Two Days Too Late

Contrary to the official reports saying “possible snow showers” there hasn’t been any. We had around 33mm of heavy rain on Tuesday night which, together with gale force winds and temps above 0C really hit the snow base.

Today (Thursday) started foggy and damp but by mid morning had burnt off to a calm, clear sky day with temp around 0C. After numerous phone calls there were to be four of us to attempt a ski at Dead Horse Gap. This meant we could avoid the climb up from Snowgums chair to get out of the resort.

As it turned out, only two of us ended up at the gap and it was disappointing to see that the snowline had receded a long way up the hill in places, so we decided to head off towards South Ramshead as the snow looked better in that direction. We skinned up to the flat section below the main peak and looking at the many rocks, decided not to proceed any further. The ski down was “technical” to say the least. It had definitely been easier going up than down. There were few areas where you could link turns between the “black fingers of death”, the trees, grass and creeks. Still, it was good exercise and I got to ski in the month of May, which I hadn’t done since 2004.

While we were at the gap, cloud moved up the valley from Victoria but it didn’t seem to want to make it much further towards the village. We did come across something interesting - giant rabbit tracks. I saw similar, only bigger, in Japan this year, where the tracks keep getting bigger as the snow melts. (click here to see the Japanese prints)

Starting Point

Marion studying the terrain

View back toward Swampy Plains

A very rock-strewn South Ramshead

Back at the road

Giant Rabbit tracks

Looking south from DHG

High Noon - Thursday afternoon

High Noon & Lower Lovers Leap

Upper Supertrail

The forecasters don’t have much of interest in the next week or so, but then the tradesmen will be pleased to have fine weather right up to the winter season start on the long weekend end in June.

Don't forget the Save Snowy Hydro campaign.