When You're Hot Your Shot

Following Saturday's surprise dump (see previous report) the weather has just got hotter and hotter culminating in a top temp yesterday of 12.9C up top, while it was thongs & T shirts in the village.

Sunday, although not Saturday, still provided some nice snow and most of the resort was still open to enjoy it. Traktorman came to town and we skied all over including different lines off Waimea and down High Noon and through Friday Flat. Monday, a public holiday in Thredbo, arrived with a longer queue for Kosi chair than expected. The warm weather still had a chill up top due to the breeze but by the time we headed for Dead Horse Gap the breeze had dropped and I was seriously over dressed. The cover was good for this time of year but unfortunately I found the final drop too sticky for my liking.

Somewhat of a gift was a temperature inversion last night and although the top remained around +4C all night, the lower slopes were firmer than expected. The top was, as expected, very soft.

The Basin remains crowded with beginners & teachers & everyone else, and yet I haven't seen a long queue on the T-bars since the weekend. Possibly part of the crowding is due to, get ready for it, the terrain park that has been built just above the last face down to the Basin T-bar. What's more, I've actually seen people using it, whereas, I've not seen anyone on the Bag-jump or any of the jumps around Antons T-bar all season long.

Saturday night and the final fireworks and
can you believe it - Flare Run

Sunday morning (Sept 30) and fresh tracks on a deep covered Kareela Face

Milk Run on Monday

Creeks opening and grooming reduced to 3 runs

Richard (skier-dude), in green pants, brother of boarder-dude Chris (in red parka)

Monday's trip to Dead Horse where Andy, Elspeth and Marion found some firmer snow

Edie on firm snow below the tree line
Marion leads the walk-out at the bottom

Below the Bluff yesterday, very nice
The Basin

The top and the bottom

Lower Sundance and High Noon in the background

The resort has shrunk and gone into close-down mode and yet we still have reasonable skiing top to bottom. Will it last to next weekend? Hmm, I'm not willing to put money of it – it's just so warm.

A little humour: What's worse than having beginner ski school in the Basin? Answer: having beginner boarder school in the Basin ;-)