CairnGorm Mountain calls time on 'excellent' ski season
An excellent snowsports season at CairnGorm Mountain has finally drawn to a close with the resort declaring that conditions will not allow them to open for snowsports again this season.
They have had 113,582 skier and boarder days in a season which started on December 1, last year, and finished on Sunday (May 19).
The figure is more than twice last season’s total but not quite reaching the 120,000 or 140,000 of the two exceptional season prior to that.
CairnGorm opened for snowsports on 139 days during this period but lost a larger than normal number of days to storms.
The resort could not open on 29 days on ten of which the ski road to the top of the resort was closed. The average number of stormed off days in a season is 19.
CairnGorm Mountain Chief Executive Ian Whitaker said: "It has been a great season. We were particularly fortunate with the timing of heavy snowfalls just prior to our busiest periods of February half term and the Easter holiday period and then good overhead conditions during those times.
"This enabled us to maximise our numbers. I need to pay tribute also to the work of our operations and piste grooming team in getting the slopes into such good condition which many of our customers have commented on.
"With so much of the hill and so many of the tows open throughout the season queuing times were kept to a minimum as early arrivals were quickly dispersed on to the pistes and the separation of customers who need to hire equipment from those who only needed tickets also helped greatly in this regard."
The terrain park also attracted a lot of attention in the latter part of the season and hosted several events including The Vans Hi Standard Big Air series (the successor to their Dawn of the Shred) which drew the crowds.
The event’s two previous locations in the series had been Les Arcs and Mayerhohoffen and competition winner Danny McCormick described the park as ‘The best kicker I have ever ridden in the UK’ at what snowboarding magazine Whitelines called ‘The spiritual home of British snowboarding’.
The resort also ran its own freestyle event for the first time with the CairnGorm Slopestyle Jam taking place on April 27. A FIS/BASI speed trial took place on the resort’s iconic White Lady piste for the first time in a decade and a farewell race to mark Noel Baxter’s retirement followed.
Mr Colin Kirkwood, CairnGorm Mountain marketing manager, said the resort is now turning its focus to the other activities which the resort normally offers between May and October.
He said: "This year however the snow on the upper part of the mountain has lasted so long that the start of the guided activities from the top station of the funicular railway has been delayed by a month and will take place from June 1."
The guided walks from the top which have been running on a trial basis for two years have just been given approval to become a permanent activity outside the snowsports season.
This year the operators have also been given permission to continue with the trial - piloted last summer - of guided mountain bike descents from the top station.
Two exhilarating descents are on offer every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday and the experience includes funicular travel and the use of a Specialized Rockhopper bike plus helmet, shinpads and glasses.
All descents are accompanied by a TCL (Trail Cycle Leader) qualified guide to ensure the safety and enjoyment of riders.
