Too Windy, Too Wet, Too Warm

We had a torrential downpour from late Monday and through Tuesday with only limited lifts open due to the high winds. Even Snowgums was closed at times due to the wind so you can imagine how many other lifts were open.

Yesterday I went out late and was very surprised to find how much damage the rain had done. Several lower runs were closed off and I was even more surprised to see that the snap freeze on Tuesday night had generally frozen the entire upper mountain. The frozen top layer was so bad that several areas of the mountain were closed by ski patrol who deemed it too dangerous to attempt negotiating the steeper, icy, off-piste slopes.

The traverse from Crackenback to Sponars was closed. The Bluff and under the top of the Kosi Express was also closed.

As a contrast to that, the Supertrail was slushy. True Blue and Little Beauty were just right.

High traffic areas and lower runs have rock, grass and dirt coming through, however, wherever there was snowmaking last week the base has held up so the bottom of the Supertrail is in better shape than many mid mountain areas.

Generally the base is very thin and we really need some snow, natural or man-made.

Monday, High Noon – difference between groomed and ungroomed

Shiny Sponars on Monday

High Noon on Wednesday

Sponars on Wednesday

Upper Supertrail, Wednesday

Lower slopes without a man-made base were washed away

Mid slopes getting really thin

Tower 10, Wednesday

I didn’t go out today but was told that it was firm first and then softening on the groomed runs. The forecast is not promising for snow. The wind has picked up tonight and the stars are out. Oh well, I’ve seen this before and it has picked up each time.