Skiing in Scotland
Basics:
Clothing:
It might sound obvious, but how you dress when you’re up in the mountains is one of the most important things you’re going to have to deal with. That’s not to say that you need to go out and spend hundred of pounds on the latest designer gear – you don’t. Better to save that cash and spend it on a couple of extra days on the snow. However, there are certain things to do and certain things to avoid.
Contrary to what most people would expect, the most important characteristic of ski clothing is not how warm it is. Skiing is an energetic physical sport and you’re going to generate a fair bit of heat along the way – if your coat is windproof and waterproof but thin, you’re going to be much better off than someone wrapped up in the equivalent of a down duvet – they’ll be lovely and warm until they head into the warm for lunch or to go to the loo, or to buy a postcard or any one of half a dozen things. Then the snow they’ve got on their clothing will melt and soak in, and when they leave they might as well not be wearing a coat at all. If you get your one thick layer of clothing damp and you can’t dry it out then you’re going to end up a human ice man. Layers are a much better way of staying warm – a good base layer, a t-shirt, a fleece and a waterproof jacket is a pretty good combination. The same goes for your lower half and for your gloves – waterproof is more important than warm. You can always put on more layers, but you can’t easily dry out something on a mountain.
Another thing to be wary of is wearing too many layers – put too many layers on and you’re going to sweat heavily when the going gets tough, and you don’t want that. I like to wear a backpack when I ski so that I can quickly adapt to changing conditions by removing or adding layers or changing my hat and gloves for thinner alternatives. As a general rule of thumb, if you can stand on the top of the mountain and be lovely and warm, you may well be wearing too many clothes. You’re only going to get hotter on the way down it.
Where to buy ski gear:
As I said above you can fork out hundreds for the very latest technology, but it’s not usually worth it. Skiing (like a few other sports I could mention) is very image-driven. This season’s clothing will usually have a substantial mark up that isn’t really justified by what you’re buying. Shop around and see if you can find somewhere trying to get rid of some older stock – I bought my current jacket last April in an end-of-season sale for about a quarter of what it would have been if I had bought it in December or January. The same goes for your other equipment – goggles, slalopettes and so on. They’ll usually be just as good as this season’s models but for a fraction of the price.
Goggles and glasses:
I would recommend that everyone who goes skiing takes either a pair of goggles or a decent pair of polarised sunglasses. I don’t personally like wearing goggles very much, but they are invaluable in high winds or when the snow starts to fall heavily. Believe me; you’re not going to be able to keep your eyes open without a pair. Sunglasses are important when it’s sunny to minimise glare from the bright white snow and also to give your eyes some protection against the cold wind, though I prefer them because they steam up less easily than goggles.
Weather conditions:
It’s a cliché, but weather in the mountains can change very, very fast. They can even be significantly different from one place on the hill to another. I remember skiing in the Cairngorms one day last winter when I was wrapped up in a huge furry hat, goggles, scarf and thick gloves at the top of the mountain, but by the time I reached the bottom I had taken off hat, goggles, gloves and scarf, and I was skiing with my jacket open. The difference can be that great. That same day, in fact, I saw a party of tourists heading up on the furnicular in skinny jeans. Sure enough, they came down on the next train without (I surmise) even putting their skis on at the top of the mountain. Being prepared and correctly dressed will save you a lot of hassle.
Some weather conditions are obviously harder than others to ski in. I would say the single biggest difference is whether the sun is in or out. If the sun is hiding behind a blanket of grey cloud (a rather common occurrence in Scotland) the light will be “flat”. Flat light is a skiing term that refers to ability to see changes in the terrain in front of you. When the sky is overcast it becomes much harder to see and account for all the little lumps and bumps that form part of even the most perfectly groomed ski run. As a result of this, it is significantly harder (particularly for beginners) to ski in overcast conditions as opposed to when the sun is out.
High winds are another problem you’re likely to encounter – these can add to poor visibility by whipping up the surface snow so it’s hard to see the ground clearly and by blowing snow (surface or falling) into your eyes. Goggles and some sort of face covering are generally a good idea on windy days.
