What The Wind Bringeth, The Wind Taketh Away

Yesterday (Thursday) was somewhat different to Wednesday and not just in the spelling ;-) The wind was still howling and the wind chill was still down around -19C but you could see more.

One thing that didn't change was the fact that KT could not get Kosi chair open on time for a second day running. I had been lined up for an early chair but at 8:20 I abandoned that and again lined up at SlowBums. I managed 4th chair there and when at the top everyone went left, I went right (plan D). I was forced to take on the responsibility of laying first tracks down Bushranger :-) As on Wednesday I then crossed over to Gunbarrel. At least Antons opened on time and Peter and I enjoyed a few runs carving up Q5.

I later rode Kosi chair (when it eventually opened). Little Beauty was superb and I had to do it again. The Basin opened late and I delayed my caffeine hit and took to the Basin. I luckily timed the Karels T-bar opening and got first tracks through the rocks at the top, down the fresh wind blown onto the flat acres of solid ice across to a field of massive sastrugi and eventually reached some nice windblown on the Rim Run. I didn't repeat that process, well at least not until today when I thought that it couldn't be any worse - fail!

The sky was a brilliant deep blue today and the wind had gone. I left a layer behind in the apartment but after a run or two was wishing I'd left a second layer behind. The recent snowfall and brilliant weather brought the crowds out.

It took thought and some hard work to pick up the best lines through the fields of ice and sastrugi that had now multiplied across the resort like a plague. Due to big queues on Basin T-bar I had two enjoyable runs down Cannonball (yes, I'm a slow learner). Actually my runs down Cannonball to the 'closed' signs and then across to Little Beauty were probably the best runs I had all morning.

Tomorrow is another day, with bigger crowds, less wind-blown snow, blistering sunshine and no wind. I'm looking forward to it already ;-)

Little Beauty yesterday as I laid fresh tracks (the wind covered them straight away)

Fresh windblown on the Rim Run (below the acres of ice and sastrugi)

Looking across the Rim Run yesterday

Meadows natural snow measuring point this morning

And a little further across near the cat sheds

Looking back up Cannonball today

The Supertrail below Ski-in Ski-out looking like a real ski run
Can't complain about that deep blue sky :-)

And the queue for Kosi chair late this morning

I had an appointment in Jindabergenhofen yesterday afternoon and there are still a lot of cars off the road - some in unbelievable locations. Why can't they drive to the conditions? The roads are clear, except in Thredbo where extreme care should still be taken. As Kim says: being in a 4WD doesn't help you when going down a hill.

May be, just may be, they'll get Sponars T-bar open tomorrow ;-Q