The primary location factor in the placing of the Coire na Ciste chairlifts was to serve well-known, long-lasting snow-holding areas. Much of Scottish skiing takes place in the spring on drifted snow which collects in natural snow-holding hollows and gullies, and in Coire na Ciste these areas are namely the Ciste Gully, and the East and West Walls.

CairnGorm Mountain Ltd propose to only operate the West Wall Poma, but this lift is situated on an exposed area of hillside that is not naturally known to hold snow. Given its distance away from the natural snow beds and the tendency for the snow in the uptrack to lose cover before the runs do, snowsports seem to regularly be brought to a premature end. I believe that this highlights the fact that without the chairlifts we could find ourselves in a situation where snowsports in Coire na Ciste are compromised.

Chairlifts do not require snow beneath them in order for them to operate, and so with the absense of an uptrack they do not suffer the same problems that the West Wall Poma does. In limited snow conditions, the two chairlifts in Coire na Ciste could still be used without requiring snow on the mounting and dismounting ramps with use of artificial matting.

This means that in late season conditions when the main gully lines are all still complete but the snow does not extend elsewhere onto the mountain, the runs can still be accessed and the chairlifts can still be used.

Including the boardwalk which extends from the lower Ciste Gully to the foot of the West Wall Chairlift, this provides a complete loop for skiers and boarders during times when the poma is unable to be used but the runs are complete. In short, the chairlift infrastructure was chosen and placed where it is for a reason.

CairnGorm Mountain Ltd seem keen to pursue the “no snow” argument which, incidentally, myself and many others believe to be a rather crass and blatantly damaging statement to make. Anybody that skis regularly in Scotland will know of its inaccuracies.

I wonder how many of next years potential skiers and boarders have already been 'scared’ away as a result of these statements? If the “no snow” argument was true, then it must be asked why they therefore do not try and make the best of the snow that they do receive, by using the chairlifts to extend the skiing season? Should questions not be raised as to why they are targeting non-surface uplift for removal? Surely it could be argued that there is more to this than what makes 'economic sense’? – Yours etc,

JAMIE JOHNSTON, 23 Macleod Road, Balloch, Inverness.

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