When Gale Came To Town

Thursday produced another stunning day and a little back country touring was in order.

Moist air and plus temperatures overnight gave us softened off piste on Friday that was an easy carve all over the resort. Then around 4pm Gale (Gale Force to give her full name) came to Thredbo with 100+kph wind gusts. Then the rains came dropping 15mm overnight.

The high winds delayed the start of Kosi chair on Saturday morning. The brave and fool hardy ventured out on Gunbarrel and Snowgums in dubious weather that cleared later in the day.

Today started with further rain showers revealing the grass on the lower slopes that were not protected by the deeper man-made snow cover. The weather cleared but the wet lower slopes weren't what the doctor ordered.

Everest (as we like to call it) under the Thursday blue sky

The pied piper was back on her way to DHG on Thursday, on slightly slicker snow than Tuesday

They're out there - if you look carefully

Friday was The Banzai off The Bluff event
Luckily the approaching cold front did not interfer with proceedings

The nippers gave their all in front of their onlooking mentors

Then when you thought it was safe to stand around on the Bluff -
Ski Patrol training ;-)

Top left to bottom right: Good poistion, the jury is still out, more air time and pre-jumping

It was quite gnarly in places as the moist soft snow packed down to something firmer and slicker

The course finished near the top of True Blue, way above the village
You can just see the red snow cat on the finish line through the trees

Today: Sundance with grass showing where no man-made snow has been falling

Forecasts indicate a few light snow showers during the week but with temperatures travelling close to zero up top it is debatable as to what altitude the snow falls will turn to something less desirable :-(

But wait there's more - another episode in the great Squatters Run Grump with plenty more to come ;-)