Sunshine:
Sunny days are definitely a good thing for skiers, but don’t forget your suncream. Really, really, really don’t. It’s easy to think you’re not going to get burned, but the sunlight reflecting off the snow can significantly intensify the amount of UV radiation you’re exposed to. As an illustration of this, when I went skiing in the Alps in April 2008 I forgot my suncream. A bottle about as high as my little finger was all of twelve Euros – I decided that I would simply fight my way through the pain. After four sunny days, and with second degree burns to my face that made it difficult to open my mouth (and took several weeks to heal), I revised my opinion.
Skiing vs. Snowboarding:
The age-old question “Should I learn to ski or to snowboard?” is not easily answered (except by proponents of each discipline, who will be quick to tell you that the other is worthless and only for the feeble-minded). These two disciplines both take place on snow, but the techniques used are completely different and so are the learning curves. Whichever one you pick, you’re going to spend most of your first few days sliding down the mountain on your face. It may not sound very appetising, but it’s the reality of the situation. If you’ve never done either before, it’s probably a good idea to try and get some lessons on a dry slope or at a snow dome beforehand so you can better enjoy your time in the mountains. As for how quickly you pick up each discipline – skiing is easier to learn and snowboarding is easier to master. I usually advise people that if they’re going on holiday and want to learn one or the other “If you’re going for a week, learn to ski, but if you’re going for a fortnight then you should learn to snowboard”.
Is it dangerous?
A sport that involves sliding down steep slops over rough terrain at high speed does, of course, have its dangers. For beginners, however, these are generally minimal. If you get a lesson with a good instructor, you will not be put in a position where you will be at risk of more than a couple of bumps of bruises. You will be restricted to shallow slopes and low speeds until your confidence and skill improve enough to move on down the mountain. Most ski resorts will have a “nursery area” or a series of green (beginner’s) runs which experienced skiers and snowboarders will mostly avoid, giving you a safe environment to learn in.
The most common injuries when skiing are twisted knees. Ski boots are made of solid, inflexible plastic to protect your ankles from what would otherwise be an intolerable strain, and although you are clipped into them the bindings are designed to release when your foot is twisted. Almost all skis will have bindings that can be adjusted to release less easily (for more experiences skiers travelling at higher speeds) or more easily (for beginners, who tend to fall over a lot).
As a beginner you won’t have to worry about avalanches – the slopes with highest avalanche prevalence are slopes of 35°- 38°. These are angles associated with black runs (the hardest sort) and of little relevance to beginners. In any case, all resorts employ a ski patrol team whose job it is to constantly patrol the whole ski area, helping injured people, maintaining safety, marking any hazards (streams, rocks etc.) and closing down any areas where there is a perceived risk of avalanches.
Snow quality and types:
If you look at a snow forecast for a ski resort, it’s easy to be confused by some of the terms used. I will try to provide a glossary of the most common ones below:
Hardpack(ed): Firm snow which you can easily glide over and which you won’t easily sink into.
Powder: Very fine, fluffy, powdery snow beloved of snowboarders and off-piste skiers.
Pisted: Snow that has been “groomed” into a smooth, level, relatively firm layer. This is the easiest type of snow to ski on.
Sugar snow: Created by a thaw, sugar snow is snow that is in the process of melting. It forms into larger crystals and takes on a slushy and damp feel. This type of snow is harder to ski on – it’s stickier than other types and you’ll go slower.
You may also see references to a “base” as in “six inches of powder on top of a firm base”. The base described here is the type of snow that was present before it was covered by the powder – A firm base would be good, an icy base not so good.
You’ll also frequently see patches of ice on ski runs – these are much more slippery and difficult to ski on and can come about either due to high winds blowing away the surface snow, or a pisted surface freezing overnight and simple because it hasn’t snowed in a while and the slopes are being scraped thin of snow.
