First surprise today was the car park — a sheet of ice giving no traction on tyres or on foot. Second surprise (more enjoyable) is that there has been no significant loss of snow at the Clash, except Cabrach Corner which looked patchy due to exposure to sun, wind and any rain. However, groomed trails have turned into neve and are disconcertingly fast. Trails under larches have been strewn with twigs, many of which I removed; while under the spruces there are millions of needles, giving something of braking effect. They will add a distinctive layer to the snowpack if it gets deeper. I spent most of this morning on the softer, sugary snow on the verges. A couple who had driven over from Boat of Garten sensibly decided that Sheepfolds was the better option than the groomed trails. There were also 2 other skiers out this morning. Surprisingly the car park was not too windy, but up at the Orange mast it was storm force. Here at Inverurie there have been dangerously violent crosswinds and gusts on the A96, on the exposed stretch at the north end of the bypass. Here is my report on Winterhighland:

“Groomed trails are now as hard as neve, and very fast, although for rather more comfortable skiing it’s usually possible to find softer, sugary snow on the verges. This means that ungroomed trails such as Sheepfolds should be more pleasant than the main trails. Compacted snow depths are 15-20cm, with 20-25cm on the uncompacted verges. The car park is currently a skid pan”.

Thanks to Colin Miller for report.