ski-touring in the Cairngorm Hills



From cairngormhills.co.uk

West Glenshee Hills

West Glenshee Hills
OS map : 36
start : Glen Shee skier car park
gridref : NO138782
 Main car park for GlenShee skiing. Cannot be missed!
hills: The Cairnwell Cairn Aosta Cairn a' Gheoidh
summary : Glen Shee skier car park - Cairnwell - Cairn a' Gheoidh - Carn Aosta - Glen Shee skier car park
distance : 14.5km.
ascent : 570m.
descent : 0m.
time : 5hrs. 40mins.
Some snow on Cairn Gheoidh.

Some snow on Cairn Gheoidh.

© cairngormhills.co.uk

An easily accessible tour starting at the Glen Shee ski centre at the pass. This is a mecca for ski tourers. The slopes are gentle and provide excellent touring as well as good snow holding. There are many downhill runs through which the ski-tourer must go through and it is expected to keep to the side of any pistes. Once away from the downhill touring the area quietens down and give a pleasant day skiing.

Start out from the GlenShee ski centre and pick a way, avoiding the downhill skiers towards the bottom of butcharts tow. Continue away from the downhill skiing past the orange hut, and onto the col at NO130780. An ascent of Cairnwell can be made by climbing south up the ridge. It is best to keep to the outside, W of the snow fence. The last few metres will need to be walked due to the rocky terrain. the summit of Cairnwell cannot be missed - it must be the most cluttered Munro summit in Scotland with various communication masts and paraphernalia. (3km. 270m. 0m. 1hr.40min)

Retrace your steps throug the rocky summit and then onto the small top at NO130781. Turn E along the ridge towards Carn nan Sac. Follow this ridge to the flats just below the summit slopes of Cairn Gheoidh. Alternatively if the ridge is windswept then descend to the col (NO128786) to Loch Vrotachen and then SW to the bottom of the summit slopes. Ascent the final slopes by skirting north around the steeper slopes and then onto summit of Cairn Gheoidh. The final metres are rocky. (4.5km. 170m. 0m. 1hr.50min)

Return to the main skiing area by descending west, steeply at first and then less so, turning NE to traverse the slopes of the ascent ridge to arrive at Lock Vrotachan. This is often frozen over in the skiing season. To regain the col, climb east to the small col and then north and east to the summit of Cairn Aosta via the ridge. At all times making sure your skirt around outside the ski developments. (4.5km. 130m. 0m. 1hr.40min)

It seems reasonable here to return to the car park via the ski slopes. The direct descent from Cairn Aosta is a red run. Traversing into Butcharts Coir, along the ridge line and then down the line of the river is a blue run. Either way descend to the Ski centre. (2.5km. 0m. 0m. 0hr.50min)