Cairngorm
Slope Breakdown
Cairngorm at a glance
Cairngorm is a ski resort in United Kingdom, part of the Cairngorm Mountain area. It offers 30 km of slopes served by 11 lifts, with skiing between 635 m and 1,097 m (462 m vertical). That makes it the 2nd largest of the 3 ski resorts in United Kingdom listed on Intski. The season usually runs from December to April. Cairngorm is particularly beginner-friendly: about 73% of its slopes are easy blue runs.
Top features of this resort
Snow forecast
About 40 cm of new snow at the top (1,097 m) in the next 3 days, 2 cm at the base.
New snow and temperature at the top station. Estimated by Intski from the MET Norway forecast, updated every few hours. Where it snows most this week
Email me when it snows
An alert when 15 cm or more is on the way at Cairngorm, and a heads-up before it opens.
Getting there & lift pass
Nearest airport
Inverness (INV) — about 54 km from the resort, straight-line distance, allow more by road.
Lift pass
Adult day pass around 39 GBP (2025/26 season). Cairngorm Mountain day pass.
Compare lift pass prices at all resortsPrice source, checked 2026-09-14
Cairngorm resort facts
Difficulty shares from skiresort.info, applied to the area total.
About Cairngorm
Cairngorm Mountain is one of three ski centres in the Cairngorms, the mountain range in the eastern Highlands of Scotland that takes its name from the peak of Cairn Gorm itself; the other two are The Lecht and Glenshee.
Resort Highlights
Scotland’s arctic-alpine plateau
Cairngorm Mountain is one of three ski centres in the Cairngorms, the mountain range in the eastern Highlands of Scotland that takes its name from the peak of Cairn Gorm itself; the other two are The Lecht and Glenshee. The range has been part of the Cairngorms National Park since 1 September 2003, and the setting is unlike anything in the Alps: high plateaux at around 1,000 to 1,200 m, above which domed summits, the eroded stumps of once much higher mountains, rise to about 1,300 m. Granite tors stand on a boulder-strewn landscape, and the plateau edges break into steep granite cliffs. The environment is genuinely arctic-alpine, with tundra-like ground, long-lasting snow patches and wildlife such as ptarmigan, dotterel, snow bunting and mountain hare. Britain’s only herd of reindeer, semi-domesticated, roams the plateau.
The skiing
The ski area is compact: 30 km of pistes and 11 lifts between a base at 635 m and a top station at 1,097 m, giving 462 m of vertical. Those altitudes look modest on paper, and they are, but height means something different this far north. The Cairngorms have no glaciers, yet snow can fall in any month of the year and patches usually persist through the summer, making the range the most dependable in Britain for snow and ice climbing.
For skiers that translates into a season listed from December to April, with conditions that depend heavily on the weather of the moment. The 30 km network suits beginners and intermediates on day trips and weekends, and the resort is listed for off-piste terrain: the cliffs at the plateau edges are described as excellent for skiing, and ski touring is popular across the range. Eleven lifts for 30 km is a dense ratio, so getting around is straightforward.
Beyond the pistes
Much of Cairngorm’s appeal is the landscape. Around the central massif lie remnants of the Caledonian forest in the straths and glens of the Spey and Dee, home to red squirrels, pine marten, capercaillie, Scottish crossbill and crested tit. Hill-walking, climbing and ski touring are all part of local life, and the resort has a traditional, unhurried character rather than a purpose-built feel, with scenic views as one of its listed strengths.
Getting there
Inverness airport is roughly 54 km away as the crow flies. The range spans the council areas of Highland, Moray and Aberdeenshire. No official website is held in our data.
Frequently asked questions about Cairngorm
Yes. The Cairngorms became part of the Cairngorms National Park on 1 September 2003, Scotland's second national park.
High plateaux at around 1,000 to 1,200 m with domed summits rising to about 1,300 m, granite tors, and steep granite cliffs at the plateau edges that are described as excellent for skiing.
Yes. The Cairngorms range has three alpine ski centres: Cairn Gorm, The Lecht and Glenshee.
The plateau supports Britain's only herd of reindeer, albeit semi-domesticated.
Snow can fall in any month of the year and snow patches usually persist all summer. For snow and ice climbing the area is the most dependable in Britain.
Cairngorm has 30 km of marked slopes: 22 km easy (blue), 6 km intermediate (red), 2 km expert (black), served by 11 ski lifts.
The skiing in Cairngorm ranges from 635 m at the base to 1,097 m at the top — a vertical drop of 462 m.
The ski season in Cairngorm typically runs from December to April. Exact opening dates vary by year and snow conditions.
Yes — Cairngorm is well suited to beginners. About 73% of the slopes (22 km) are easy blue runs.
Cairngorm has 2 km of expert (black) slopes — about 7% of the total. It is also known for its off-piste terrain.
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