The Iconic White Lady viewed from the Daylodge on
CairnGorm Mountain in Late May 1986

The White Lady

CairnGorm Mountain's Iconic Snow Field

There are numerous natural snow beds where regular snow fields form in the Cairngorms and last late into spring, some are annual features while others may form one year and not re-appear for several years. However none match the Iconic nature of the White Lady.

The Lady Grant as the snowfield was originally known (from the Grants of Rothiemurchus) gave the appearance of a lady facing towards the North East wearing a wide brimmed hat and trailing skirt with two arms out stretched.

While snow fencing and more recently the Funicular Railway have modified the snow holding of the White Lady, the natural snow field is still the main Ski Run, the brim of her hat still extends under the Funicular just below the Tunnel and provides the modern link from the M1 SideTrack on to the Lady run proper. The Lady may not have been impressed with the Funicular cutting a swathe through her trailing dress, but it is she who has the last laugh as this is a regular source of large drifts over the funicular track.

Early Skiing & The White Lady Chairlift

With the opening of the White Lady Chairlift on 23rd December 1961 the White Lady became the first directly lift served piste on CairnGorm Mountain, though in those days all skiers still had to hoof up the Home Road from the Coire Cas Carpark at 2150ft to the base of the new Chairlift.

During the 1960s as demand rose a number of further lifts followed, first up the Coire Cas T-bar, but later the Carpark Chairlift and the White Lady T-bar which extended uplift to the full length of the White Lady Run.

The addition of the T-bar, the easily recognisable and iconic snow field along with it's reliable late season snow holding helped ensure that the White Lady became CairnGorm Mountain's most famous and signature Ski Run.

The Cherished Uplift Fund's White Lady Tow Appeal

The Iconic White Lady T-bar last carried skiers and boarders up CairnGorm in April 2006. On 3rd February 2007 the lift suffered a major failure and has not to date been repaired. The principle purpose of the Cherished Uplift Fund is to ensure that the White Lady T-bar will again ferry skiers and boarders up the Mountain and ensure that CairnGorm's signature Ski Run is once again served by it's Iconic T-bar, the only lift that truly serves this famous piste.