The program for the 2nd Victorian backcountry festival will be released via the website next week.

People who have pre registered (you can register for $10 for the weekend here) will receive early notification of the program, and be able to sign up for tours, by the end of this week.

The program looks fantastic, with offerings from Hotham ski school, Traverse Hotham, LetsSplit, Melbourne Nordic Ski Club, Mountain Sports Collective, Bushwalking Search and Rescue,  and many individuals.

Tours cover: cross country, snow shoe, telemark and alpine touring, splitboarding and fat biking. We have tours for beginners and advanced skiers and riders, tours specific for women, and a range of backcountry skills workshops including navigation, snow camping, avalanche and backcountry safety and self rescue, ski mountaineering, and snow survival skills.

Friday night is at the Snowline Hotel in Harrietville, on Saturday we will kick on at Blizzard Brewery at Dinner Plain, and Sunday night is a special evening at The Bird for Protect Our Winters, featuring a great film from Patagonia.

But as they say on those informercials: ‘But wait. There’s more’. There’s an awesome speakers program on Saturday at The General, and an outdoor bar in a ski in location on Saturday afternoon. Plus 2 day AST 1 avalanche courses delivered by Alpine Access Australia available before, during and after the festival.

Then there is a three day snow camping adventure onto the Razorback (September 9 – 11) for advanced and strong skiers and riders.

#VICbackcountryfestival will be epic. BC Fest celebrates all things backcountry. See you at Hotham in September.

Background info available on the website or facebook event page.