SA
21-07-2010, 08:34 PM
First ski of the season! The plan was to meet up with JD and head out back - possibly to Leatherbarrel Creek, or just to play a bit closer in.
I drove down on the Friday, managing not to end up in Yass, unlike some frequent travellers.
1.
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117175-1/1-Turn.JPG
Saw a pretty cool sunset, and even found some local Werriwa wildlife.
2.
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117179-1/2a-Capital+Wind+Farm.jpg
3.
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117311-2/2b-Werriwa+wildlife_001.jpg
Quiet night in Jindy as we had planned an early start. You know it's the first ski of the season when you forget things - lots of things - even before you make it up the hill. In the end, between the two of us we forgot (1) my helmet/goggles (2) my sunglasses, retrieved (3) sunscreen, and (4) common sense.
We ended up deciding to skin up DHG because we were wary of the expected weekend crowds, opting to avoid the wait for the Kosi chair. This turned out to be a mistake. Big mistake. The skin up was easily the hardest we'd done. 30-odd centimetres of uncompacted snow laying lightly on uncompacted heath made for a very tough trip. It was a novel experience being able to post-hole in skis, and made for a lot of sweating, a lot of swearing, and for my part, a lot of photography while I waited for my breath to catch up.
4.
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117188-1/3-That+way.JPG
5. Looked ok from here
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117203-1/8-Looks+the+goods.JPG
6. We're off
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117206-1/9-Away.JPG
7. A 'photo' break (puff puff)
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117209-1/10-Surface+hoar.JPG
8. The snow itself was nice and dry, but a bugger to break trail through. Despite his man flu, JD did the bulk of the work, trooper that he is.
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117212-1/11-Kicking+the+heath.JPG
9. Photo break #2
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117215-1/12-Yours+truly.JPG
10. It's far far easier with a skin track in :D
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117218-1/13-Easy+once+you+have+a+skin+track.JPG
11. Should've known better - those bloody snow snakes got me around the next corner!
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117230-1/17-Bloody+snow+snakes_.JPG
12. We joined a six lane highway coming up from the higher carpark which we didn't start from - d'oh!
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117233-1/18-Six+lane+highway.JPG
13. I think JD was just a little buggered at this point
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117245-1/22-The+climb+took+its+toll.JPG
The skin up took close to 3 hours, easily a record. Once we got above the tree line however, the snow looked to be in good shape and we looked forward to a bit of ski down Leatherbarrel Creek. Alas, the ridge we ended upon happened to lead mainly to a rock garden, and by this stage we were pretty stuffed.
14. We saw a few signs of others on the climb up.
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117257-1/26-Another+enjoying+the+day.JPG
15.
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117260-1/27-Nice+turns.jpg
We broke for an early lunch, taking in the magnificient view of the Western Faces from the top.
16. To the ridge dividing DHG and LBC
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117275-1/32-Over+to+LBC.JPG
17. The view was worth it
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117281-1/34-JD_+Western+Faces.JPG
18. Testing the snowpack
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117284-1/35-Relief.JPG
19. The views:
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117290-1/37-Western+Faces+pano1.jpg
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117293-1/38-Western+Faces+pano2.jpg
Rather than another brutal climb back up, after lunch we opted for a few easy runs and some scouting of future lines
20. The Corrie and The Couloir - next time
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117272-1/31-The+Corrie+and+the+Couloir.JPG
21. The cornice middle of this shot had been plundered
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117278-2/33-This+face+looks+nice+-+for+later.JPG
22. Finally, a few turns of our own. Stylin' ;)
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117296-1/39-Plowing+the+pow.JPG
23. The snow was good enough for another go
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117299-1/40-Good+enough+for+another.JPG
24. Yeah, that was worth the pain.
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117302-1/41-Yeah.JPG
The snow was not deep, but it was dry and held turns nicely. Very nicely. Having ruled out more substantial climbs, we decided to go back to Thredbo and down the groomers rather than risking the inevitable snow snakes back to DHG.
25. Heading back
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117305-1/42-Back+to+the+back.JPG
26. A few turns off Ramshead
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117308-1/43-Turns+off+Ramshead.JPG
The skiing was nothing to write home about compared to our previous outings, but the weather and scenery were great, and the skiing and company tolerably enjoyable ;) (as always JD is a great travelling companion). We learned a lesson though - in future we'll head up the Kosi chair and be in the same area in around an hour, and a be hell of lot less stuffed.
Till next time :D
Post-script:
Pods and BlueHue kindly rescued us in the Tardis at Threbo and dropped us back to the car at DHG. Thanks again!
