The past three days has seen us go from possibly the best day of the season on Friday to a shocker today.
Friday was just one of those days that you are glad to be in mountains and enjoying everything about them. Great weather, awesome riding, everything was just on song. True there could have been two foot plus of fresh to top things off but let’s not ask for too much.
It was clear on Saturday that something was on the way in. Turns out it was a day of drizzle/rain and thick fog. I did see it snow very briefly in the morning but that obviously didn’t last. Hopefully it turns to snow this evening but it doesn’t seem to have done much damage apart from change the texture a bit.
Was very worthwhile getting out for the early opening of HV:
Despite the wet and windy conditions the skiing is actually pretty good.
The moist but cold conditions last week that conspired to create all the icing that has hampered the lifts and demolished many trees also meant that many of the runs were largely unskiable due to being a sheet of ice.
Sometimes the only thing that can fix that is rain and that’s what’s happening now.
We had a number of great run in Yurredla, Mens Downhill, Hogs Back, Womens Downhill and Village. However the rain took its toll and we had to head in to dry out and will give it another shot in an hour or so.
There were a few stray flakes falling from the sky a few minutes ago, nothing to get too excited about just yet.
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Pretty yuk this morning. Bullers Facebook is describing it as Breezy and foggy. Windy and raining would be a more accurate description.
So instead of showing you all a white out here are some more pics from yesterday:
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Great morning skiing, highlights were Dam Rum and Cow Camp.
Been a really good week up here! Snow quality remains great as it hasn’t really warmed up, although out of the wind today it didn’t feel too cold.
Reading the Buller report it seems we haven’t copped all the icing that has taken place over there. That said there was an hour or so yesterday that put a bit of ice on anything standing in the way.
All reports show a few days of sun coming up so I’m guessing that the sunshine this afternoon is the start of that. Been too busy to look at a forecast but already hearing that early next week is looking pretty tasty.
These lovely pics just arrived from the hill: It looks like it had been quite a murky week but the sun came out this morning.
Bourke St / VillageBoggy AreaSummit SlideSummit SlideHowqua ChairFlake Side LodgeFed ChairIced Trees
From everyone I have spoken to this week it sounds like the icing on the trees/lifts has been absolutely incredible. Apparently you can hear them cracking around you and nobody is game to ski on the edge of the runs lest they cop one in the head.
Good news is that the weather looks to be clear on Friday and Saturday, with cloud increasing on Sunday and some more potential snow on Mon/Tues. More details on Jane’s Weather. I will comment further when things are more close and the forecasts more reliable.
In the meantime enjoy if you are up on the hill, given the weather over the weekend and early in the week I am sure it’s nice to see the sun!
I think the Line Prophet 90 is the best ski I’ve ever owned. It’s built like a wide GS ski, with a twin tip for versatility. It can carve on everything but boilerplate, charges full speed off-piste, and only starts to feel narrow once the pow reaches your boot tops.
We ski a lot of soft snow in Australia, whether it’s corn, slush, fresh or not so fresh, and this is the ultimate weapon for 90% of our conditions.
I bought this ski undemo-ed and sight unseen on the recommendation of my good mate Nick Franklin-Jones of Line & K2 Australia. This was back in 2008, and I’ve got a pair of the 2012 ones ready to be mounted up for this year. I’m looking forward to it and will definitely post a review here.
Line has been really growing since their acquisition by K2 and I asked Nick to do a short review of the skis he likes best in their range:
The completely redesigned 90 features a Metal matrix & new Capwall construction & even subtle Early Rise, for extra float & effortless turn initiation on the hard pack. The result is reliable power & stability, with quick and playful agility that’s years ahead of its time.
MODEL NAME: 2012 Line Prophet 98
SIZE: 165, 172, 179,186cm
SKI TYPE:All-Mountain and Powder
TARGET MARKET: Advanced- Expert
RRP: $879.00
2012 Line Prophet 98
Your concerns for going wider than 90mm will be forgotten after your first turn. The subtle Early Rise provides extra float in pow & easier turn initiation on the hard pack while it’s Capwall construction provide the high speed stability, edge hold & lively responsive feel normally only found on narrower skis. Enjoy!
MODEL NAME: 2012 Line Chronic
DIMENSIONS: 121/92/117
SIZE: 163, 173,178,183 cm
SKI TYPE: All-Mountain and Park and Pipe
TARGET MARKET: Advanced- Expert
RRP: $799.00
2012 Line Chronic
The legendary firm powerful flex pattern, 92mm width & G-cut geometry provides uncompromised versatility,stability and control when charging in the park, and all over the mountain. It’s the Chronic yo!
MODEL NAME: 2012 Line Afterbang
DIMENSIONS: 115/88/115
SIZE: 155,166,177,184cm
SKI TYPE: Urban Park and Pipe
TARGET MARKET: Advanced- Expert
RRP: $649.00
2012 Line Afterbang
It took four years to develop, but only one to become out #1 selling ski. Why? It’s got a bombproof Skate Deck Construction and jammed full of the most innovative jib specific technologies no other skis have, giving skiers the creative freestyle advantage no other ski can.
MODEL NAME: 2012 Line Celebrity 90
DIMENSIONS: 125/90/113
SIZE: 151,158,165cm
SKI TYPE: All Mountain
TARGET MARKET: Advanced- Expert Women
RRP: $749.00
2012 Line Celebrity 90
The 90 features a P-Cut geometry and NEW! Subtle Early Raise for effortless turn initiation and a Composite Matrix 4D fiber cap construction for a much lighter, livelier & forgiving feel than the 100. This is an extremely versatile all-mountain, one ski quiver, at a value that can’t be beat
The wind went away and while not all the cloud went with it was still a great day out there today and a massive improvement on the weekend. The snow out in the Orchard was excellent. Same goes for Heavenly. I think the pics below tell it better than I can.
UPDATED: still windy but is now snowing pretty nicely.
Yesterday is looking like it was the pick of the weekend. It was bit cloudy but visibility was variable at times due to how the cloud was moving through.
At the moment most lifts are on wind hold. Pretty tough conditions to be in out there at the moment.
Another few centimetres of snow last night was nice, plus heavy snowmaking as well. Got out early and checked out LBS, Wood Run, Standard, Shakey and Tirol. LBS was snowmaking affected but everything else is lovely, nice to feel some soft natural snow underfoot.
Howqua opening has been delayed but I will check that out later.
Good news on the Summer Grooming in Bull Run bowl, all the saplings have been removed which will greatly improve the skiing in the area. Too foggy for photos PG. Will try again later.
Word is that we should see Grimus and Southside tomorrow. However I will believe it when I see it due to the amount of de-icing required.
Weather is cold, windy & foggy. Standard Buller fare really.
Will update again once I have explored some more. Pics unlikely due to the fog.
