Rising Damp

Like rising damp on a wall, the melt line is rising across the alps. Sunny days and hair dryer winds together with a dust layer have all contributed to the loss of all natural snow below Lovers Leap station.

Sunday was surprisingly good. I had expected to have only two top-to-bottom runs on the soft base but stayed out till 11am due to the fact that there were no crowds cutting up the slope and the groomers were good. Even True Blue was groomed – probably for the last time this year.

On Monday I didn’t rush to the lift thinking I’d let it soften a tad. You can imagine my surprise when I got to the base and found a large group (mostly locals) waiting for permission to get on Kosi chair (which was running). In what was possibly a first time occurrence, Ski Patrol had closed the entire top of the resort due to extreme ice conditions. Contrary to the weather station reports, at 10pm it had been above 10C and raining and by midnight it was –3C and setting a deep freeze across the mountain top. The lifts didn’t open till about 9:30 and even then all off piste and much of the groomed runs were still frozen solid. I didn’t venture out till after 11am and did what was possibly my last run of the season to Dead Horse Gap with Marion. Firm but edge-able snow above Bogong Creek, nice in the trees and still firm enough to scoot across the flatter sections where grass and creeks are appearing. We had to walk out the last 100m through knee-deep shrubberies.

Tuesday arrived still sunny with a mild overnight freeze and just a light breeze. After five top-to-bottoms and coffee, I headed out to Signature Hill. A few large groups headed out to Mt Kosciuszko, including a large contingent from Hot Shots. It was the perfect day for doing it but I thought it would be a little more crowded than I would care for. I had Sig Hill to myself and first skied the softening north face and finally the east face for the long run back into the resort. I only just linked enough snow patches together to make it back without having to remove my skis.

Today the hair dryer conditions continue. The base was soft from the start and the lower slopes are in a poor state. There is no longer continual snow at the bottom of True Blue, Little Beauty or World Cup. The Hump Run remains good all the way back to the Milk Run.

High Noon is still very nice until you pass under Merritts chair. You must finally ski through Friday Flat and then walk 50m across dirt, mud and wood chips to get back on Gunbarrel chair. The T-bars are all looking very good except for a recurring hole above tower 3 on the Basin T-bar.

Talking of holes - they are appearing all over the place, including a very large one on skiers' left of Supertrail just below Kareela Hutte.

Marion above Bogong Creek on Monday
Softening and thinning snow enroute to DHG

Rising water levels on Bogong Creek at Dead Horse Gap - Monday

Ramshead ridge seen from top of Signature Hill - Tuesday

North face and east face of Signature Hill - just softening

Second run after putting in a steep boot pack up the north face

Carruthers and main range
Looking back at the north face of Signature Hill

Looking from Signature Hill towards the top of Sponars

Milk Run, lower Supertrail, Hump Run and lower World Cup this morning

Steep section of High Noon, the bottom and Friday Flat

Crackenback and Sundance today

It has been very warm in the village over the past few days and even I have been wearing just a T-shirt in daylight hours. There is a cold front coming but nothing exciting in that. All reports have rain coming with some possible light snow about the peaks.

Rumour has it that the fat lady is trying on boots.

Grump: As you have probably noticed I have been too busy to grump recently (I guess that’s a grump in itself) but I did raise a smile when I heard of the federal government’s plans to break up Telstra.

If I were to have a grump it would be about the ever growing Police State that NSW is becoming. Fining people for crossing a road with an ipod or mobile phone! Will hearing impaired people be fined for crossing roads? Just another greedy NSW government tax take! Drop the tax and let Darwin's laws operate the way nature intended.