Any snowsports in Ireland?

So do pepole reckon there wil be a bit of a thaw today? Should there be enough snow left around glencree/ sally gap tomorrow??

Some still photos from yesterday in Wicklow. Not sure how to paste these into the body of the post.

more photos

sarsfield06 wrote: »

What was the road like?

We left Dublin city at 7.30am in a Land Cruiser with All Terrain Tyres. N11 was fine, despite heavy snow. We joined the R755 at Kilmacanogue and it was pretty OK, actually met snow plough very soon on that road. We drove to Ballinastoe car park, about 4 inches of fresh snow on the road but no problems driving in 4x4. We then headed on to Sally Gap Road and managed to drive up to the entrance to Luggala without too much trouble. The road past this point was covered in drifted snow and got steeper but I decided to press on. After some shovelling we got about another 100m further up the steep hill but then hit an impassable section.

It was still only 8.30am and snow was dry so good grip. Two of the lads headed on up on foot for a run despite the poor weather and heavy snow and I drove back down to help another friend who was in an Audi Quattro. He had gotten stuck lower down. But by now the snow had gotten wet and conditions were dangerous. As soon as you drove on it, the snow compacted to ice and was very slippy. Even my 4x4 was sliding and I had to get the lads to push me out of the ditch. The Audi was all over the place trying to reverse down the hill but despite a few skids he made it.
Once I put my vehicle in low gears I was able to descend no problem with good control.

We left the Audi and my 4x4 lower down the Sally Gap Road and walked up. We were passed by a Nissan Micra driving at high speed, passenger reading a map. They managed to get a fair way up before skidding and spinning into the ditch. My two mates further up the hill pushed them out. They were French, so not sure if they were experienced in those conditions or just crazy.

Later in the day a red Defender with huge tyres and extra high suspension tried to drive even further up the Sally Gap Road past the entrance to Luggala but only got about 40m past where I had to stop. There were several feet of snow on the road at that stage and only a snow mobile or caterpillar vehicle would have gotten any further.

First photo attached show the Sally Gap Road about 400m below the entrance to Luggala. 2nd one is where I parked for the day and where the road closed sign was. 3rd one show how far I got up the hill - about 30m past where my mate is standing.

Hope this answers your question.

I've been saying to myself all week how I would love to own Ski's and boots, how I would love to head up there. (I'm in Bray) It looks like the Alps from Bray head. Of course the video just reminded me in a Homer Simpson DOH kinda way that even if I did have my own boots and ski's, that it might as well be whistler back country even if it is only a few miles up the road. There are no pistes up there!! Like I said, DOH! I'm only an advanced intermediate with no off piste deep...untouched...pristine powder experience....whatsoever! BUt looking at that Vid....it just looks legendary! So I am not just envious of your day trip up to that spectacular scenery or your 4x4 or the fact that you own your own equipment, I am also jealous of your fitness and skiing/boarding ability.

Saw some other vids on youtube from last year and that looked like people backcountry skiing at the end of the season somewhere in May, what with the patches of grass, rocks, dirty snow etc. This years video's like yours looks like it could have been taken anywhere. If you told me that was taken yesterday in the alps or Whistler or Vail etc, I'd believe you.

Wow, just incredible! Pity you don't have a rich mate with a helicopter!

Well I guess what I mean, is that I could ski that steepness of slope, using the same width of 'piste'. ie. Those skiers towards the beginning of the vid. I could ski pretty much like that.....on a manicured piste I've skied in a straight line between pistes doing that bouncy bouncy thing to keep you on top of the deep snow, but any time I tried to turn, invariably after one or two successful turns I'd catch the edge of the ski's and over I go sideways. In terms of piste skiing I can carve really fast down a blue or red and some european 'Black's' but in general I'd have to take it easier and use much more of the slope on a decent black. But like I said, my off piste is limited to straight lines to switch pistes

For those with the ability though, the Wicklow Mountains over the last few days must have been legendary. The kids might have been disappointed with the powder snow in terms of snowball fights and snowmen but by heck does it look perfect up there for off piste skiing.

I hope we see lots more vids from the Wicklow 2010 season