Second Thoughts

After heavy rains on Thursday I wondered how the main range snow pack would have been affected but I was eager to get in some more turns in any case. We headed out onto the main range soon after the Kosciuszko Quad lift opened on warm, blue-sky Saturday morning into a head wind in excess of 40kph. The surface snow was already soft but there was a firm base about 10cm below. It was typical spring snow, slow in places but not sticky and faster on the discoloured bits than the pure white sections.

Based upon our experience last Tuesday we decided to do a similar run with a final destination of Dead Horse Gap. A lot of the snow pack had disappeared but on the good side, our previous tracks had been completely erased. We skinned most of the way west with some walking and some short turns without skins before lunch.

Despite the increasing wind we had a gourmet lunch behind a rocky outcrop on Ramshead and enjoyed two long downhill segments into Bogong Creek. The remainder of the trip to Dead Horse Gap consisted of more walking than skiing and we finally gave up the skis about a kilometre from the bridge. The water level at the bridge was considerably higher than Tuesday and probably the highest I have ever seen it – only centimetres below the footbridge.

The crew heading out into the main range

Cloud shadows over Mt Kosciuszko and its massive cornice

Looking down into Leatherbarrel Creek

The descent from Ramshead

Marion leads the way to Bogong

Richard and Sally

Watch out for that rock!

Dropping down to Bogong Creek

Marion in the bushfire blackened forest and the 'black fingers of death'

Sunday arrived along with torrential rain and gale force winds – up to 122kph. I decided to stay indoors.
Till next time,