We have done plenty of lift served backcountry skiing over the years with Heli, Snowcat, Skidoo and chairlift all notched off the list. Embarrassingly this was the first day that we have got to the top of a hill under our own steam. Our first foray into the world of ski mountaineering was on a munro we can see from our house window.
Scotland is a fickle mistress when it comes to skiing weather, so with a good covering of snow (a rarity this ski season in Scotland) and the sun in the sky we set out to climb and ski our closest hill, Ben Wyvis.
Scotland is a fickle mistress when it comes to skiing weather, so with a good covering of snow (a rarity this ski season in Scotland) and the sun in the sky we set out to climb and ski our closest hill, Ben Wyvis.
Ben Wyvis's Lifts
There aren't any, but maybe there should be. It would be great to transform nearby Strathpeffer into a ski town and take a gondola up the hill. As recently as 2011 the plans were being discussed again but for many reasons it will probably never happen. We grew up in the Black-Isle that looks over to Ben Wyvis, it would be amazing to have a ski resort so close by, one can only dream.
This was our first time skinning uphill and the whole thing was very novel, novel at least until we realised how much hard work it is! Our guides for the day were Heather's dad pete and his mates Kenny and David. We didn't have to lead the climb but the whole motion took a bit of time to get used to. We had rented backcountry gear from Mountain Spirit in Aviemore with Heathers boots fitting nicely and my own feeling like torture devices. A day of pain and discomfort but with the sun out and snow under foot this was easily forgotten.
The Snow
The snow was right down to car park level so we skinned pretty much from there. We went up the gully past Little Wyvis and skinned up past Bealach Mhor. It took us nearly two hours to get to the bottom of the slope to make our ascent.
There aren't any, but maybe there should be. It would be great to transform nearby Strathpeffer into a ski town and take a gondola up the hill. As recently as 2011 the plans were being discussed again but for many reasons it will probably never happen. We grew up in the Black-Isle that looks over to Ben Wyvis, it would be amazing to have a ski resort so close by, one can only dream.
This was our first time skinning uphill and the whole thing was very novel, novel at least until we realised how much hard work it is! Our guides for the day were Heather's dad pete and his mates Kenny and David. We didn't have to lead the climb but the whole motion took a bit of time to get used to. We had rented backcountry gear from Mountain Spirit in Aviemore with Heathers boots fitting nicely and my own feeling like torture devices. A day of pain and discomfort but with the sun out and snow under foot this was easily forgotten.
The Snow
The snow was right down to car park level so we skinned pretty much from there. We went up the gully past Little Wyvis and skinned up past Bealach Mhor. It took us nearly two hours to get to the bottom of the slope to make our ascent.
Ben Wyvis's Best Runs
We only ended up doing the one run after taking a good while to get to the top. Ben Wyvis was looking glorious and the view over to the Black-Isle was stunning. An amazing day to be out in the hills.
The main line we took went from the steep summit face and down to the gully at the bottom. Skiing so close to home was a real buzz. We saw two others ski from the summit as we were making our way up but the hill was otherwise deserted. Worth the effort of getting up there.
We skied a long run all the way to the car park, dodging streams and smashing over heather on our way. The best bit being the section where it meets the footpath towards the end. It had turned into a toboggan track with all the walkers that had been over it, providing 300 metres of fast and close to out of control skiing to finish the day. Chaotic fun.
Ben Wyvis Snow
Luck plays a huge part in the weather and conditions found in Scotland and on this occasion we got very lucky. The snow was around a foot deep at the shallowest points and much deeper in the wind blown areas. It had snowed over the previous few days and if you didn't look too closely, we could have been back on our Canada tour. It was like being in a different world, a different world twenty minutes from our door.
The snow didn't last long. The crazy thing was that the forecast was for rain that night and by the next day it had all disappeared.
We only ended up doing the one run after taking a good while to get to the top. Ben Wyvis was looking glorious and the view over to the Black-Isle was stunning. An amazing day to be out in the hills.
The main line we took went from the steep summit face and down to the gully at the bottom. Skiing so close to home was a real buzz. We saw two others ski from the summit as we were making our way up but the hill was otherwise deserted. Worth the effort of getting up there.
We skied a long run all the way to the car park, dodging streams and smashing over heather on our way. The best bit being the section where it meets the footpath towards the end. It had turned into a toboggan track with all the walkers that had been over it, providing 300 metres of fast and close to out of control skiing to finish the day. Chaotic fun.
Ben Wyvis Snow
Luck plays a huge part in the weather and conditions found in Scotland and on this occasion we got very lucky. The snow was around a foot deep at the shallowest points and much deeper in the wind blown areas. It had snowed over the previous few days and if you didn't look too closely, we could have been back on our Canada tour. It was like being in a different world, a different world twenty minutes from our door.
The snow didn't last long. The crazy thing was that the forecast was for rain that night and by the next day it had all disappeared.
Ben Wyvis Review
A mind blowing day out for some Scottish backcountry. We went up on January 14th and now writing this in early February there still hasn't been anymore snow. We have been doing a snow dance daily!
Ben Wyvis itself is a great place to Tour. It would have had real potential as a resort. The top face looks like it would be avalanche prone but there is some nice terrain. The whole experience climbing and then skiing untouched snow in the wilderness was addictive. A really worthwhile day out despite the blisters.
A mind blowing day out for some Scottish backcountry. We went up on January 14th and now writing this in early February there still hasn't been anymore snow. We have been doing a snow dance daily!
Ben Wyvis itself is a great place to Tour. It would have had real potential as a resort. The top face looks like it would be avalanche prone but there is some nice terrain. The whole experience climbing and then skiing untouched snow in the wilderness was addictive. A really worthwhile day out despite the blisters.