Improving

Yesterday started with a clear sky and provided some fresh snow on what turned out to be a very firm base. The sudden freeze (and don't we welcome that) had certainly affected the snow pack, which I had expected to have good windblown drifts. Although not turning it to ice it was quite firm and the deep wet tracks from the day before were frozen solid - not nice.

I had been hoping that Karels, closed the day before, would have some deep freshies. It looked great but like I found from my very first run off Kosi, it too was 1-2cms o a very firm (but smooth) base. It actually took me 3 attempts to reach the top of Karels as de-icing issues stopped it several times. The day was mostly grey, despite the beautiful blue sky/red tinged dawn.

Enough snow was blown in to allow the groomers to prepare Sponars - possibly opening tomorrow for the first time in 2013. Conrod Straight has enough snow to be groomed. There were still no T's on the boxes when I went past late this morning.

This morning I awoke to a village covered in white once more. Happy Days. This snow fall came from the east coast low and although not a big fall it was drier than many of those coastal dumps and without much breeze, so it settled in the trees and looked great. It has remained a very grey day.

Visibility was again an issue up high and I only did one run on Karels. Interestingly, the snow at the top of Karels did not seem as deep as on the Rim run into Basin or indeed on some of the lower slopes. So, it appears that last night's snowfall came from low level clouds that left only 3cms up top, 6cms at Black Sallees (see RecentSnow.com) and 5cms on bridge railings across Thredbo River at VT. Speaking of "lower runs", Merritts Falls opened yesterday and was nice both then and today.

As the morning progressed the snow became wetter and has browned-up somewhat on the lower runs like High Noon, Sundowner(Sunbrowner;-), etc.

Upper Supertrail early yesterday (Wednesday) morning

Upper FunnelWeb/Trapdoor
Rim run and Cannonball

Early rays on Michael's Mistake above snow guns on High Noon

Exhibition on Sponars with a good cover of windblown

Thin freshies on the very firm snow pack
Merritts Creek is full

Full of snow that is
Photo of the Hill taken from below the bridge in the middle of the creek

Traktorman's favourite run. It didn't look much better today.
Look what they've done to my run, son
look what they've done to my run
They've churned it up and turned it brown and made a right mess of it, son
Look what they've ...

Today - Thursday: Lower Sundance this morning

Looking through the snow flakes down Hump Run to Tower 10

Forecast: The next week looks good for more snowfalls. Traditionally August 15th (Kerry's birthday) or very near to it results in good snowfalls. I think we will get a little more from the east coast low and then hopefully from the next cold front that appears to have slowed and dropped south a little and may not get through till late Friday.

Argumentative: I must beg to differ with Tim Bailey's comments last night on Ten TV when he said: today was the best day of the season in Thredbo. Although it was a nice day I've had at least 2 better ones.