It was the third worst ski season on record at most Scottish ski resorts. The lack of snow coupled with strong winds and warm temperatures made for abysmal skiing conditions. The total number of skier days across all Scottish resorts (Cairngorm, The Lecht, Glenshee, Glencoe and Nevis Range) was expected to total around 55 000, one of the worst years on record. This is in comparison with the 2017-18 ski season, when the total number of skier days in Scotland totalled almost 250 000 thanks to the copious snowfalls.
Scotland experienced hardly any snowfall until February, when it snowed and then quickly melted again. The ski season basically lasted from late March until late April, with Glencoe Mountain holding out until April 21st before closing its doors for the winter. Glenshee Mountain opened for just a measly 24 days, and Cairngorm for 31. Thanks to fortuitous geography, The Lecht was the only ski centre in Scotland to have a good ski season. Another factor in the slow season was undoubtedly the funicular closure at Cairngorm. Although the ski area was still able to open for skiing, the funicular was an iconic part of skiing at Cairngorm and the media relations team had to work hard to restore confidence in the ski centre.
While all five Scottish ski resorts used snow-making cannons to keep a very limited number of beginner slopes open for as many days as they could, they are still very dependent on natural snowfall. In an interview with The Herald, Andy Meldrum, chairmon of Ski Scotland, said an investment of £10m would help turn the Scottish skiing scene around, enabling ski areas to open even when natural snow cover is lacking. It's not just about snow cannons, he said, but also the pipes and pumps necessary to get them working. Indeed, ski resorts in Europe rely on this infrastructure, especially during early-season dry spells such as happened in France this past winter.
In total, Scotland has five ski resorts: Cairngorm Mountain, The Lecht, Glenshee, Glencoe Mountain and Nevis Range. Combined, they offer a total of 130km of slopes, as well as numerous off-piste routes when snow conditions allow. Although known for its inconsistency, skiing in Scotland can be incredible when the snow cover is good. We can only hope the weather will cooperate next winter - but in the meantime, it's time to start looking into investing in more sophisticated infrastructure if the Scottish ski scene is to survive the poor winters. See more about skiing in Scotland >
Born and raised in the ski paradise of Vancouver, Canada, I learned to ski before I can remember, balancing precariously on my parents’ skis as they sailed down the hill. I started snowboarding in my teens and am now delighted to be exploring everything Europe’s ski scene has to offer!
