BH's the season is over Thredbo TR

[BlueHue]

Yep thats it folks, move on as the season is well and truelly over......

At least thats what I thought when I saw this.
http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq337/BlueHuee/BrendansSkiPics001.jpg

I was too hasty to judge though. Most of the mountain was a frozen rain slurpee but the groomers were actually not too bad. Firm but skiable and the cold temps kept the fast blue cruising runs off Kosci chair in pretty good shape for much of the day and for most of their length. Off-piste though was a big no go zone for the morning at least. Only Merrits Falls seemed to be collecting anything much. However after lunch working our way across Central Spur it seemed just enough snow had fallen/blown in for it be worth tolerating the wind scoured ice to get to some nicer stuff. The final result were a dozen or so nice smooth turns on Waimea, before the usual ugly descent of High Noon. Not one of the better days I've had this year snow wise but I got my monies worth and was happy with the day considering how bad things looked first up.

Day two started with my mates skis dissapearing. Turns out some lady much older and shorter than us had somehow mistaken 190cm pocket rockets for her skis. Anyway, in the overnight wind the nasty icey bits had shrunk a little and the nice bits had grown just a little making for some nice morning turns off Central Spur, like this line below.
http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq337/BlueHuee/BrendansSkiPics008.jpg

Late morning we decided to go check out Signature Hill for some untracked windblown snow... after I'd left my backpack with skins sitting on a table at Avalanche Cafe only to remember it halfway up Kosci chair :eek:

Arriving out there we bootpacked up with this view of the final stretch.
http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq337/BlueHuee/BrendansSkiPics018.jpg

And the view from the top after a surprisingly not so demanding bootpack.
http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq337/BlueHuee/BrendansSkiPics026.jpg

A mate skiing Signature Hill if you can spot him.
http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq337/BlueHuee/BrendansSkiPics033.jpg

We then headed back to Friday Flat via Central Spur and Waimea hoping again for some nice turns but no, we were foiled. The creeping late afternoon shadows had crisped up the mountain and the run back down High Noon was somewhat challenging..... ok very challenging, particularly for the poor wee little kid at the bottom being attended to by ski patrol and looking very unhappy.

So turns out the season is not really over yet. Still skiing more like September then August though.

Day three pics coming up a bit later!

HOT CHOCOLATE..... just getting the attention of a few who's eyes I know will wake up at the site of those words. Merrits Cafe does a very very nice Swiss Lindt Hot Chocolate :D

[ 19. August 2009, 08:19 PM: Message edited by: BlueHue ]

[SA]

Nice work on the walk!

[skijacski]

I can see Richi's turns on Signature Hill!

I thought I saw you guys over there, when I came in from my trip outback. What a lovely day both days have been.

Did you see today Richi and his little green kite!

Some one else had a kite out there too, an Ozone kite.

We bumped into one another on the other side of Pyramid as I was going up to Ethridge.

Hope your faces are not like mine, a bit red even with all the cream and peaked hat.

Do you need the loan of a pair of Pocket rockets with Fritschi's, I have a spare pair if necessary - unless you got the others back.

[Podlettte]

he left his backpack with skins, not his skis ;) he skied back and his pack was still there, so he didn't lose his skins thankfully!

Looks great honey and yes HOT CHOCOLATE caught my eye tongue.gif you might have to tardis some Lindt hoto chocco to eyre for first tracks if we're still doing that tongue.gif

[BlueHue]

Yeh we saw Richards turns out on Signature Hill. Looked at them admiringly traversing out there and then saw the photo later on Richards Report.

Funny actually, my friend did a turn that swept across in front of Richards line at the bottom of it and I've got a photo that makes it look like Richards tracks are his own. Thought of posting it up as a bit of a joke tongue.gif

Did not see any kites though. We headed down to Dead Horse Gap today with a few variations rather than the run straight down. Actually pics in the next post.

[Legolas]

try it with a shot of peppermint schnapps in BH...mmmmmm

[BlueHue]

Wednesdays Pics.

A few cruisey runs in the central spur area followed by a Supertrail slurpee for a break at Avalanche Cafe, then out the back for a few runs down to Dead Horse Gap.

First photo is skinning up into the Ramsheads. Figured out afterwards watching others come off the top of Karels we could have got to a point a bit above my mate in that photo by just skating/traversing and pushing for a bit without having to use skins at all, rather than us traversing below a rock formation and then having to go back up round the other side to get to where we wanted to be. Oh well I guess this is how you learn your way around new terrain.
http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq337/BlueHuee/DSCN0103.jpg

Skiing down into Bogong Creek from the Ramsheads area. Strangely the bit we skied was not icey even though its all shiny in the photo. I think the photo exposed for a darker area in the shot and over exposed the white new snow.
http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq337/BlueHuee/DSCN0110.jpg

Bogong Creek at the bottom of the first run.
http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq337/BlueHuee/DSCN0116.jpg

Continued on to Dead Horse Gap in spring like snow, returned to Thredbo for a long lunch at the Bistro and called it a day.

Once again, conclusion is the season is definitely not over even if it does feel like spring.

BLUEBERRY and ALMOND TART alert for the foodies at Altitude 1380 Cafe in the Village. Good... but not great is my verdict.

[Podlettte]

Lucky it wasn't great tongue.gif

[skijacski]

Hmmm, I finished yesterday at Merrits Mountain Hut as I was getting peckish skiing towards Charlottes pass, had a smoked salmon and creamed eggs, capers, onion roll - one of the best I have ever had.

Just watching the first clouds move in this morning. Working in studio and doing bits and pieces. The memory of yesterday was lovely, just had a bit too much sun and heat!

[spaz]

Someone must have been watching your gear bh. Maybe from a hole in the wall, near a TV.

[skijacski]

Originally posted by spaz:
Someone must have been watching your gear bh. Maybe from a hole in the wall, near a TV. :cool:

[montague]

You don't go to the snow in mid August for spring like conditions. You pay full price for everything - the season is definately OVER!

[Barcoo]

Originally posted by montague:
You don't go to the snow in mid August for spring like conditions. You pay full price for everything - the season is definately OVER! Look at the charts, I beg to differ.
There have been many years in the past when September was the peek of the ski season.

[BlueHue]

Aahh yes I saw the hole in the wall shop this morning with a blue haired girl peering out. Good location for it and the snowcam sign stands out nicely, thats what got my attention as I walked past.

Another fun day on the mountain. More nice lines with the softening snow making off piste very forgiving and easy to ski. No crowds or queues so getting lots of skiing in despite some long leisurely breaks.

SJS saw a kite not far out of Thredbo near Antons today. Green and orange, looked like someone was getting a lesson in using the kite. Looked like a fine way to spend some time on the snow but not sure I'd give it a go. Got this feeling it would be all to easy to get dragged along at the whim of the wind!

[Podlettte]

easy way to get back out of the crags though!! :D

Where are the pics? tongue.gif

[BlueHue]

Only one pic today just to check my camera was still working after droping it and watching it roll a few metres across concrete.

[Podlettte]

:eek: 1 pic?? you should be banned tongue.gif

[BlueHue]

Too busy skiing!