Glencoe Mountain Resort
Wednesday morning, I awoke in the back of the car, sunrise lighting up the snow topped mountains around me. I curled up in my sleeping bag, making the most of the remaining warmth. My air mattress keeps going flat, but I had the backup of a roll matt to even out my sleeping surface. I still find myself running behind those who have driven many miles and who are now filling the car park. Its half term, not that I knew before hand. This means the mid-week slopes can be busier than usual. The sunny forecast for Glencoe was sure to attract the crowds today.
Conditions on the Mountain
It had been a clear night, and once again the snow would have set hard. But I left it a touch longer to take the lift up. Giving the sun a bit more time to soften the snow and let the groomers do their thing. It was around 1° Celsius at car park level, and a couple of degrees below that up the hill. Although you wouldn’t think it when you were in the sun. The sky was mostly clear and there was barely a breath of wind.
There is still plenty of coverage and not too dissimilar to yesterday.
Upper Mountain
I was on my own today, so after a couple of Mugs Alley runs I stayed up in Main Basin most of the morning. I took a single shot at Happy Valley, then back to the sugary snow that ran down the verges of Main Basin and through the Haggis Trap.
Conditions had improved slightly. There was less boneshaking altogether and it was almost alpine conditions what with the hard pack pistes and blue skies.
Queuing was minimal and I had a few good chats with folk on the lifts.
Mid Mountain
After lunch in the sun, I did a couple more summit runs before spending the rest of the afternoon on the Cliffy Chair. Mugs Alley was now in the shade of the mountain though and light was getting a bit flat, so by 3:00pm I took Rankin’s return back the Access Lift.
I missed out on Spring Run and the Car Park run. I heard the Springy was still very icy, but Andy the manager at Glencoe had raved about the Carp Park run, saying it was some of the best skiing he’d ever had on it. I had a new board that has recently been serviced, so I wasn’t all that keen to try it. Apparently its good though.
I didn’t want to jinx the last run of my 3 day stay. And a fine stay it was too.
My knee seems to be holding up and I’m hoping I’m building strength round it and soon I can start jumping and spinning a bit more. I also need to take on some steeper slopes and get back to riding with when possible.
Hopefully that will come in the second part of this season. The forecast for the week ahead is cold for the next wee while.
