With my usual ski buddy (Gav), over in the Alps, it looked like I was going to be putting in a solo mission to Nevis Range last weekend...

...but with 40cm of the good stuff falling on Tuesday and temperatures staying well below freezing, there were no shortage of takers for a trip out west. I'd been on the blower to Glencoe regular Doug Bryce and managed to prize him away from his favourite resort with the lure of some Back Corries action at Nevis. The Back Corries are pretty much what we're waiting for down there and it takes a lot a lot of snow to fill in the three massive bowls that make up, what I consider to be, the best lift access freeriding in Scotland.

I had fresh lines on my mind, so first lifts were the order of the day and as we got kitted up in the gondola we could see the sun rising, bathing the Back Corries in a gorgeous golden light. 20mins, and a short hike later, I was standing at the top of a steep, narrow line that I've been scoping for some time now. We'd picked up a couple more familiar faces along the way and Jamie and Craig were equally stoked at the prospect of some genuine, virgin, Scottish pow.

Ben drops into the Back Corries.
 

Bluebird day and green for go as I dropped into a line formed by the buttress that splits the massive amphitheatre of Coire an Lochain and Spikes gully. Opening out into a wide bowl you can lay out a few turns (if you like) and almost 400m of vert is eaten up in one exhillerating instant. For me though the beauty of this place is the fact that no one else is there, or has been there and you've got breathtaking scenery in every direction. Sharing that with the guys is a given and doesn't need to be said but a wee click of the poles at the bottom of the line says it all.

All that reward doesn't come without some effort though, so we donned the skins and hiked back up. I did say lift accessed freeskiing earlier but unfortunately it wasn't running for us so we just got stuck in, knowing that there'd be more to be had on the next lap.

Jamie, Doug and Craig pole out of Coire an Lochain

I'd been e-mailing fellow Haglofs rider Per Jonsson he'd made it over and was skiing Scotland for the first time with the rest of Team Sweden. I'd not promised much in the way of snow so the guys were stoked to be riding such sweet conditions. They went off to shoot a few iconic shots, looking towards Ben Nevis and hooked up again for another two laps of the back.

Prepping for the hike out

So we've had some pretty sweet days in Scotland this season and it looks like we're shaping up for another couple of months of good riding. The post mortem of the day back down in the Nevisport Bar in Fort William pretty much said it all. Broad smiles, excited banter and anticipation of that bluebird weather forecast. It's difficult to beat.

Words - Ben Thorburn
Images - Doug Bryce and Ben Thorburn

Related stories:

The lure of some Back Corries action at Nevis – the best lift accessed freeride in Scotland?

Twiddling our thumbs – More tales from Scottish snow

Scottish recce – the first trip of the winter

Les Portes du Soleil – an overview of Les Portes du Soleil with a little bit of flavour from Ben