Not With A Bang, Nor A Whimper But A Splash

We all wondered what we would be facing after Friday's dump. As so often happens, Saturday presented us with Second Day Slops. It still felt cold but the snow had suffered from overnight cloud and was damp and sticky and there was even some shallow breakable crust - probably created by the strong wind blowing over the damp snow. I abandoned any plans to ski off the mountain and just as well because when I downloaded the tracks off the Bluff and down World Cup were mostly vertical straight lines dotted with irregular crash holes where the sticky goop had claimed those desperates.

Yesterday (Sunday) was a beautiful blue-sky day. The wind was still blowing hard but straight down the lift line which meant we could still get to the Basin. First run into the Basin was a little scary as I heard that hollow sound of potential breakable crust under my skis. This didn't last and the groomer was quite nice. The off piste had a frozen glaze to it. In the Basin, the ungroomed tracks felt like boiler plate. The Rim Run looked inviting and as Karels had not been open for a few days it was smooooth but was it breakable or simply boiler plate?

Succumbing to the temptation I took a wide line skier's right of the grooming onto a sun-facing slope. It was delightful - smooth and firm with a hint of ice melt on top. The flat run-out back onto the grooming was not nice. After one more taster, I traversed into to Rim Run for a few more enjoyable freshie runs.

Karels eventually opened just before I returned from a short coffee break. I didn't have to remove my skis to get through the rocks at the top. Nice turns then I was able to ski all the way across the flats to the Rim Run BUT oh so sad, the snow had turned during my coffee from nice to slow and got worse with every turn. The groomer was still OK but now carved up and getting crowded. I called it quits.

Now I sit here typing away when I should be standing in line for Kosi chair for the last day of the season. I was awoken in the middle of the night to the sound of pouring rain. That's still ongoing and we have now had more than 40mm of clear precip.

Sundance and High Noon on Saturday

Meadows grass measuring point Saturday

Meadows grass measuring point Sunday

Friday's tracks: World Cup on Saturday morning

Meadows Saturday and Basin Creek breakout

Straight lines and big wash out emergency turns on the Bluff's sticky snow

Sunday morning - not quite Top-To-Bottom

First tracks in an empty Basin - Sunday morning
Then joined by Immy and Greg and a number of locals

Sundance and High Noon today - Monday

For all of you who forgot about the iconic Snowy Mountain brumby
There's still time to act

So barring a sudden change of mind where I go rushing out for one last turn in fresh snow later today ... that's it for the official 2016 Ski Season. A most bizarre season - one I won't forget but wouldn't wish on anyone in the future. So many highs and lows and very little in between.