Slow

Not the snow, it was I that was slow. So slow I missed first chair up Snowgums this morning for the official opening of the Supertrail for season 2006. Roscoe made first chair and I caught him as he arrived at the bottom for run number two. The upper half was great – a soft layer of man made of a firm base. I got some fresh tracks but after going to the bottom we decided that we really didn’t need to go below Bunny Walk station. The lower super trail was very firm and the Milk Run was more like concrete. Don’t get me wrong; the cover is good and deep. I’d estimate 30-40cms at the turn at Bunny Walk. It’s just that the lower slopes have really firmed up, almost to the point of being set for the entire season.

The last few days I have started on High Noon which, apart from some loose gravel stones at the top, has a good cover and you could hold an edge the whole way down. Merritts had the best quality snow up until getting onto the upper Supertrail this morning. The new snow making system is brilliant and the cold temperatures are maintaining all the snow and generally keeping it dry.

It has been really cold in Thredbo. We had temperature inversions on several nights and the village has been down to –9C. On Wednesday morning it was so cold that I could see ice had formed over a large part of the Thredbo River as I shuttled down to Friday Flat.

Eagle Way below Eagles Nest – taken from Gunbarrel chair - Tuesday

Friday Flat – Tuesday

Ice building up at the top of Gunbarrel chair – Wednesday

Walkabout – Wednesday

Setting moon behind Crackenback – today

Wombat track under Snowgums chair

A very empty Upper Supertrail

Roscoe above Bunny Walk station

The Cat Track – looking good

Lower Supertrail below Bunny Walk

Many locals were out today on the Supertrail. The snow should be great over the weekend. There is still a possibility of snow tonight but at the moment the skies are clear over the village.