Any snowsports in Ireland?

sarsfield06

Anyone been skiing or boarding in Ireland in recent days?

RTE Report Up to 15cm of snow has fallen in parts of Longford and Leitrim, that's plenty to ski on.

Up in Belfast yesterday had about 5cm and more further North.

Looks like it will remain cold until at least Christmas so will be looking at my options once I finish work on Wednesday.

sarsfield06

Obviously no one has!

davmol

Dont think too many people want to tear teh belly of their boards or ski's on Irish mountains off rocks.

Way too much work and little payback in climing a big hill and then taking 5 seconds to reach the bottom.

Besides the apres ski is sh1t in the dubln moutains;)

sarsfield06

didn't stopp me last Feb! in Wicklow the mountains are covered in bog so won't do much damage, I saw someone at Glencullen with a kite surfing kite on a board last Feb, now that solves the lack of lifts problem.

paulharte

last time round it was 40-50cms in some spots, thats better than some resorts have right now!!!

The real value is making yourself a kicker/some other feature and hitting that

Still better than sitting at home watching corrie!!!!!!!!!!



PS possible snow in the east tomorrow!!

sarsfield06

I agree, We could have the Irish champs in ireland yet! If anyone has seen Warren Millers new movie you'll see these guys somewhere in Mid-West America buiding a massive kicker in a completely flat field, they have a sort of really fast rope tow to get the speed up going in to it, so with even 10cm of snow you could have some fun! Maybe someone that's good with engines could build me something like that.

If there's still snow on Thursday when I go to my family in Longford plan to have the tractor out for piste and feature shaping, might borrow a neighbours quad to act as a tow, please don't thaw!

W.B. Yeats

There are a few vids up on youtube of lads in the wicklow mountains and somewhere in the southeast trying to do a bit last year.
Admire the efforts but can't imagine that the result was worth it.
Also one of some lad who built a little jump in his garden:D

Even if we got enough snow, I don't reckon our mountains are long enough or steep enough to give you a decent run

sarsfield06

See the pic in the Irish Times today, Kerry snowboarder!

opinion guy

sarsfield06 wrote: »

See the pic in the Irish Times today, Kerry snowboarder!

Go on ya Legend!!!!


Anyone know if there's any action to be got in Cooley/Mourne mountains ?

sarsfield06

the snow is in the Wicklow mountains, see the pics from 2pm today at this link
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055782672

it's been raining heavy all day in Dublin so could be major accumulations up higher once the weather clears (looks like tomorrow afternoon)

would love to build a decent kicker in the next few days, anyone else up for it?

sarsfield06

Just back from a cycle up the Dublin mountains, all the rain yesterday at sea level has deliver a serious amount of snow up higher, got to about 300m and then the road disappears into the snow, a real surprise as from my house in Rathfarnham it only looks like a sprinkling. I reckon there is 60cm at about 400m. Check these photos out!

ditch hurler

sarsfield06 wrote: »

Just back from a cycle up the Dublin mountains, all the rain yesterday at sea level has deliver a serious amount of snow up higher, got to about 300m and then the road disappears into the snow, a real surprise as from my house in Rathfarnham it only looks like a sprinkling. I reckon there is 60cm at about 400m. Check these photos out!

savage pics. it looks magical there. i went up the slieve blooms earlier and there was a slight dusting abouve 400m. did u use a mountian bike to get up there? surely it would not be possible on a road bike

sarsfield06

Have a trek hybrid with chunky tires but walked some of it. It would be worth the trip to see it as very impressive snowfall.

emerald007

Taken today in Naas, Co Kildare.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiOVdC_bHJs

opinion guy

emerald007 wrote: »

Taken today in Naas, Co Kildare.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiOVdC_bHJs

Class!!! Never thought I'd see this day

Only wish my skis were not an hour away (plus however much longer it would take to get there due to the roads!!!)

emerald007

Was thinking of heading up to wicklow tomorrow to get some proper snow, maybe blessington and then around to lacken and head up there. was anybody up in wicklow today and can recommend where to go?

opinion guy

emerald007 wrote: »

Was thinking of heading up to wicklow tomorrow to get some proper snow, maybe blessington and then around to lacken and head up there. was anybody up in wicklow today and can recommend where to go?

If I had the first clue about how to get around in Wicklow I'd be there myself!

Anyone know what Kiltiernan is like today ? They got snow cover ?

