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Skiing the High Plains

This is one of the finest books written about the Australian Alps. Self published by Harry Stephenson in 1982 and long out of print, this compilation of essays about the development ok skiing in Victoria is exhaustive. Coming in at almost 500 pages, it must have been a massive effort. It is an incredible cultural history of skiing, based on a series of stories and recollections from key players in the development of skiing in the state. While we are generally offered a cattle grazing heavy history of the Alps, this book fills in details on some of the other actors in the early days of European settlement.

It’s various chapters cover the developments at key mountains across the state, from Buller and Hotham to Donna Buang, where skiing was popular in the 1920s. It doesn’t neglect wilder and more distant areas like Bogong or Mt Howitt. And it is inter-spaced with fantastic photo galleries by a range of photographers.

There is a review available here.

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The Wait Is Over, up to 50cm inbound

After a good, early start to the season, the dreaded El Nino influence has seen very ordinary conditions across the Alps since opening weekend in early June…. Most resorts are getting by with very limited terrain being open, and snow making being the source of the skiable stuff. The backcountry, at least in Victoria, is bare, and the Main Range looks pretty basic.

So, this report from The Grasshopper at Mountain Watch is bringing hope to lots of folks:

“The good news: “The best hope of some decent snow is still 11 to 14 July, but unfortunately there’s a bit less agreement amongst the various computer models today. Cold air does not look like it will be an issue; with high pressure to the west and low pressure to the east we’re assured of several days of cold south-west to southerly flow.”

“The big question is whether we get the moisture to combine with that cold air to create snow. Yesterday, I was getting good signals wherever I looked and so 30 to 50cm was the call if those forecasts could hold. Today I’m just seeing a couple of uncertain wobbles in the weather pattern which means I’m going to hedge my bets a little wider and call this 10 to 50cm. Long story short, the upside potential is still very much in play, but a bit more downside has crept in. It happens.”

Check MountainWatch for updates as we get closer to the 11th.

And if you’re getting out amongst it, why not post some photos on the Mountain Journal facebook page?

[Header image: fantastic early snow on Mt Thetis, Tasmania, April 2015]

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Mt Stirling winter 2015

The following comes from Mt Buller Mt Stirling Resort Management and outlines the changes on the mountain that are in place for this winter.

Mountain Journal has previously covered the Epicenter. Please support this great business.

You’ll notice a few changes at Mt Stirling this year, and we have no doubt you’ll be impressed! Over the summer period the visitor center (known as Telephone Box Junction or TBJ), incorporating the café, ski hire, ski patrol base and public shelter, received a facelift. Not only did TBJ get a well-deserved upgrade, we welcome The Epicenter, a new café at TBJ who will be serving wholesome, organic food and great coffee.

Your entire experience will be improved and we can’t wait to share it with you!

First time for Fat Bikes this winter!
Continue reading “Mt Stirling winter 2015” →

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Backcountry film festival showing in Sydney

Patagonia is hosting a showing of the Backcountry film festival, at 6pm on wednesday June 3.

At the Patagonia store. 93 Bathurst Street, Sydney.

We will be showing all nine films (full list here).

This is a free event. You’d be most welcome to make a donation, which will go to the Friends of the Earth climate campaign.

There is a facebook page for the event available here.

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Ski Guides (ski touring) course

The following comes from Stephen Curtain.

Ski Guides (ski touring) course

Outcome: to begin to guide clients on day ski tours—away from patrolled areas—in Kosciuszko’s backcountry area in the Australian Alps.

Provider: Outdoor Recreation at TAFE WESTERN—Lithgow campus

Dates: 8-day course over two blocks:

7–10 Aug 2015 (Fri, Sat, Sun,Mon) and 28–31 Aug 2015.

Continue reading “Ski Guides (ski touring) course” →

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Lake Mountain needs new ski patrollers

With the snow season just around the corner, Lake Mountain Ski Patrol (LMSP) is recruiting additional volunteers to help look after the thousands of weekend day trippers who head to the resort each winter for some fun in the snow.

To be well prepared for the season, the patrol’s 2015 training weekend will be held at Lake Mountain on the weekend of June 13 and 14 and prospective volunteers are invited to attend. Continue reading “Lake Mountain needs new ski patrollers” →

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Backcountry film festival 2015

Now in its 10th year the Winter Wildlands Alliance Backcountry Film Festival celebrates the human powered winter experience through film. The festival aims to entertain while helping to raise funds and awareness for Winter Wildlands and our like-minded partners.

The Backcountry Film Festival premieres in Boise, Idaho, and then travels to more than 100 locations worldwide.  Along the way, it will be viewed by more than 20,000 outdoor enthusiasts and raise more than $110,000 each year for local organisations working on advocacy, snow safety, outdoor education and Snow School programs.

Melbourne show

Thursday May 21, 2015

Cinema at RMIT. Building 80.

Level 1, Room 2, 445 Swanston Street.

Suggested donation: $8 conc & students/ $15 waged.

All proceeds go to the Friends of the Earth climate campaign.

Facebook page here.

The cinema is Room 80.01.02 (It can be hard to find, best bet is to enter off A’Beckett Street, just by the Oxford Scholar Hotel (map here). Building 80 is on Swanston, between Latrobe and Franklin street, opposite the main RMIT campus.

Feel free to meet at the Oxford Scholar for a drink from 6.30pm. Please aim to arrive at the Cinema around 7, we will start the films at 7.15pm.

The festival will also be shown during the 2015 Splitfest (splitboarding festival) being held in the Snowy Mountains, on friday August 22 in Jindabyne.

Please check here for a listing of the films being shown.

