T SCOTTISH SKIING: WHERE TO START PURE DEAD BRILLIANT
Growing up on a diet of Scottish skiing sounds idyllic. Extreme skier Ross Hewitt dons rose-tinted windproof goggles, and describes winter Sundays at Cairngorm as a kid, playing games like straight-lining down the old speed-skiing route next to the Glas Maol lift, or trying to ski the Tiger run in two or three super-G turns. On clear days, most Brits would argue the Alps have nothing on Scottish light. Ross goes dewy- eyed (admittedly from the safe distance of Chamonix), thinking about the “ever-changing play of light on the landscape, characterised by that unique warm milky light only found in the far north.” And when you’re old enough that your mam can’t keep you piste- bound, Pete argues that a small ski area can actually encourage a big adventurous spirit: Squaw Valley in Lake Tahoe, where Shane McConkey lived, has a big reputation for big skiing, yet it’s a comparable size to Scotland’s Nevis Range ski area. “When people don’t have a huge area to play with, they try new things, like crazier chutes and jumps.” His comment reminds me of Martin Burrows-Smith, the first extreme skier in Scotland, back in the 80s. As a mountain guide at Glenmore Lodge, he was on intimate terms with the Cairngorms. One day, feeling inspired, he dropped into the Grade I climb, Aladdin’s Mirror. Reaching the coire floor, he was buzzing about his discovery: a new and exciting way to spend days in the Scottish hills. And skiing down winter climbs had benefits over ascending them, he recognised: “I could be moving non-stop all day with plenty of adventure, and wasn’t the Highlands just covered in worthy and dramatic Grade I and II and even Grade III gullies!” Martin took his skis all over Scotland, increasingly trying to connect steep descents into worthwhile, rhythmical and logical ski tours, and it became a personal obsession to ski every possible line on Ben Nevis. His story definitely inspired the current generation of freeride skiers, and there are still plenty of cool descents happening in Scotland at the moment. Pete Mackenzie shows me a photo of an amazing line he made the first descent of: Solar Face. In the image, he has jumped over a cornice and is skiing steeps on the way to a 6-metre cliff-huck. He’s a tiny dot in a huge mountain scene. Behind him, the mountains look like summer, proving that sometimes hiking up brown valleys does pay off.
Coire an-t Schneachda and Ben Macdui This glacial cirque is a 20-minute hike from the top of the Cairngorm lifts, and when it’s good it’s very, very good for steep skiing. Rob says he had his best ever ski day here, doing laps on 20cm powder on a spring base. You can also hike from the top of the lifts to the top of Ben Macdui and ski down the second- highest mountain in Britain.
The Nevis Back Corries
After all his research for his guidebooks, Kenny’s favourite place in Scotland is still the off-piste Back Corries, accessible from the top of the Nevis Range lift system. Pull along the summit plateau of Aonach Mor for 200m in one direction or a kilometre in another, and it’s good almost anywhere you drop. Be warned: some lines are so steep they haven’t yet been attempted!
Glencoe ski area
Glencoe ski area is smaller than the Nevis Range, and has a “real ragamuffin feel like a frontier outpost,” says Pete. Expect an array of campervans outside, and Andy Meldrum, the owner, kicking about in the bar in the evening. “It’s like a big mountain with world-class terrain, that just happens to be small. There are things to jump off and gullies all within lift-serviced boundaries,” says Pete.
Munros
With their slow and gentle ascents, some of Scotland’s Munros lend themselves perfectly to ski touring. “Unlike the Alps, with their impressive in-your-face vertical landscape, the Highlands offer long views over stunning valleys filled with pastel colours,” says Blair.
Gullies
Be prepared to travel at a moment’s notice when conditions are good. In a short visit last season, James Thacker and Alison Culshaw ticked No.2 Gully, No.3 Gully, No.5 Gully, South Castle Gully, skied under Little Brenva Face in Coire Leis and skied Observatory Gully. Their tip? “If skiing steep lines, climb up them so you can check the conditions.”
High snow
The higher you go, the more secure the snow is. At the Nevis Range, the summit tow takes you close to the top of Ben Nevis. Likewise the lifts at Cairngorm take you pretty high. However, the weather does tend to be worse higher up!”
The high road
“I’VE SKIED IN FARFLUNG PLACES, BUT I’M STILL MOST ENCHANTED BY SCOTLAND.”
“Ben Lawers was one of the first places Scottish skiing gained momentum, because you can drive quite high, and it’s still good. Likewise the A9 through Ballater and Braemar round by Aviemore is all high. Aim for one of those areas based on where there’s a good forecast and low-lying snow,” says Kenny.
Snow patches
“I have done most of my summer skiing on Ciste Mhearad at Cairngorm,” says Helen. Ben Macdui and Braierach are other prime spots to find snow patches in summer.
R Playtime in the Back Corries.
32 | CLIMB. WALK. JOIN.
PHOTO: HAMISH FROST.
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