Tuesday 2 February 2021

Ski tour - ski more!

Conditions for XC ski touring here in Aberdeenhire have continued to be exceptionally good - so good that I've been doing lots of skiing and not much blogging!  Repeated snowfall and overnight temperatures well below freezing have combined to build a really deep and stable snowpack.  In the forests the tracks are skiing really well.....





...on compacted tracks where there have been lots of traffic.  Off the usual routes the snow has a good crust, and is very pretty, but is just failing to hold my weight on forest skis.




Out on the open hills the views are really enhanced by snow cover, Tap o' Noth's summit hillfort is standing out particularly well.




All the high ground has good snow cover - and since this image was taken in the last week of January there have been further heavy falls to build up the snowpack.



It's a different world up here on the Correen ridge, just five minutes drive and 300m altitude separates the ridge from my house, but up here the wind is stingingly cold and the temperatures are lower by day - it's quite arctic.




Whenever I've been up doing short tours I've met other skiers - and in the spirit of the latest Covid lockdown almost all have been neighbours, friends and locals.  And really, if you have conditions like this on the doorstep, why travel any distance?!





So, skiing has taken centre stage for now while the good conditions last!  Under a blue sky it's marvellous, but if the touring by day has been good, touring during evenings and nights has been superb.....







 

8 comments:

  1. Delighted to make the cut ! So lucky to have these superb conditions to make a January lockdown so much easier

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    1. Good to see you and James up there! Looks like the snow will be here for some time to come... :o)

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  2. Pleased for you in these difficult times.

    poemblogtwentyfour.blogspot.com is out by the way.

    Good health, Mark.

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    1. Thanks Mark - there are some lovely words and images there!

      Slainte!

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  3. Wonderful photos. We are so lucky to be able to enjoy this winter in Aberdeenshire.

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    1. Thanks Lorna - and yes, we're in the right place just now! :o)

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  4. Fantastic. Just shows you how a few degrees of temperature can make all the difference as we've had very little snow this year, low down, but months of rain instead.
    I would prefer the snow myself as it really adds to the landscape and any day out.

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  5. Thanks Bob - we've got more than enough snow now - the most since winter 2010-11, and it just keeps coming! We may be skiing for some time to come...

    :o)

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