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Snow Forecast

The Area

Glenshee is really two separate ski areas, facing each other across a high pass. The area comprises of 5 main mountains located in 3 valleys, though the centre valley is much smaller. There is no lift or skiable link between the two sectors, but it is only a very short walk across the car park, so this is not a problem.

The western sector comprises is a large bowl, formed by two mountains, the Cairnwell (933m) and Carn Aosda (917m). Beginners will enjoy the gentle green run from Carn Aosda down through Bucharts Corrie, progressing onto the blues down the face of Carn Aosda. More advanced skiers will want to head for the Tiger (Black) and Thunderbowl (Red) runs which are quite challenging. The Carn Aosda runs are south facing, but the snow holding is still good, because it is often in the shadow of the Cairnwell.

The eastern sector is somewhat larger and comprises Sunnyside, Meall Odhar (922m) and Glas Moal (1068m). Sunnyside is an excellent area for nervous skiers, with a large number of confidence building blues and greens on both faces. Meall Odhar and Glas Moal have some nice reds for the more advanced skier, those on Glas Moal being particularly good. When the snow is good it is possible to ski down below the level of the Glas Moal and Corrie Fionn pomas down to the A93, but you'll have to get a lift back to the ski station base. Sunnyside is probably one of the biggest weaknesses of the Glenshee ski area. The Snow holding on Glas Moal and Meall Odhar is generally very good, but access to these areas is dependent on surface lifts across Sunnyside. It is not uncommon for the entire sector to be closed because of insufficient snow on the Sunnyside runs and lift tracks, even though the snow beyond is good.

Glenshee also has a few snow cannons which can be used to improve snow conditions on a few key runs when the weather is suitable.

Lift System

Glenshee has the largest and probably the most efficient lift system in Scotland. Many of the lifts are doubled up, so more so than other areas, there is extra capacity available in the lift system for busy periods. Do not be put of if the snow reports show as much as half of the lift system to be closed, the entire area can often still be accessed.

The western sector is the older of the two, and this shows in the lift system. The main lifts are mixture, with an old single chair going the entire length of the Cairnwell and a number of slow T-bars and buttons in the rest of the bowl. With the exception of the 2 lifts on the Cairnwell, all the lifts and runs in this sector lead to the Cairnwell restaurant, which is situated on a rise above the base station. Access to the Cairnwell sector from car park level is not very well organised. The Cairnwell chairlift runs from car park level to the Cairnwell summit and from here you can ski down to the other lifts, however, this is not recommended for nervous skiers, who will have to walk across the base of the mountain to the plastic slope poma.

Most of the lifts in the eastern sector are fast poma buttons, although there is an old double chair on Sunnyside, and a T-bar on Meall Odhar. This section badly needs a chair lift to connect the top of Sunnyside to Meall Odhar, giving reliable access when the snow is poor. Many of the lifts in this sector are doubled up, with the notable exception of the farthest lift, the Glas Moal poma which can suffer from long queues on good days.

Location

The Glenshee ski centre is located on the highest point of the A93 Perth - Braemar road. The closest accommodation to the ski centre is at Spittal of Glenshee, 6 miles away, however Spittal is very remote and has no proper shops. Braemar (8 miles) makes for a more comfortable skiing base.

Gallery

Base area and Carn Aosda, Feb 2005

Sunnyside Pomas, Feb 2005

Cainwell sector from Meall Odhar, Feb 2005

Glas Moal, Feb 2005

Corie Fionn and Glas Moal Poma, Feb 2005

Meall Odhar Poma, Feb 2005

View towards Glas Maol from A93 (Braemar side), below ski area. April 2001

View of Cairnwell (far left) and Carn Aosda (far right) from top of Sunnyside. March 1996
(Click for larger version)

View of Glas Maol (far distance) and Meall Odhar (middle) from top of Cairnwell chairlift.
Sunnyside is off the left of the picture. April 2001

View from top of Cairnwell chair across Butchart's Corrie towards Carn Aosda, April 2001

Glas Maol from half way up Corrie Fionn drag, April 2001

View from top of Glas Maol. Most of the rest of the ski area is hidden to the left. March 1996
(Click for larger version)

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