Bluebird weather at the Clash today. Lower trails have 30-70cm of very variable spring snow, described by one skier as “meringue” (firm patches, then you break through into the soft part). Off-piste in the forest there is about 90cm. Haute Route consists largely of unfathomed drifts, including one spectacular 4-metre high wall across Leids Leap. Best trails for firm snow were the main trail at the Hut, and that part of the Haute Route from the top of Short Cut northward to the top of the hill. Timberline is 2-3 metres deep and was firm and velvet smooth this morning. The open hill has similar stretches but also large expanses of sastrugi.
Car park was ploughed by around midday, with ample space in front and back zones. The B-road from Lumsden was closed as of this morning. The A941 from Rhynie is open to the Clash car park. It has been ploughed but is single-track in places, with high snowbanks. Meltwater from these will cause sheet ice if there’s a frost. Anecdotal evidence confirms that the A941 was still blocked on the Cabrach side around lunchtime today.
Colin Miller
comment from Dave Horsley
Skied a haute route figure of eight. Conditions were deep and soft and the skiing was slow. There are big drifts in places and the trail has been scoured of snow in places, though there is plenty of snow to ski on, its just not where you might expect. There is a skier produced track appearing, but in places its over knee deep.
Depth of snow on the trails varies from 50cms to at least 1.5m (I faceplanted when my pole dissappeared full depth). One of the drifts along the haute route is at least 2 probably 3m deep.
