The Start of Something New

As well as form “closure” for Brindabella Ski Club’s loss in the Thredbo landslide 7 years ago, the long awaited opening of the club’s new Thredbo lodge is also the start of a new era for the club.

A good turnout witnessed the official opening in the new Woodridge Stage 3 Estate on Saturday afternoon with a backdrop of snow on the upper mountain.

The snow guns which started earlier in the week had their biggest session last Friday running till around midday on the upper Supertrail and Merritts area.

It snowed briefly on Friday night leaving about a 1 cm covering in the village. After a short recon trip out behind Eagle's Nest late on Saturday afternoon six of us decided to do a little preliminary winter session training on Sunday by hiking out of the resort and putting in a few turns on one of the drifts that still exist on the main range.

The winter season officially starts next weekend and if snowmaking can continue I would expect to see Friday Flat, Merritts and Upper Supertrail areas open for skiing and boarding.

Richard Gallimore, president of the Brindabella Ski Club, at Saturday's opening of the new Thredbo lodge

Kim Clifford, General Manager of Kosciusko Thredbo, presenting the club with a set of antique skis

Part of the considerable crowd at the opening of the new lodge

Richard Gallimore and Anne Dudzinski cutting the foil ribbon to open the new Brindabella lodge

The cutting of the cake – a marvellous cake made by Dorothy

Snowmaking on the upper Supertrail last Friday

Manmade snow on the upper Supertrail and a distant Friday Flat

A motley crew getting ready for preseason training

Warwick getting fresh tracks

Ray working the firm and in places icy drifts

The forecasts have been a little off target this year and I won’t attempt to make any predictions about the opening of the ski season next weekend but if it turns out anything like this weekend then it will be nice to put in a few more turns whilst enjoying the sunshine.