Fattes

There was skiing on the Golf course today in Kilternan wiht decent snow cover.

sarsfield06

Was up Stocking Lane above Rathfarnham today at the car park, good cover, maybe 20-30cm at that height (maybe 350m). Roads were clear which made a big difference. There's a piste forming from all the sledders that go there and powder to be found everywhere else! Some small kickers there also.

here I am ready to go


Great work snowboarding down your road!!

Fattes, are the roads clear to Kiltiernan?

opinion guy

Fattes wrote: »

There was skiing on the Golf course today in Kilternan wiht decent snow cover.

Awesome. Was going to go up but figured i left it too late. Reckno it will be good enough coverage tomorrow ? i know i know depends on the night. but feck it i'll try!!

sarsfield06

Sorry for the blatant plug, but anyone getting very excited by these photos and has boots but no skis can get these twin tips off me at a reasonable price, this snow could be here a while now so a shame not to take full advantage!!! http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=167680

Fattes

SKIING Down the road thank you very much, Just come off the M50 at Leapordstown or Dundrum and head up from there unless there is fresh snow tonight it will prob be icy but skiable tomorrow.

I will be up there in the morning teaching (Bright Grenn Hat) wont miss me

arctictree

Just noticed this thread. There is some serious snow cover in the Djouce/Sally gap area of Wicklow. At a guess, I'd say 50cm as it was snowing constantly for 3 days. Also, normally, snow covered djouce is speckled with gorse. Only with really deep snow is it totally white, which it is now.

Here is a route I'd recommend for skiers/snowboarders. Take the route to the Sally Gap from Kilmacanogue. Park at the entrance to the Luggala estate. The road should be clear to here, but you really need a 4x4. There is then a semi-private road about 2KM long down to Lough Tay/Dan. I'd say that this would make a good skiing/snowboard route. Only problem is getting back up!

Alternative would be to take the same route but walk about 400 yards further on to the forest entrance on the right. You could down ski down to balinastoe woods using the forest walk. Advantage here is that a vehicle could then pick you up again at the bottom. Have fun!!

A

forkassed

A hilly golf fairway makes a perfect ski slope:) and a bunker a nice ramp;)

sarsfield06

arctictree Let us know if you find out if this road is open, the more info here the better, I reckon forest trails may be too snow covered to be drivable, certainly the case in the west of the range.

arctictree

sarsfield06 wrote: »

arctictree Let us know if you find out if this road is open, the more info here the better, I reckon forest trails may be too snow covered to be drivable, certainly the case in the west of the range.

Road is open to about 400M from the start of the run. BTW, this is also the location of the Irish mountain bike course.

sarsfield06

Was up Stocking Lane again today, a little fresh snow overnight, conditions super at the tobaggan track although a little too busy with crazy out of control tobaggoners

Trekked a little higher and had the most amazing powder runs, it was a tough hike as the powder is knee deep but it is so light, not experienced any better snow in 10 years skiing from the Pyrennes to the Alps to the Balkan mountains.

These are epic conditions, if you have skis or a board get out there, I am thinking of hiking Lugnaquilla next week, should be fantastic.

prunudo

Myself and 3 mates went boarding up Djouce mtn. yesterday. The weather was couldy with low visability so we only got one run in. But we went back up again today and it was amazing.

We parked at the Ballinastoe car park and hiked up through the forest track up to the start of the board walk over looking Lough Tay. The powder is amazing, at least 18 inches and more in drifts. We got 4 runs in from the monument down to the Sally Gap road. Really worth the 50min hike up from car park.

We headed back and were able to board all the way on the forest track to the car park bar a couple of flat bits.

If you can get up there it is really worth it, preferably in a 4x4



I have photos but not sure how to upload them

opinion guy

Wow I wish I knew where all these places were

Mitch Buchannon

opinion guy wrote: »

Wow I wish I knew where all these places were

Try this http://tinyurl.com/y9kfnz4

opinion guy

Yeah Mitch well I ain't going discovery the mountains on my own via a map in the most wintry conditions in years. i don't want to be mountain rescued and on the news thanks

sarsfield06

Some photos from yesterday's adventure, Stocking Lane above Rathfarnham, Dublin.

earned turns


the hill


about 60cm and still not at the bottom


first tracks!


city lights


late quit

BoardsRanger

jvan wrote: »

Myself and 3 mates went boarding up Djouce mtn. yesterday. The weather was couldy with low visability so we only got one run in. But we went back up again today and it was amazing.

