It's A Big One!

It started snowing yesterday, after I left for Jindabyne in gale force winds. Lake Jindabyne was a sight indeed.

A few hours later on the way back to Thredbo it was snowing well below the village and a quick trip to Dead Horse Gap (by car) revealed the Alpine Way already becoming snow covered at 2pm in the afternoon.

It snowed all night. The snow guns were also on and are still on as I write this report. Put simply - there's a heap of snow.

I took the bus to Gunbarrel, not wanting to ride Merritts chair in a blizzard. What a surprise!!! When I got to the top I could see riders turning left not right towards Merritts. High Noon was open. Lovely fresh snow and not a rock to be seen.

The steep section on skier's left was ungroomed and a delight. Only 6 other tracks in it and I was leaving trenches 15-20cm deep. The only clue that it was early season was the irrigation channels at the bottom of the steep section that formed a bit of a baby terrain park.

I rushed back for more but alas it was tracked out already. So next run from Gunbarrel was to Valley View. There were only two tracks in the off piste. I did this several times.

Eventually the weather worsened even more, with visibility down to about 20m and a wind-chill below -22C, so I decided to ski down High Noon one more time rather than risk having to ride down Merritts chair - if Cruiser went on wind hold.

Breakers on Lake Jindabyne yesterday

Dead Horse Gap yesterday afternoon

The new stairs up to Jack Adams Path

The Village Square outside the Bakery at 7:15am

Looking back the other way

Opposite Central Park cafe in the square

Looking back down the square
It's much deeper now!

The roads are covered

Merritts this morning

The Platypus Pond that probably never had this good a cover last year

It is still snowing heavily and I can't see the mountain. I'm also aware of how unfit I am. Baby steps for me.

The forecasts have about another metre to fall by Monday. It has been worth the wait :-)

Best Wishes for Peter who may be out of action for the season with a hernia. What rotten luck.