A Distraction

You may have noticed no photos on ABC TV or my twitter account of the fresh snowfall because I've been out of Thredbo for a while. And, after all the fresh snow you were expecting some pre season snappies ;-) Not so!!!

If you have been keeping up with my reports over the Australian summer you will have seen the photos Peter has been sending from Rusutsu during the Japanese winter. Peter has sent me some photos taken during a recent stroll on the slopes of Rusutsu.

The following photos show the immense contrast from just a few months ago and just how fast those many metres of snow pack have melted.

Yotei-zan in the background behind the Rusutsu Resort infrastructure

High on a hill was a lonely ... lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo

Looking back towards the main part of Rusutsu Resort

Peter standing where the snow is normally 4 metres deep in winter

Top of the gondola

Looking across the lush greens to East Mountain and Mt Isola

This coming weekend marks the "official" opening of the Snow Season for many Australian resorts. Time to stow that mountain bike and attack the rust on the edges of the winter tools.

Following a period of maintenance, Kosi chair re-opened (for tourist rides only) on Saturday morning only to be put on "wind hold". Wind gusts continued around 80kph for pretty much the entire weekend.

But has it snowed? Yes all the way to Braidwood. 10cm in Jindabyne. A reported 30cm in Perisher and Thredbo and there is more to come :-)