Poking around early Winter 2017

A couple of weeks ago I fortuitously found myself down in the Snowy Mountains for the first major snow storm of the year. With very few skiing opportunities over the past two years I couldn't resist strapping on the skis and going for a look around the back of Perisher.

With no base, there was no chance for any turns, but so nice just being out in the snow and watching the sun set on the snowgums. As I made my way back to the village it started to snow.

We are off two Europe for a few weeks. Looking forward to getting back for some real backcountry adventures later in the season.

Spring skiing

Whoooa dear reader, again sorry about that gap! You see it was not just a baby, renovating, a general malaise and life in general that has kept me away from this blog, but also a Masters degree I was doing over the past few years. Mercifully it is over.

As I write this, summer has gone and we are experiencing our first cooler days. And it got me thinking about my last day on snow last year, an incredible day in late September up in the Australian high country.

Now I never talk about my profession, it is very interesting and rewarding but the last thing I want to do in my non-work time is talk about work. Nonetheless, this tale involves my work in a small, crucial way. You see, I was able to arrange access, access that was not available to the general ski bum, at least for a few hours. With the access granted, Tim and I had a head start on the rest of the frothing backcountry animals. The snow looked epic, boot deep powder.

Main Range looking sweet

We hauled our flabby assess (in my case anyway) to Carruthers just in time to see a lone skier dropping into the bowl making some beautiful turns. How had we been beaten? Having a chat later, old mate tells me he got around the access issues by riding his bike up to the trail head at 4am, commitment!

Best view in Australia

 

 

 

Tim and I nailed some incredible runs, enjoyed the view, ate lots of sugar... you get the picture. An epic day in the BC.

Snow was on point

 

Yes this is really happening

Traditional afternoon Snowy River crossing

With so much snow around, and the official ski season over, we were able to take my son skiing for the first time. A memorable family milestone. Made even better by it being a backcountry day, earn your turns! no lifts!

 

 

 

 

 Proud Dad moment

Spring Skiing, The Sentinel and Mt Carruthers

Our last big group ski for the season is becoming a bit of a tradition. A big day out followed by a night of camping with beers and stories around the fire. This year we continued the tradition. Rohan, Mark and Marcin the mad Polish man arrived at my house in Berridale late Friday. After a few beers and stories of toilet practices gone wrong while snow camping, a recurring theme it seems, we hit the hay.

Angry Wagyu bull I met on the drive to the mountains

Kind of excited too

We were up early and at the turning circle around 8:00 to meet a host of people; Belly, Rimey, Tim, Dave, Richard, Carl, Mrs Skifree and Paul the telemarking sheep farmer. After a mostly uneventful wet crossing of the Snowy River and walk/ski to the saddle above Soil Con Creek we assessed the skiing out to the Sentinel.

Multiple gear explosions as everyone gets ready for the day out

Boot packing up the Main Range Trail

Looking out to The Sentinel, the boys weigh up the options

The Sentinel, a beautiful peak

The group split with the snowboarders electing to head over to Little Austria and Carruthers while the real man decided to take on the Sentinel.

For our first run we dropped off Sentinel Ridge, the snow was pretty firm and not that great. Huge dimples, like giant golf balls, played havoc with our cool carbon layup skis.

Frame grab of me on our first run off Sentinel Ridge, the dimples were not fun

We then bush-bash contoured around to the south east face of The Sentinel. Some of us donned crampons and climbed to the peak while others experienced snowboarder-esque screw issues with their new crampons. Those of us that climbed to the peak dropped in while Rimey and Mark met us at the bottom after skiing another line off the ridge.

Mark with some classic Australian backcountry ski conditions

Stoked to finally be able to ski The Sentinel

Watsons Crags

Sentinel peak and Mt Townsend

Paul drops in

Hats off to Rimey who after surviving a nasty fall last summer, and subsequent recovery, is back to carving up lines way out in the middle of nowhere.

Classic style, Rimey drops off Sentinel Ridge

The climb out was long and hot.

Crampons on and straight up

We made our way back to Carruthers for some afternoon lines into Club Lake. I met up with some old mates, Ryan and the Snowy Mountains' own bush carpenter Dougs (and here).

Hey Dougs, where's that single malt?

The run down to Club Lake was beautiful, just the right amount of softness and steepness to really let the skis run.

Mark drops into The Elevator, a pretty nice Australian chute from Carruthers down into Club Lake

Frame grab of me skiing off Carruthers

While the fitter members of the group booted up for another run I started the climb up to Mt Lee for my preferred last run of the season. Looking back I saw some tele gold by Paul the telemarking sheep farmer.

The awesome terrain off Mt Carruthers into Club Lake

My last run down Mt Lee was fun, beautiful wide open turns all the way to Club Lake Creek then drift hopping all the way back to the Snowy River. We finished the trip with a memorable night around the campfire discussing snow camping toilet etiquette and tales of youth misspent.

Classic night

Roos around the camp site in the morning

We wet a line in the Thredbo River but no luck as usual

A glacial erratic I encountered on the way home?

Lucky to see hundreds of endangered Hoary Sunray

Thank you everyone for the good times out on the hill. Another great season with plenty of good snow and backcountry learning opportunities. Enjoy summer.

An edit by Rohan who really loves 80's rock!

Sentinel and Club Lake SD from Rohan Verco on Vimeo.

A Sunny Spring Day on Mt Tate

Nothing to strenuous, just a fantastic morning out in the sunshine with my buddy Belly and other friendly BC folk.

Belly on the approach

Dropping

                                       

 

Belly, the fruits of our labour

The view from Mt Tate looking south towards Mt Twynam, Tenison Woods Knoll and the north face of Watsons Crags

North face of Watsons Crags, terrain I hit in my last post

Twynam West Spur and Tenison Woods Knoll, still looking so good

Our turns off Mt Tate