I drove down on the Friday, managing not to end up in Yass, unlike some frequent travellers.
1.
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117175-1/1-Turn.JPG
Saw a pretty cool sunset, and even found some local Werriwa wildlife.
2.
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117179-1/2a-Capital+Wind+Farm.jpg
3.
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117311-2/2b-Werriwa+wildlife_001.jpg
Quiet night in Jindy as we had planned an early start. You know it's the first ski of the season when you forget things - lots of things - even before you make it up the hill. In the end, between the two of us we forgot (1) my helmet/goggles (2) my sunglasses, retrieved (3) sunscreen, and (4) common sense.
We ended up deciding to skin up DHG because we were wary of the expected weekend crowds, opting to avoid the wait for the Kosi chair. This turned out to be a mistake. Big mistake. The skin up was easily the hardest we'd done. 30-odd centimetres of uncompacted snow laying lightly on uncompacted heath made for a very tough trip. It was a novel experience being able to post-hole in skis, and made for a lot of sweating, a lot of swearing, and for my part, a lot of photography while I waited for my breath to catch up.
4.
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117188-1/3-That+way.JPG
5. Looked ok from here
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117203-1/8-Looks+the+goods.JPG
6. We're off
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117206-1/9-Away.JPG
7. A 'photo' break (puff puff)
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117209-1/10-Surface+hoar.JPG
8. The snow itself was nice and dry, but a bugger to break trail through. Despite his man flu, JD did the bulk of the work, trooper that he is.
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117212-1/11-Kicking+the+heath.JPG
9. Photo break #2
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117215-1/12-Yours+truly.JPG
10. It's far far easier with a skin track in :D
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117218-1/13-Easy+once+you+have+a+skin+track.JPG
11. Should've known better - those bloody snow snakes got me around the next corner!
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117230-1/17-Bloody+snow+snakes_.JPG
12. We joined a six lane highway coming up from the higher carpark which we didn't start from - d'oh!
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117233-1/18-Six+lane+highway.JPG
13. I think JD was just a little buggered at this point
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117245-1/22-The+climb+took+its+toll.JPG
The skin up took close to 3 hours, easily a record. Once we got above the tree line however, the snow looked to be in good shape and we looked forward to a bit of ski down Leatherbarrel Creek. Alas, the ridge we ended upon happened to lead mainly to a rock garden, and by this stage we were pretty stuffed.
14. We saw a few signs of others on the climb up.
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117257-1/26-Another+enjoying+the+day.JPG
15.
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117260-1/27-Nice+turns.jpg
We broke for an early lunch, taking in the magnificient view of the Western Faces from the top.
16. To the ridge dividing DHG and LBC
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117275-1/32-Over+to+LBC.JPG
17. The view was worth it
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117281-1/34-JD_+Western+Faces.JPG
18. Testing the snowpack
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117284-1/35-Relief.JPG
19. The views:
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117290-1/37-Western+Faces+pano1.jpg
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117293-1/38-Western+Faces+pano2.jpg
Rather than another brutal climb back up, after lunch we opted for a few easy runs and some scouting of future lines
20. The Corrie and The Couloir - next time
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117272-1/31-The+Corrie+and+the+Couloir.JPG
21. The cornice middle of this shot had been plundered
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117278-2/33-This+face+looks+nice+-+for+later.JPG
22. Finally, a few turns of our own. Stylin' ;)
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117296-1/39-Plowing+the+pow.JPG
23. The snow was good enough for another go
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117299-1/40-Good+enough+for+another.JPG
24. Yeah, that was worth the pain.
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117302-1/41-Yeah.JPG
The snow was not deep, but it was dry and held turns nicely. Very nicely. Having ruled out more substantial climbs, we decided to go back to Thredbo and down the groomers rather than risking the inevitable snow snakes back to DHG.
25. Heading back
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117305-1/42-Back+to+the+back.JPG
26. A few turns off Ramshead
http://warmtinny.com/gallery2/d/117308-1/43-Turns+off+Ramshead.JPG
The skiing was nothing to write home about compared to our previous outings, but the weather and scenery were great, and the skiing and company tolerably enjoyable ;) (as always JD is a great travelling companion). We learned a lesson though - in future we'll head up the Kosi chair and be in the same area in around an hour, and a be hell of lot less stuffed.
Till next time :D
Post-script:
Pods and BlueHue kindly rescued us in the Tardis at Threbo and dropped us back to the car at DHG. Thanks again!