Today, enjoying the sunny powder on Lowther Hill. Tomorrow Sunday: strong winds expected, we have decided not to run the tows. We'll assess conditions on Monday and may consider opening during the week if volunteers are available.
Steady thaw in the South of Scotland, most of the snow has gone from the villages and Lowther Hill. Facilities closed, waiting for more snow to arrive. Here is a video of conditions at the Shortcleuch Gully on Sunday 8th before the thaw:
Our dedicated volunteers have kept the Leadhills nursery area open since Thursday last week. There is no more snow forecast for this week, so make the most of the current conditions while they last! Here is a video showing the fantastic conditions we enjoyed at the nursery area last Sunday:
Today we ran one of our mightly portable tows on Lowther Hill.
Fantastic weekend at the nursery area in Leadhills -and glorious weather on Sunday 18th- when for the first time this season we had to open a second ski tow.
Snow and strong winds forecast for the weekend. Still unclear whether we'll get enough snow to open the nursery slope on Sunday. Ski Club members will receive an update by email on Saturday night if we think we might be able to open on Sunday.
We are planning to open the nursery slope this weekend if we get enough snow. Ski Club members will receive an update by email on Friday.
The snow fallen last week has thawed, therefore we won't open the nursery area this weekend. However, Lowther Hills Ski Club member Ross Dolder, with friends Jamie Johnston and Craig Cameron enjoyed the snow above Leadhills to practise some winter skills including transceiver searches for avalanche rescue, and snow-hole making for emergency shelters.
We decided not to open the nursery area yet as the core volunteers were still focused in the construction of the Lowther Hill tow as well as a number of operational matters. In the meantime, Ross Dolder, Pete Coulson, Craig Cameron and Jamie Adcock went for a 10 mile ski tour from Wanlockhead to Elvanfoot to give us a flavour of the Lowther Hills' backcountry.
The Ski Club facilities are now closed for the season. We leave you with a video of a day in February 2014 when we went up Lowther Hill to play about on the slope where we will sit the Club's new 600 metre-long ski tow.
We look forward to seeing you next Winter season 2014/15!
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