We parked at the Ballinastoe car park and hiked up through the forest track up to the start of the board walk over looking Lough Tay. The powder is amazing, at least 18 inches and more in drifts. We got 4 runs in from the monument down to the Sally Gap road. Really worth the 50min hike up from car park.

We headed back and were able to board all the way on the forest track to the car park bar a couple of flat bits.

If you can get up there it is really worth it, preferably in a 4x4



I have photos but not sure how to upload them

Went up there today for a look- it is truely amazing!! Unfortunately, i dont own my own skis but im going to do it tomorrow on a snowboard (should be interesting!!)
Here are some pics i took of the general area
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055786961

arctictree

Lovely view of djouce on the way to work this morning. Spectacularly white in the morning sunshine!

prunudo

BoardsRanger wrote: »

Went up there today for a look- it is truely amazing!! Unfortunately, i dont own my own skis but im going to do it tomorrow on a snowboard (should be interesting!!)
Here are some pics i took of the general area
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055786961

Hey boardsranger, thats more or less where we were. In your second group of pictures you can see the is trail going through the snow just after the trees up to the monument(black dot on the hill). We hiked up to that a couple of times and back down to the road. Great fun. That freelander has been there a few days and will be there for few more!!!

Amazing photo's

creativedrinker

went to Stocking Lane today for some boarding but it was packed with tobbageners:( so only did 2 runs other wise id end up takin some kids out... if its still round on friday might head up then when the kids are back in school

rgt320q

sarsfield06 wrote: »

Some photos from yesterday's adventure, Stocking Lane above Rathfarnham, Dublin.

earned turns


the hill


about 60cm and still not at the bottom


first tracks!


city lights


late quit

Damn it all to hell! I live right next to Stocking Lane but don't have my own board yet

Great pics there regardless!

masseyno9

creativedrinker wrote: »

went to Stocking Lane today for some boarding but it was packed with tobbageners:( so only did 2 runs other wise id end up takin some kids out... if its still round on friday might head up then when the kids are back in school

Was up there myself with the board. A couple of us decided to build a small kicker across the river from the main toboggan slope. Planning to go back tomorrow, depending on the condition of roads....FWD car didn't like it too much up there!

snowstreams

You should try Tonlagee mountain at the wicklow gap. Its 800m high so the snow is probably over 2ft deep there. The only problem is that the snowplough is slow to clear the wicklow gap area. They cleared the road there last year and a load of people snowboarded there.
This vid is from last year there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgTGtCMRpRQ

sarsfield06

rgt320q wrote: »

Damn it all to hell! I live right next to Stocking Lane but don't have my own board yet

Great pics there regardless!

there is a sale on in great outdoors, might be worth getting one.

kzky321

Any know of any accessible places to ski/board in the Munster area? Cork/Kerry? Snowing here now, but afaik there's been snow high up in parts of Kerry for the last while.

How are you guys getting to these areas (Dublin/Wicklow), are the roads not impassable?

BoardsRanger

Up at djouce again today- here are some pics:

prunudo

amazing picture's, really wanted to get up there again today.
It's still hard to believe it's Ireland

W.B. Yeats

creativedrinker wrote: »

went to Stocking Lane today for some boarding but it was packed with tobbageners:( so only did 2 runs other wise id end up takin some kids out... if its still round on friday might head up then when the kids are back in school

Where on Stocking lane?
Up as far as hell fire club/Masseys Wood?

paulharte

fair play on the photos, and we thought last feb was a '100 year storm'!!!

Maybe this will happen every year!!!!

paulharte

Video from last years kicker session. No amazing tricks, some fun tappy stuff with a traffic cone!! Long intro, but stick with it!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1O4mOn34Va8


and the streetrail session again!!!




I'd be up hitting the rail again, but I'm working till friday and then I'm off to avoriaz!!

opinion guy

paulharte wrote: »

fair play on the photos, and we thought last feb was a '100 year storm'!!!

Maybe this will happen every year!!!!

God lets hope so!!!!

sarsfield06

paulharte, you're a busy man aren't u just back from a trip! I heard there was another 10cm overnight in parts of the Wicklow mountains.

sarsfield06

Annamoe Wicklow right now



Snowing heavily in D2 at the moment also!

trinewbie

Looking for an accessible spot for a bit of afternoon boarding - preferably somewhere with a few kickers built already, I read that there have been a few kickers built up stocking lane somewhere - is that in the small field straight across the road from the viewpoint car park?

sarsfield06

Yes, if you want to build them a bit bigger please do!