Deeside freeskiing Spring 09

Last week, despite a thawing week, the snow cover was holding up well on Upper Deeside Hills. However, week two of the thaw has started to make big in-roads into the cover. The higher hills, the Lochnagars of this world have kept cover but the lower hills freeskiing potential is now limited or nil.

Over the last few years, March and April have been the snowier months so things might change in favor of the Scottish free skier yet.

aboyne snow thaw

aboyne snow thaw
Originally uploaded by ecotorch

The temperatures have risen dramatically today, we have been used to nearer -10c than the 10c it is at right now. The thaw of the snow has revealed where the big snow field are and that means where the best freeskiing potential lies. And I am pleased to say there is a lot of potential if we get the cooler conditions to return.

butterfly on time

Put in a 200m set in of butterfly at training last night. Some drills before full stroke and whether due to that or by luck, the timing of my stroke felt spot on. No awkwardness in breathing, everything felt in sync, to use a skiing metaphor, in my limited powder skiing day it felt like stringing together a run of turns.

Was zipping along at a good pace too.