West Glenshee Hills

An easily accessible tour starting at the Glen Shee ski centre. This is a mecca for ski tourers. The slopes are gentle and provide excellent touring as well as good snow holding. The route goes through the downhill ski area and ski-tourers are asked to avoid, or keep to the side, the pistes. Once away from the downhill skiing, the area quietens down and give a pleasant day skiing.

Start out from the GlenShee ski centre walking steeply uphill to the cafe. Now pick a way towards Butcharts Tow that keeps north of the pistes, past a number of ski-lifts but avoiding the pistes and downhill skiers. 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 through 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 from Cairnwell, to the col (NO128786) above Loch Vrotachan and then to the loch itself. Ascend directly towards Cairn Gheoidh reaching the flats below 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 to arrive at Loch Vrotachan. This is often frozen over in the skiing season. Climb steeply east to the small col on the boundary of the ski area, and then north then east to reach 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 Coire, 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)

© ski-telemark.net all rights reserved 2015-2026