Hiring equipment:
If you’re only planning a short trip or you don’t see yourself doing much skiing or snowboarding in the future, this is definitely the way to go. All ski resorts will have a well-stocked hire shop, usually featuring everything you need from skis, boards and poles right through to slalopettes, gloves and hats. These shops are staffed by qualified technicians who will make sure all your gear fits you correctly and is adjusted safely. There are some things to bear in mind – the hire shops will sometimes have a closing time before the technical end of the skiing day and/or charge late fees, so make sure you know when you have to be back. Also, once you’re at the resort you may find one shop with a monopoly on hiring – pushing the prices up significantly. At Scottish resorts such as Glenshee and Cairngorm you’ll find the road up to the resort littered with hire companies charging half the price of the ones at the resort. The flipside is that you can’t easily swap gear if something doesn’t suit you.
The best sort of skis to go for (if the option is available) are probably all mountain skis. These occupy a middle ground between high speed slalom skis and off piste powder skis, and will be good at dealing with a range of snow conditions.
Lessons: one-on-one or group?
There’s no denying that you’ll learn faster on your own and that it can be frustrating to be held up by the slowest member of a group, but unless you have a tremendously pressing reason to learn to ski fast, you’ll have a lot more fun if you’re learning with other people. Just make sure you know how to laugh just as hard at your own falls as those of others.
Food:
Food is important. Almost all resorts will have cafes or restaurants on the mountain, and you shouldn’t underestimate the warming and recuperative powers of a hot bowl of soup partway through the day. Bear in mind though that because of the difficulty of transport, prices will be high and the selection may be somewhat limited. I would suggest taking a few sandwiches with you to leave in the car or in your bag, and a few bars of chocolate or other snack items for energy while you’re away from both car and restaurants.
Tiredness:
You will get tired. And you will probably get tired a lot more quickly than you expect to, for several reasons. One is that you’ll be working unfamiliar muscles for long periods of time. You may also be quite tense and nervous at times, and ploughing your way through deep snow takes effort however you do it. One thing that people often don’t realise is how much a change in altitude will affect them – if you go from living at sea level to suddenly exercising hard at a thousand metres up, don’t think your body won’t notice the change. You’ll be out of breath faster and even small things like walking from one place to another can seem much more difficult than you expect. Don’t be afraid to take a break if you need to, however much you feel that you should be able to carry on.
Also bear in mind that at some resorts the ski area can extent across several mountains and valleys. You shouldn’t make the mistake of crossing three valleys and suddenly deciding that you might be too tired to get back (or too slow to get back in time for something, which can be just as important) – if you’re not sure of your limitations, don’t push it.
Now out of the general section, and into the Scottish section:
The following are some characteristics of skiing in Scotland that should be considered:
By now, you’ve probably built up an impression of skiing in Scotland as something you don’t want to do, but that’s not the case. I like skiing in Scotland just as much as I liked skiing on the continent, but for different reasons. The infrastructure may not be as good and the snow may be lacking in quality at times, but that is made up for by the friendly and happy atmosphere that always seems to be present, however bad the conditions are. You don’t go to Scotland to sit on a patio overlooking the mountains, drinking G&Ts and wearing designer clothes from head to foot. You go skiing in Scotland purely and simply because you love the sport, and that sense always seems to come through.
When I was in Austria there were no queues for the lifts; just a mass of people shoving one another out of the way in an attempt to be first. When I was in France the skiing and scenery were incredible, but the lift attendants were rude and you had to keep an eagle-eyed watch to make sure nothing got stolen (I had my new camera pinched on that trip, and almost my passport too). In Scotland if you fall over, people stop to help. If your car gets stuck in the snow, you won’t even get your door open to assess the situation before a group of passers-by help you push it out again. For me, that more than makes up for the shortcomings.
A few more chairlifts wouldn’t go amiss though…
Appendix: Travel advice:
This advice is mainly aimed at people intending to make a single day trip to one of the Scottish resorts.
Mat Jackson December 2011