A micro skimo ...

Woke early on Sunday morning and after consulting at least three devices, figured out it was 5am by which point it was too late to even consider trying to get back to sleep.

Quick check of the Mountain Weather Information Service forecast and  the ever packed rucksack plus ski touring kit was loaded into the van with Glenshee being the destination. The original thought was a ski tour to the west of the main Braemar road. Up over Cairnwell and along to the subsidiary Munro summit of Carn Bhinnein but as I approached from the south the problem was clear …nae snow !!! Quick chat with the folks at the ski centre confirmed the Glas Maol basin was still loaded so bought a cheaters mechanical uplift pass and headed back to the van.

Packed enough kit so that I didn’t need to return to the van and a pair of skins so that if the queues got bad a wee micro tour was an option. Being early, the slopes were empty and enjoyed downhill after downhill from the Glas Maol poma tow.

By early afternoon, the summits were clearing and despite there still not being anything in the way of queues, decided this would be the last opportunity to enjoy some skimo sport this season. From the top of the tow, stuck the skins on and headed up to the main summit of Glas Maol. Within minutes of leaving the tow, it was a very different experience with unbroken snow ahead. Skins off and whooped as I put in some fresh tracks down on the easy slopes headed out towards Creag Leacach. Wee bit of pole work got over some of the almost flat section before skins on again for the last climb up to the summit cairn. Sat enjoying the sun for a while and after draining the last of my mint tea from the flask, pointed the skis towards the return journey to Glas Maol again. The sun had warmed the snow just enough to make the turning require a slightly more positive effort than earlier but enjoyed the descent until skins were back on for the last time. There is something very therapeutic about skinning up a slope …whether or not it is due to the smooth movement of the sound …or maybe both but it tends to make me zone out a little.

The contrast between the previous few hours and a return to the groomed slopes was marked. The quiet swoosh of the skins was replaced with chatter from a bunch of boarders all looking like they had squeezed every ounce of fun out of the day. One last descent down the Glas Maol bowl indicated that a morning of non-stop downhill had also taken a toll on my legs and the original plan to return to the van under my own steam was replaced with a quick uplift / descent / uplift / descent half hour.

Back at the van, got changed and headed in search of coffee. Great ending to the day and made a note to do more touring in Scotland next year.