Nevis Range Blog

The new piste basher was finally unloaded at Nevis Range carpark yesterday, in the middle of blizzard like conditions in the car park, fitting for a PistenBully 300 Polar. Coming from a resort in Switzerland, via the the PistenBully factory in Germany where is was reconditioned, it’s ‘new to Nevis’ with just some 3300 hours on the clock.

We’re looking forward to getting it up and out on the slopes as soon as possible! The blade is significantly larger than any of the existing groomers, so will be able to quickly shift 100’s of tonnes of snow around the pistes. Particularly useful building jumps and shifting snow in the summit terrain park.
It’s also got a flex-tiller which will leave a cleaner and much better prepared piste than before.

Now we just have to wait for enough snow to open!

Over the summer the Engineering team have been busy carrying out lift maintenance on the hill.

They’ve replaced the bearings on the Goose t bar return bull-wheel, which involved removing the haul rope and then lowering the bull-wheel to the ground in order to allow access to the bearings. The old bearings were then removed and replaced with new ones.  The picture shows the Goose t bar return bull-wheel with the haul rope removed and the the bull-wheel sitting on the ground.

On the Quad chair, repairs have been carried out to the seat backs, the safety bars and other moving chair parts, and the chairs are now back on the cable.

All of the spring boxes on the tows have been striped, cleaned, greased and any worn parts have been replaced.  So far the Warrens boxes are loaded and the Goose and the Summit boxes are waiting in situ.

We take grease and oil sampling from all the bull-wheels and gearboxes on the lifts and, depending on the results, we take corrective action, for example,  gear box replacement or refurbishment.  In total, we’ve replaced over 200 sheaves / wheel liners, and there’s an average 8 sheaves / wheels on each lift tower …

On Braveheart, the main engine and auxiliary backup have both received maintenance, including oil and filter changes.  Both the service and emergency brakes have been cleaned and all safety aspects tested. All the chairs have been loaded and 1,000 litres of diesel has been flown over … in preparation for the snow.

The Engineers

Hey Hey All,

It’s that time of year again - the mountain bike tracks with gondola access are closed (although the miles of trails in the forest and the Pinemarten cafe bar are still open all year round) and the mountain is preparing for snow.

The team headed up to the summit last week to inspect the ‘’summit terrain park” … to take a closer look at the condition of the features and to see what features need to be taken down to the workshop and repaired before use this season. Weather and snow permitting we hope to build and maintain a great park this season. With the features available, the plan is to build two three-hit lines - the first an easy line, and the second a little more technical, and this will still leave some features unused which will be used out with these lines. As soon as possible we’ll post a Park plan online - to give you an idea of what’s planned for the start of the season.

There’s also plans to host some more snow based events over the season - both in the park and over the back, so watch this space.

Looking forward to a epic season.

The Nevis Park team

The Engineers have been busy building new fencing on the hill … A total of 1200 metres of fencing is either completely new, or has been re built. 900 metres of this fencing is brand new rail style fencing. This rail type of fencing is much cleaner as there’s no wire used in the construction and, ultimately, it improves the look of the mountain and is in keeping with our environmental policy.

The lower part of Warrens run is now completely re-built using wooden rails - a total of 400 meters. The Alpha traverse is now completely re-built to the Goose burn - a total of 200 meters. The Alpha “get off” has been re-aligned to give better access to “Yokies” and Warrens drive. There’s been ongoing repairs to Switch and the Goose up-track. There’s completely new rail fencing on Goose to Fairway and the lower Rabbit run. A new line of rail fence has been built into the rocks from near the Goose drive to the Home Run Bridge which will give much improved access across the burn and will eliminate the dip, making the traverse much easier.

The Engineers

Hi there- herse are a few pics of new bits on the orange track including the new Pinball section-created by Mark and Chris in their magic diggers-plus lots of helicopter drops and lots and lots and lots and lots of shovelling,raking and whacking (3 dead whacker plates later…………)and still more………………to come

See the big yellow diggers on the hill ?
Their busy making nice new bits for yer bike !

At last the back corrie has benefited from westerly snow resulting in increased cover and great sliding. Chancers top has filled in and has lost it’s twisted drop in but remains reasonably friendly with a roll in, all be it steeper than previously. Soft snow avalanches were released and then the ski down was knee deep powder. Looking round the corrie spontaneous releases of soft cornices and resulting avalanches were occurring. Rocks remain visible and lie in wait for the unsuspecting. Wingers and Cascade are very similar with soft cornices, great sliding, but hidden rocks. The traverse out is much better with increased cover and less rock, though very much as in the corrie. A lower traverse out seems the best.

The great sliding continues to the bottom of Braveheart, though thinning out, looking at the weather we will see what happens with thawing and or wind distribution over the next few days and conditions in the corrie.

In summary great sliding (big smiles)  for suitably experienced and equipped (safe travel techniques, slope assessment, transceivers, shovels, probes and a companion who knows how to use them), NOT PATROLLED (at own risk).

Freeze … thaw … and now colder temperatures bringing fresh snow have left the back corrie with mixed conditions today (29 Jan 2010). Wind blown, hard and icy on some aspects and others sliding great on fresh soft snow. Around the whole corrie soft cornices have formed that were readily collapsing with the weight of someone sliding past. The Nid Ridge itself remaining mainly scoured, firm but grippy. Chancers continues to have the best slide, but still with some rocks, with a steeper but still twisting rounded entrance. Rocks continue to make Back Track and Yellowbelly less attractive options. The traverse out can be achieved without walking but is still very rocky. Rob Roys traverse is complete back to Alpha Tow and the top station though slightly narrower from thawing conditions.

In summary the back has improved over the last few days with mixed conditions. It has some good sliding for those suitably experienced and equipped but is likely to remain Not Patrolled and therefore at your own risk.

Check the website for more info on the Back Corries, including definitions of the 3 status … Open, Closed, or Not Patrolled.

SKI PATROL

The recent freeze, thaw, fresh and wind blown snow deposits have resulted in little change generally in the back. Cover remains limited with lots of rocks mainly below Yellow Belly and Back Track entrances. Chancer’s is complete and remains the best ski within the corrie on soft snow, still with a friendly twisting roll in and limited rocks. Winger’s has less cover and no obvious skiable run though Cascade is improved and looks like a more viable option. Traversing out is certainly possible on a higher line though rocks are easily found and may require some walking to pass. The end of the Nid Ridge has better cover making access to Rob Roy’s Return easier.

The corrie remains beyond the limit of patroller area but has some good sliding for experienced and equipped off piste skiers happy to take responsibility for themselves.

Work in the park began on Boxing Day as we started pushing snow from the Aonach Mor summit down to the Spectre run. This area in the past has been the location for the very large kickers. It takes weeks of pushing snow to build it up, but it’s getting there.

The main terrain park area by then had a very good filling of snow, benefiting from the improved fencing from the summer. We set the first of the rails up (jump on box) at the same time as the smallish kicker on the 7th, quickly followed by the rookie rail. The double “C” was set up next half way down the park, but many be repositioned. The rainbow box had to go down to the garage for some TLC but was quickly back up and in position in the park a few days later.

The remaining rails will be set up soon once we get some settled weather, along with one or two other new features. The dog box is to get new sheeting and will be a couple of weeks yet.

Also, we are currently developing a new addition to the park, which many of you have been asking for … watch this space

CHRIS