.

Also the conditions can vary greatly between one resort to another in a similar area never mind from west to east coasts! What the wind will be like is almost as big of a consideration as what snow cover you’ll turn up to-pre Christmas there was loads of snow but it was also hellish windy so Nevis Range was closed and a few of the chair lifts were blown off their rails too.

I travel up to Oban allot to see family so if it’s winter I take my skis and if the conditions warrant it I try to fit in some sliding if not I wait until next time. I’ve had glorious conditions up Nevis Range in April and if the back corries are open it really is as good as anywhere IMO and I’ve skied all over the world.

I’m actually up this weekend and hope to get to get to Glencoe, things look reasonably OK at the moment.

Moral of the story is as it started if you’re flexible can literally pack the car and head north at a minutes notice it’s great. If I needed to book even a week from now I wouldn’t. IME March is about the best time for skiing in Scotland with the best conditions more likely.