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Snow season forecast

Last winter started late but saw fantastic snowfalls and a solid snowbase for most of the season. As we move into autumn all us skiers, boarders and snow lovers are wondering what 2015 might look like. One of the best sources is The Grasshopper, who writes for Mountainwatch.

Grasshopper has written up their forecast for the 2015 season, and the take home message is that:

We’re heading for an El Nino and it’s got a good chance of being a strong one.

A winter dominated by a ‘classic’ El Nino event generally means poor snowfalls because “Big fat highs sit down on south-eastern Australia, suppressing cloud and holding the fronts and rain from the southern oceans at bay”.

But Grasshopper notes that there are two possible forms of El Nino, the other being the so-called “Wrong-uns”:

“When these turn up the higher pressures don’t eventuate and the lower pressures move north to encroach upon Australia. This is going to mean more frequent and/or stronger westerly winds, and the air in those westerlies is going to be sourced from the southern oceans. We won’t necessarily get more precipitation, but when it does arrive it should be colder, and so more likely to fall as snow”.

This is the first forecast of the season, but the prognosis is not great:

“… in the meantime my forecast of peak snow depth at Spencers Creek this winter is a paltry, pathetic and potentially petrifying 140cm, with the first 50cm storm waiting until late July to pay a visit. That would make it the worst year since 2006, another Classic El Nino through June/July/August that only managed 85cm peak snow depth at Spencers Creek.”

There is the hopeful observation that:

“we’ll always have a roll of the dice that a couple of big storms will turn up during August”. Let’s hope.

Stay tuned for Grasshopper’s next forecast.

You can read the full report here.

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Thank a Resort

This is an interesting initiative from the Climate Reality Project.

It profiles eleven ski resorts in North America who are undertaking meaningful initiatives to reduce their environmental impact as a practical way of reducing their contribution to climate change.

It asks people to send a message to the resorts to acknowledge their efforts and encourage them to do more.

The project says:

The resorts listed below have all taken meaningful action to offset their carbon emissions in some way. We encourage you to send a virtual high-five to as many of them as you can for going above and beyond in the fight against climate change and helping to keep snow on our mountains.

Of course, no Australian resorts would make such a list given their lacklustre efforts. But its always good to get inspiration from elsewhere about what might be possible …

 

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The final frontier: women in ski films

Pretty Faces. An all female ski film.

We all know that women are radically under represented in skiing and boarding films. I remember posting a trailer for a film once and a friend commented “where are all the women? At home minding the kids?”. Harsh but fair. Each season brings a new round of films, but women continue to be an absolute minority in both resort and backcountry orientated films.

That is why this new production is so inspiring. Pretty Faces is “a film celebrating women who thrive in the snow”.

The film’s producers point out that women make up around 40% of the skiing population and 30% of the people watching adventure sports films. Yet only 14% of athletes in major ski films were female in this years releases. “Additionally, last season’s 14% was record female representation, up from 9% the previous season”.

The concept for the film came from professional big mountain skier and SheJumps co-founder, Lynsey Dyer. SheJumps encourages the participation of women in outdoor activities. Lynsey wanted to produce a film that gave “women and girls, young and old, a source of inspiration through a unique look at what is possible when boundaries are broken, dreams captured and friendships cultivated”.

In Lynsey’s words “I wanted to give young girls something positive to look up to…I wanted to give them their Blizzard of Ahhs, Ski Movie or High Life, but done in a way that also shows the elegance, grace, community and style that is unique to women in the mountains.”

“We see this as an opportunity to provide an inspiring documentary ski film told from a female’s perspective to connect with and celebrate skiing’s female population”.

“Although skiing is the focus of the film, we hope to showcase women’s on-hill success–from professional skiers to recreational enthusiasts–to inspire girls of all ages to pursue their dreams, walk the path less traveled, and reach their fullest potential, whatever path they choose”.

I haven’t seen the film as yet. Apart from loving the fact it aims to showcase the talents of women, I also appreciate that making the film was a collaborative process. The people behind the project did a call out for contributions: This isn’t just a project for “big-names” in the sport. We are looking for women old and young, talented and hard working, from all backgrounds to contribute to this project. Footage that oozes excitement, passion, authenticity and hard work will be considered for inclusion in the film”.

You can see the trailer here.

The film will be available for purchase shortly. Check the website for details.

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The Little Things boarding film launched

“We live in remarkable times. What is done, or isn’t done, in the next few years will determine the future”

– David Suzuki

“We need people to fall in love with the outdoors. Without that personal connection with nature it’s hard to get them to protect it”

– Jeremy Jones

Legendary snow boarder Jeremy Jones and environmentalist David Sukuki provide the narrative to the film The Little Things, which has just been released.

The Little Things is a snowboard movie project based on “environmentally conscious riders who are inspirational through their riding, as well as their sustainable ways of living and thinking”.

1233966_447889521993325_1612016137_nThe film is an initiative taken on by professional snowboarder Marie-France Roy and directed by Filmmaker Darcy Turenne in which all the riders are bringing to life the importance of protecting and living in balance with our environment.

100% of the proceeds from the film will be donated to Protect Our Winters (POW) and The David Suzuki Foundation (DSF). The film makers say that “the goal is to bring snowboarding one step ahead, while inspiring positive change that will secure the same lifestyle and quality of life that we have for future generations”.

You can see the trailer (and buy the film) here

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Thredbo carbon offset scheme

The snow season may be pretty much over, but it’s worth mentioning this initiative to reduce greenhouse emissions related to travel to Thredbo resort. It’s also heartening to see Thredbo offsetting emissions from some of its operations, including snow groomers, snow mobiles, buses and work trucks. This came via Adventure Pro.

Continue reading “Thredbo carbon offset scheme” →

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