Big Wednesday ?

That's what the lads were calling it this morning before lifts opened. After days of rain and depleting snow base Mother Nature eventually cooled enough to turn water into wine - sorry that's rain into snow ;-)

The last day I was out was last Saturday (see previous report) and I was ready for an early start today. I went out last evening and took some village photos and again this morning before 7am - to capture the village before it got trampled over.

Although I reached Kosi chair before 8am I was lined up for 5th chair. By 8:20 and no chairs racked on and after several dozen rude people had pushed in from the sides, I decided that if Kosi started I would end up on 12th chair and so I bailed and went to SnowGums. This ended up a good call because, although I was on 14th chair, the Kosi cable was still stationary when I reached the top. I pulled an old trick (psss don't tell anyone) and went straight across to Kareela. Supertrail had had a late groom but apart from a single patroller checking ropes on skiers left, I had World Cup, deep and glorious, all to myself. From here I cut back to under SnowGums and headed for Gunbarrel. Kosi was still not moving and the queue for SnowGums would have been enormous by now but I skied straight onto Gunbarrel and the fun continued. I rode Gunbarrel until a late Cruiser started. Valley View and then straight onto Cruiser. Two wonderful runs in the Powder Bowl and my body said 'coffee and sugar'. After a quick top-up I found Antons had opened and I did a Wiamea in zero visibility. It felt good but I didn't see a thing. After other runs that I won't tell you about I was exhausted. My last run was off piste into the village before my first crash of the season onto the bottom of Supertrail after dipping my tips into an unseen ditch. Natural and unnatural obstacles exist!

Due to the -21C wind-chill, driving snow, poor visibility and out-of-control funmeter I took very few on-slope photos but please enjoy the village shots.

Yesterday morning as sunrise broke over Crackenback

Sundance looking worse for wear

Sundance today :-)

Village Square yesterday afternoon as the snow was settling

Outside the bakery this morning

Shots from last night and one from today

More Village Square photos taken before 7am this morning

Lined up for 5th chair on Kosi before 8am - and where I took my first ride of the day

Bottom of Sponars T-bar - still no T's on - with 1m of base

For those of you familiar with the Pineapple Express that brings big snows to Nth America
Yesterday's weather pattern (picture from BOM) showed why we got what we got
Moist warm air from the NW hitting cold Antarctic air from the SW

It was a ferocious night last night with winds stronger than I have ever encountered. There was snow even inside covered car parks and up against doors and windows.

It's still snowing outside but not as heavily. The sun tried to break out a couple of times but otherwise tall is the same: -20C wind-chill :-)

I've heard numerous stories of chaos on the roads including chains from Varney's Range (between Berridale and Jindabyne).

The off piste will no doubt be awesome tomorrow but be aware that avalanche risk will be high with so much snow and so much wind-loading. Drifts are well over a metre deep in places. Mountain crew and Ski Patrol really had their work cut out today.