UKH

Oh dear

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-46389488

Lets hope it doesn't derail any of the short term proposals to salvage something this winter

Not very uplifting news but I'm sure there will be some light at the end of the tunnel.

You started it

I'm just guessing that there may have been the wrong type of snow on the rails.

There'll be blood on the tracks after this news. 

Not surprising. Presumably they just got the estimate for fixing the track?

The last set of accounts that they filed doesn't give the impression of a company with much room for manoeuvre: https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/SC043599/filing-history/MzIxNTU5...

Nah, it will be rust, no trains running on the tracks so they will only rust away

Mind you, suppose there will be plenty rails for the snow boarders to play on (once they have walked up the hill side)

It really is a shame, especially as they removed the alternative uplift available - how much financial damage to the local populace will this cause

So,  Cairngorm Mountain Ltd (Natural Retreats) bows out . Wonder what will happen to the £1 million recently invested by HIE for the provision of snow making equipment ?

Does this mean the awaited report on the funicular is going to be terminal !

Yes.It must be very worrying for the employees and those that depend on related tourism. Its encouraging that the administrators are allowing it to keep trading, and I hope that at least some of the jobs can somehow be saved.

But I do also question whether skiing and general tourism in that location is financially and environmentally sustainable in the longer term.

I'd have been more encouraged if the proposed local buy out had gone ahead instead of the farce continuing. That might have allowed a plan for the future and actually protected the jobs and allowed it to keep trading.

Natural Retreats seems to have been hell bent on sinking it but the locals seem to have a workable plan. I'm not sure how badly that pan has been affected by the funicular news and Natural retreats tearing down the Ciste chair but if they think they can make it work, I'd be inclined to let them have a go instead of the whole place going under.

Were there ever any public estimates for the cost of retaining the Coire na Ciste chairlift before it was removed? As far as I can tell it was built in 1974 - I remember going up the mountain on it as a child.

This is potentially terrible news for Aviemore. I hope H&IC step in and keep the facilities open this winter.

I'm not that au fait with the financials, just see the odd Facebook post on it pop up. The lift was removed at considerable cost and from the few post I saw, it did not seem to be that expensive to keep it going. It hadn't see the care it should have done from CML/Natural Retreats/whoever is actually responsible for running the place. The "Save the Ciste" and local buy out group both seemed to have costed plans for keeping it so it would appear it was a feasible option.

Pretty crazy them going into administration only a few weeks after releasing the jazzy video of the future of the resort, with a zip line, mountain biking, mountain luge etc.

Does anyone know who is responsible for clearing the access road from snow? Just wondering what the impact on winter climbing would be if the ski centre was (temporarily) closed.

Who administered the car park charges and might we get away with free parking this winter?

As far as I know, the public road ends where the road splits just before the ciste car park. Presumably everything beyond that is CML's responsibility. It's conceivable that they could close the road if the business stops trading.

I suspect you just put your finger on it.  Terms like 'rats' and 'sinking ship' come to mind.  It looks like the taxpayer will have to rescue Cairn Gorm yet again:
http://parkswatchscotland.co.uk/2018/11/30/the-immediate-consequences-of-ca...

Does the closure of the Funicular shag up the Skiing totally. I cant see how you would access the tows?   Not having been there skiing I don't know but it will be a big blow to Aviemore in general if so.

No, the funicular goes to the top of the skiing area; most of the tow system is accessible directly or indirectly from the car park.  Of course without the funicular there are likely to be (extra) bottlenecks and queues in the system.

Ironically the more serious economic risk to tourism in Strathspey is the temporary (?) loss of the funicular as a popular summer attraction, when (as I understand it) it generated the majority of its income.

At least thats something.  I do hope that it leads to a better organisation down the line and some proper joined up thinking.   It appears that there are plenty of folks who value the area and have lots to contribute.  I haven't heard much thats good about the Ltd company and all their various directors.  Not much listening went on to the stakeholders and locals if I recall correctly.

CM relies on the funicular as early/late season the snow level will be above the surface tows from the car park.  Pity they removed the chair lifts they had in the Ciste.

I'm not sure it was ever the "popular summer attraction" it was intended to be, there's plenty of better things to do in/around Aviemore.  Being a stop off point for coach tours probably isn't a significant loss to the local economy relative to having a poor ski season.  I can't find the exact figures (it's often discussed on winterhighland) but CM generate most of their revenue in winter, not surprising when you can have both car parks full with people spending £30+ per head to ski.