K-K-K-K-COLD!

The temperature has been down and the winds up meaning we have had wind-chill. My estimations that up top in the wind it was below –20C wind-chill yesterday morning and close to that again today. Yesterday was crowded but with all but the ACT school holidays over and no more races today, the crowds dropped considerably today.

So what was the snow like? There was a very light dusting overnight on Friday – nothing like the reported fall. The skies were clear and the snow makers took maximum advantage of the perfect snow making conditions. So what was the snow like? With the constant cold air the quality of the snow was “northern hemispherical”, if I may use such a term. Generally firm and dry. The term “Packed Powder” is what the north americans would use. I got around on my edgeless (some say ageless) rock hoppers with ease. Today the wind started depositing very dry powder on some upper slopes like Sponars.

As an attempt to keep newer visitors to Thredbo informed, I will try to call Lovers Leap Bypass by its newer name of Sundance. It is sometimes good to learn something new for both young and old. Why did I bring this up? Yesterday I took an interesting line off the mountain. I left Annie to download down Merritts chair while I took off down The Schuss (very slick and fast). I then came back up the Gunbarrel chair and skied down Bunny Walk (took some photos) and proceeded down an even slicker Lovers Leap (not the bypass or Sundance) and got back into the village only a minute after Annie.

Ramshead chair - open for some but still not what I’d call operational

Bunny walk

Ray & John – sunrise car drop at DHG

Frosted trees enroute to DHG

Lucky Phil catches the Chooks out of the resort

Jackie and Karen at the bottom of the run to DHG

Big Air Park at Antons is very popular

Where there was some talent taking to the air

Michaels Mistake for those who missed the park

Jill may not be here in person but she is here in our glow-in-the-dark snowman

The forecast is for fine clear weather over the next two days and then a significant dump Tuesday night with blizzards and snow down to 500m. I’d like to see that.

Meanwhile the bars and dance floors will be busy till the late hours with uni week starting up. Hopefully, like the school holidays, this year's uni week will be a little more civilised than past years. There is so much good snow to be had.

Happy birthday Jill for yesterday. We toasted your birthday along with several others at another fantastic Bastille Day dinner at Segretto. Thank you Jean Michel and staff.