The Weardale Ski Club Ltd
Again there is a cover of snow over the fells tonight but not a lot. There is a possibility of skiing tomorrow but a decision wont be made until we see what happens overnight. The answerphone will be updated in teh morning around 9am. Please note that we are using the old answerphone number this week - 01388 517402.
If you want to read about Weardale Ski Club I believe this weekends Financial Times (in saturdays magazine) is running an article about us - not sure what it will read like as the reporter turned up on our worst day of skiing this season!!!
Weardale update Jan 2008
Moderator: Committee Member
-
kateh
- Paid Member
- Posts: 197
- Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 8:12 pm
- How Did You Hear About the Club?: 2
- Location: Durham
Weardale update Jan 2008
Kate H
-
kateh
- Paid Member
- Posts: 197
- Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 8:12 pm
- How Did You Hear About the Club?: 2
- Location: Durham
Re: Weardale update Jan 2008
The Weardale Ski Club Ltd
Apologies for sending this snow alert out so late - I have just got back from seeing "Slumdog Millionaire" - I would highly recommend it - superb film.
More than can be said for todays skiing! It was decided not to ski at Weardale but Yad Moss decided to open and groomed the slopes very nicely. Sadly the wind was too strong to get the Tow running though a few runs were had courtesy of Andrew giving people a lift on the piste basher! Not sure whether they got the tow running after I left but I travelled back and up to Swinhope and was surprised at how much snow we had there but had the same problems with wind. Hopefully if the rain keeps off we are planning to open tomorrow (wednesday) but please check the answerphone before leaving. The road was very difficult to Swinhope this afternoon - I managed with 4WD but wasn't easy. If there is more snow overnight or a sharp frost it may well be difficult tomorrow so please take shovel etc with you and if it is bad use chains (put on before turning up the road).
Remember we are temporarily using the old answerphone number (until 24th Jan) - 01388 517402.
Hope you get some skiing in but if not I can recommend a good film to see!
Apologies for sending this snow alert out so late - I have just got back from seeing "Slumdog Millionaire" - I would highly recommend it - superb film.
More than can be said for todays skiing! It was decided not to ski at Weardale but Yad Moss decided to open and groomed the slopes very nicely. Sadly the wind was too strong to get the Tow running though a few runs were had courtesy of Andrew giving people a lift on the piste basher! Not sure whether they got the tow running after I left but I travelled back and up to Swinhope and was surprised at how much snow we had there but had the same problems with wind. Hopefully if the rain keeps off we are planning to open tomorrow (wednesday) but please check the answerphone before leaving. The road was very difficult to Swinhope this afternoon - I managed with 4WD but wasn't easy. If there is more snow overnight or a sharp frost it may well be difficult tomorrow so please take shovel etc with you and if it is bad use chains (put on before turning up the road).
Remember we are temporarily using the old answerphone number (until 24th Jan) - 01388 517402.
Hope you get some skiing in but if not I can recommend a good film to see!
Kate H
-
kateh
- Paid Member
- Posts: 197
- Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 8:12 pm
- How Did You Hear About the Club?: 2
- Location: Durham
Re: Weardale update Jan 2008
The Weardale Ski Club Ltd
I gather a very good day was had at Weardale Ski Club today with a surprising amount of good snow although only the bottom tow was operating. There are plans to open tomorrow (thursday) so there will be a tow operator there from 10am and hopefully we will get both lifts operating.
The last section of the drive up to the slope was very icy today and several cars got stuck so be careful or alternatively park safely off the road at the foot of the last climb and walk up!
Happy skiing
I gather a very good day was had at Weardale Ski Club today with a surprising amount of good snow although only the bottom tow was operating. There are plans to open tomorrow (thursday) so there will be a tow operator there from 10am and hopefully we will get both lifts operating.
The last section of the drive up to the slope was very icy today and several cars got stuck so be careful or alternatively park safely off the road at the foot of the last climb and walk up!
Happy skiing
Kate H
-
phil
- Committee Member
- Posts: 520
- Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2005 9:20 am
- How Did You Hear About the Club?: 0
- Location: Durham
Re: Weardale update Jan 2008
There has been skiing at Swinhope Wednesday + Thursday with surprisingly good cover though I believe Wednesday was the better of the two days. The snow was rather heavy on the upper slopes but with a frost forecast tonight it is hoped that we will be able to piste the upper slopes tomorrow in preparation for skiing on Saturday. We are not planning to open on friday but the weather forecast is currently good for Saturday so hopefully we will run then. Despite the relative lack of snow lower down I am told that there is loads on the upper slopes, in places reaching the tops of the snow fences. The new snow fencing has helped retain some of the snow so thanks to all those who helped erect it last year.
If you fancy seeing Swinhope alongside resorts like Courcheval, St Anton, Verbier, Yad Moss etc have a look at htis site http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Swinhope
I love some of the information like closest airport and the wonderfully drawn piste map! Feel free to add a review (as long as it is favourable!). It is a very useful site for weather forecasts though!
If you are planning to come at the weekend please check the answerphone 1st - we are still using the old one on 01388 517402 until after this weekend when we wil revert to the normal one
Steve
If you fancy seeing Swinhope alongside resorts like Courcheval, St Anton, Verbier, Yad Moss etc have a look at htis site http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Swinhope
I love some of the information like closest airport and the wonderfully drawn piste map! Feel free to add a review (as long as it is favourable!). It is a very useful site for weather forecasts though!
If you are planning to come at the weekend please check the answerphone 1st - we are still using the old one on 01388 517402 until after this weekend when we wil revert to the normal one
Steve
-
kateh
- Paid Member
- Posts: 197
- Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 8:12 pm
- How Did You Hear About the Club?: 2
- Location: Durham
Re: Weardale update Jan 2008
Phil and I went skiing at Weardale today, excellent, only a bit of grass and ice. Phil and I had a fantastic day's skiing, it was so much fun and a bit surreal skiing in County Durham!!! Well worth a visit.
