Following Graham Garfoot’s post yesterday on the funicular court cases (see here), a reader who had taken this photo taken from the Ridge Poma in the morning was inspired to annotate it: “the recent thaw really showed up the shortcomings of the funicular”.
Brilliant! More such annotated photos from readers, on any aspect of development or land mismanagement in our National Parks, would be welcome.
During the discussions that took place in the 1990s HIE were repeatedly told that the proposed funicular would interfere with the White Lady piste and, if it was to be built, it needed to be on a different alignment. These recommendations were ignored. This is one reason why, during the last few weeks, far better snow conditions and facilities have been found at any of the other ski resorts in Scotland. HIE have spent £50 million plus of public money to provide a White Elephant to sit alongside the White Lady. HIE estimate that a further £2-3 million will be required, every year, to keep this White Elephant alive for the next 30 years, along with associated facilities. One day our politicians will decide there are far more deserving causes elsewhere in Scotland in need of public money, so long as HIE remain in control of Cairn Gorm.
Great photo. One additional point. It is obvious from photo above how the M1 snow fences and funicular both stop the White Lady from loading with snow like it used to. Historically the White Lady was the signature run on Cairngorm and provided reliable run from summit to mid-station. However, since 2001, snow blowing off the plateau is now unable to accumulate on the White Lady. In photo above the snow depth around the mid loop of funicular is clearly deeper than the lower section of the white-lady ski run! Had all the snow on M1 / train tracks been allowed to accumulate in the White Lady burn line naturally then those deep drifts would be much more resistant to thaws
Now that all the extra concrete has been poured around the original piers and all those steel props have been added the White Lady will suffer even more. It’s almost like a wall up the side of the Lady. Unless there is significant snowfall without wind to move it around then this could be the end of the White Lady as a ski slope! But HIE and CM(S)L’s CEO Susan Smith say that they know what they are doing so we should be all right. It doesn’t exactly inspire confidence does it?