Winter Season Opening Update

December 12th, 2024.

Winter Season Opening Update

We are pleased to confirm that our winter season will open as planned for snowsports on Friday 20 December. 

Following further updates from our parent company, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) the funicular remediation works led by Balfour Beatty are continuing to progress, but completion is still some days away. Weather permitting, these works are expected to conclude by mid-December. 

This will, unfortunately, mean the funicular will not be back in service for the official launch of the snowsports season, Friday 20 December, as had been hoped. It does, however, look set to be running again towards the end of December or early in the new year. Find out more.

The Snow Factory has been operational since late November which will allow us to guarantee snow in the beginners area for the opening date. The beginners area will operate with two conveyor uplifts to take customers 200 metres up to the top of the beginner slopes effortlessly. High demand is anticipated for the beginners area therefore day tickets will be available on a first come basis. Customers who are complete beginners must book lessons incorporating their passes from one of our ski school partners.

If we also have some real snow, the surface lifts will be operating, and the team will do its best to ensure we have snowsports for as many people as we can safely accommodate.

Our early bird season passes are now almost sold out. Day passes will be available to purchase on a first come basis, and until the funicular is back in operation these tickets will be sold at a discounted rate.

The Ptarmigan Building will open when there is sufficient uplift and regularly on the return of the mountain railway. We will also have the Cairngorm Café open throughout the winter season in the Day Lodge Building. Once the season is underway our Ticket Office will be open every day in the Base Station together with ski hire and our Mountain Shop in the Day Lodge as normal.

As always, parking will be free throughout the snowsports season in our refurbished main car park. Our car park can get very busy therefore we would encourage where possible for customers to utilise the regular Aviemore Adventurer bus which can take customers and ski equipment from Aviemore to our front door. Or alternatively car share where possible.

However, it does appear that the long wait for the funicular railway to resume and enable our visitors to access the ski area quickly and easily by rail again will soon be over.

Thank you for your patience and we look forward to welcoming you this winter at Cairngorm Mountain.

Tim Hurst | Interim Chief Executive, Cairngorm Mountain