Snow chains a must and take care on the road, it is steep and slippy.
Snow chains a must and take care on the road, it is steep and slippy.
Kate H
-
kateh
- Paid Member
- Posts: 197
- Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 8:12 pm
- How Did You Hear About the Club?: 2
- Location: Durham
Re: Weardale update Jan 2008
The Weardale Ski Club Ltd
What a great day today. The weather was cold but dry, the snow plentyful and widespread and has been well pisted. There was something for everyone today - lots of untouched "off piste" and snow drifts and blown snow creating drop offs, jumps etc. There was some acrobatic snowboard action today - some intended and some not! Drifting snow also filled in the western side of the Gully which made for some interesting terrain.
We had problems with the top lift when one of the belts snapped but thanks to Gil and Barry that was fixed and running again later on. We must have had close to 100 people there today from all over the country. Top prize must go to Tim and Amelia who left Guildford in Surrey at 5am for a days skiing which they thoroughly enjoyed. A close second goes to Barry and Kerry who drove up last night from Gloucester to spend a day with us. There were also visitors from Leeds, Sheffield, Halifax and Chesterfield joining us today and we also had our first "sit skier" - Steve - paralysed from a climbing accident years ago but able to ski sitting in a "bucket chair" balanced on a ski and with 2 tiny skis on his poles. He needed to be towed across by the piste basher to the bottom lift but once there put a few skiers to shame with his skills. Thanks to all of you and hope you had a great day.
We are planning to ski tomorrow and there will be a tow operator present from 10am. There is more than enough snow for us and the only uncertainty is the weather - I have heard various forecasts from heavy rain to snow to sunny spells. I will let you make up your own minds what the weather will do but we hope to be running from 10am. The road was tricky this morning but a little better by late afternoon, however if there is fresh snowfall overnight take care on the drive and remember to pack a shovel
Steve
What a great day today. The weather was cold but dry, the snow plentyful and widespread and has been well pisted. There was something for everyone today - lots of untouched "off piste" and snow drifts and blown snow creating drop offs, jumps etc. There was some acrobatic snowboard action today - some intended and some not! Drifting snow also filled in the western side of the Gully which made for some interesting terrain.
We had problems with the top lift when one of the belts snapped but thanks to Gil and Barry that was fixed and running again later on. We must have had close to 100 people there today from all over the country. Top prize must go to Tim and Amelia who left Guildford in Surrey at 5am for a days skiing which they thoroughly enjoyed. A close second goes to Barry and Kerry who drove up last night from Gloucester to spend a day with us. There were also visitors from Leeds, Sheffield, Halifax and Chesterfield joining us today and we also had our first "sit skier" - Steve - paralysed from a climbing accident years ago but able to ski sitting in a "bucket chair" balanced on a ski and with 2 tiny skis on his poles. He needed to be towed across by the piste basher to the bottom lift but once there put a few skiers to shame with his skills. Thanks to all of you and hope you had a great day.
We are planning to ski tomorrow and there will be a tow operator present from 10am. There is more than enough snow for us and the only uncertainty is the weather - I have heard various forecasts from heavy rain to snow to sunny spells. I will let you make up your own minds what the weather will do but we hope to be running from 10am. The road was tricky this morning but a little better by late afternoon, however if there is fresh snowfall overnight take care on the drive and remember to pack a shovel
Steve
Kate H
-
kateh
- Paid Member
- Posts: 197
- Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 8:12 pm
- How Did You Hear About the Club?: 2
- Location: Durham
Re: Weardale update Jan 2008
The Weardale Ski Club Ltd
We have been skiing again today and there is still plenty of snow but it is deteriorating in quality. The unpisted snow today was rather heavy (a bit like skiing in slow motion) and the pisted areas were a bit icy where it had melted then re-frozen though it did soften up a bit later. There was still some good snow coming down from F2 into the "motorbike run" as it is known. F2 is up and running again after a slight glitch on Sunday. When we left there was light rain which could turn to snow but the forecast for tomorrow is heavy rain which may translate into snow if we are lucky.
I think it is unlikely that there will be any skiing tomorrow but if you are keen check the answerphone in the morning in case the forecast is wrong. I am not planning to send out any more snow alerts until it picks up again.
Les kindly sent me this link to a local weather station north of Rookhope - Boltsburn Park - it gives 14 day forecasts if anyone is interested. You can also look at Great Dun Fell (near Alston) which is higher and more westerley.
http://www.meteogroup.co.uk/uk/home/wea ... ityID=3235
Steve
We have been skiing again today and there is still plenty of snow but it is deteriorating in quality. The unpisted snow today was rather heavy (a bit like skiing in slow motion) and the pisted areas were a bit icy where it had melted then re-frozen though it did soften up a bit later. There was still some good snow coming down from F2 into the "motorbike run" as it is known. F2 is up and running again after a slight glitch on Sunday. When we left there was light rain which could turn to snow but the forecast for tomorrow is heavy rain which may translate into snow if we are lucky.
I think it is unlikely that there will be any skiing tomorrow but if you are keen check the answerphone in the morning in case the forecast is wrong. I am not planning to send out any more snow alerts until it picks up again.
Les kindly sent me this link to a local weather station north of Rookhope - Boltsburn Park - it gives 14 day forecasts if anyone is interested. You can also look at Great Dun Fell (near Alston) which is higher and more westerley.
http://www.meteogroup.co.uk/uk/home/wea ... ityID=3235
Steve
Kate H