A Carbon Tax Day

My last report was about the week of blue sky. I didn't go out Friday or Saturday due to the inclement weather and besides EOY bookwork kept me busy.

Last night the wind dropped and it snowed lightly most of the night, even the guns were on at times. I awoke to the sound of snowploughs clearing the roads - just love that sound. The official report was of a fresh 15cm up top and 5cm in the village. I had expected to see more but no.

Sunday morning, start of public school holidays, fresh snow and surprise, surprise a long lift line waiting for Kosi chair to start and although I was there well before 8:30 I was no where near the front of the queue. In fact I was at the end of the singles line but close enough to be above Kareela when the first punters took to the Bluff. There were a few tip drag re-entries and a few just straight-lining it, indicating that conditions were at the very least 'variable'.

I saw an untracked line and took it. The snow varied from boot deep dry to frozen solid with wind-packed parts in between and the visibility wasn't helping. True Blue was more protected and the snow got deeper the further I went down.

What were the chances of a second untracked run? Just as I approached top station for the second time I saw that The Basin had opened and I also saw another untracked line back down from Kosi. I took the second option and although untracked it was more variable than my first line so I cut through to Bushranger, which was sweet. Down the Cat Walk (good cover) and first tracks down the Bag Jump (sans bag). Then it was off to the freezing Basin T-bar. Karels didn't open for a while, but when it did it gave me the best turns of the morning, despite a wind-chill below -15C. Then again, it was probably the wind-chill that kept everyone away from Karels and why my tracks were filling in as fast as I could lay them.

Sponars opened today but alas, the bottom of Merritts Falls was closed - I guess until the creeks are fully roped off. On my way off the mountain I was tempted onto BunnyWalk (no, not past any 'closed' signs or ropes - totally legal). The entry was steep, narrow and deep. The run out is not recommended. It needs more snow to fill in the creeks and requires two fallen trees to be removed, one of which you have to climb under to continue along the track. Actually I was lucky that I had stopped to take photos and didn't encounter the blocked trail at speed because there's no run-off if you do.

Ski Patrol? tracks on World Cup

Looking up True Blue

And looking down True Blue on my first run

Hump Run tracked out before I even get up Kosi the second time

Other runs were not quite as tracked out

Looking back up BunnyWalk

Looking down BunnyWalk - just above the blocked trail

Photo number 8 - GD on True Blue this morning

The lower slopes have some natural snow cover

Crackenback this afternoon - all lifts running
(except the decommissioned Ramshead)

The sun is now shining brightly, it's snowing lightly and the wind continues to rise.

With the Carbon Tax starting today you can expect continual cold fronts and good snow falls pretty much up to Christmas.

There's nothing in the Mining Tax for me (no children, no public service super fund) so I guess I keep slogging along for another 60 years or so, which will be about when I qualify for retirement under the ever-moving retirement age, which you may have noticed doesn't apply to the politicians.