Lochaber has two ski resorts; Nevis Range just outside Fort William and Glencoe Mountain Resort in the heart of historic Glencoe. They offer skiing for all standards from beginner to expert.
With skiing up to 1190 metres (3,900 feet) Fort William's Nevis Range reaches high on to the mountain of Aonach Mor (next to Ben Nevis) - Scotland's eighth highest - and offers skiing and boarding late into spring.
The base of the snowsports area is accessed by the gondola, which is an attraction in its own right, lifting visitors from the car park just above sea level to 650 metres (2,150 feet). Skiers, boarders, mountain bikers, mountaineers and visitors all take advantage of the speedy ride that also boasts stunning views over Fort William and Lochaber and out to the Western Isles.
Glencoe Mountain is the grand-daddy of the Scottish skiing resorts, being the country's first commercial area to open with a ski lift in 1956. But this position at the head of the family of five resorts does not mean that Glencoe Mountain is in any way old-fashioned. The Glencoe resort has actually become increasingly popular in the 21st century among more daredevil snowboarders and skiers.
Check out the Glencoe and Fort William conditions here - http://ski.visitscotland.com/conditions/
Interesting Facts
- Aonach Mor's Coire an Lochain holds one of Scotland's longest lasting snow-patches (grid reference NN193736), which sits at an altitude of 1120m
- In Glencoe, late July is not unusual for final melt date, but survival of old snow until first, but not lasting, new snows in November has been noted