Blow Me Down or Blow Me Up

The wind continues to howl and the sun continues to shine. We have been spoilt over the past few years and forgot how windy July can be. Winds up to 146kph earlier in the week had closed almost all lifts but everything has been running the past couple of days - mind you, some lifts have been running slowly due to the wind speed.

The snow condition remains as temperatures have stayed low creating very cold wind chill effects. The best since the last snowfall, in my opinion, was Saturday when the wind drifts were deep and dry. Sunday was a write off with the winds so strong that only Merritts chair, Easy Does It chair and Easy Rider T-bar were open. Even the carpets were closed because of the wind. I decided to catch up on domestics and helping with changeovers.

Since then the off piste has been very wind packed and the soft drifts are far and few between but sweet when you find them. I've been to Dead Horse Gap 3 times and it appears to be improving each day.

There is a lot of sastrugi both in and out of the resort and the strong winds are also responsible for scouring out bare patches of rock and ice.

Crowds (interschool races) in Thredbo today were BIG but upper lifts had very little in the way of queues.

Jax tells me that 91 cars had windows smashed at Bullocks Flat car park due to the strong winds picking up and flinging gravel and stones at parked cars.

Howling winds in and out of resort area

Wiamea on Saturday - alone and untracked by anyone else than moi

David enroute to DHG

Snow now up to lower railing on new bridge over Bogong Creek

Bogong Creek on Saturday

First tracks on Plan C before the boarders got in

Drop into Bunny Walk yesterday

Another big blow at Eagles Nest

Last descent to DHG - many new shrubberies

Sally ripping the wind drifts today - photo by the other Richard

The forecasters can't agree. There's possibly some snow today and may be again on the weekend or may be it's on Monday and Tuesday.

It would be nice for the winds to abate but if that happens we need fresh snow. Never satisfied!

If you missed Frank's Birthday Bash click here