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almost 2 metres in August!

The winter that started slow has turned into an incredible season. Almost 2 metres of snow has fallen in higher areas of the Alps this month and the current batch of powder is deep and dry and gives some incredible skiing and boarding.

There are updates on snow conditions on the Mountain Watch website.

These are just a few random images from the Hotham area from today.

Be aware that there is some avalanche risk in back country areas such as along the Razorback.

The current gos on the mountain (friday 27th) is that the Hotham – Harrietville road will be open by lunchtime today.

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Protect our Winters video

Protect Our Winters was created as a way to bring the winter sports community together to fight climate change and its effects on our mountains.

It is the environmental center point of the winter sports community, united towards a common goal of reducing climate change’s effects on our sport and local mountain communities.

POW has just released their 2010 trailer video.

You can watch it here.
For details on POW in Australia, check here.

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winter is back (finally!)

Well, for everyone who has been suffering with all this dwindling snow, rainy days and warm weather, the front that’s passing over the Australian Alps this weekend is definitely a sight for sore eyes.

Wire Plain, VIC

With a good start to the season back in June that then faded off, backcountry skiing has been exceptionally sketchy over the past week or so, and even in resorts most have only about 30 per cent of their trails open. That situation will change this week….

For full reports, check Mountain Watch.

These are a few pics from the Mt Hotham area over the weekend.

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Take action to protect our winters!

A classic image from the Victorian Alps: Mt Feathertop from Hotham. But without serious action on climate change now, our alpine areas are at grave risk.

First Protect our Winters (POW) Australia action alert

The Victorian government is in the final stages of deciding what type of Climate Bill it will deliver as part of it’s election commitments.

Similar Bills in other places – for instance, the UK and Scotland – have set ambitious greenhouse emissions reductions targets (Scotland has committed to 42% reductions by 2020).

We must urge the Victorian government to deliver a strong, world leading Bill. The final decision about the Bill is being taken now. And a strong Bill will greatly reduce Victoria’s contribution to climate change through driving a shift away from our reliance on polluting brown coal power.

POW Australia has issued its first action alert, asking people to email the Premier, John Brumby. It is available here.

We hope POW supporters, skiers and boarders from across Australia will support this on line campaign. Lets get the Australian winter sports community mobilised to protect our winters.

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review – Winter Dreaming

Graham Hammond trips through a self-induced fantasy. Stephen Curtain collection

‘Winter Dreaming: an Australian Alps freeheel film’ (released in 2008) is both a telemark ski film and a celebration of the fleeting miracle of cold and snow on our old, flat continent. As was noted by Barry Park, in the Age newspaper, it is “part documentary and part eye-candy”.

What makes Winter Dreaming stand-out for me is Stephen’s eye for detail and the often fleeting beauty in the landscape, rather than simply going for the ‘rush’ shots of people ripping down big slopes.

You can find a review of the film here.

You can find a profile on Stephen here.

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Melbourne, 10 June, 2010.  Protect Our Winters (POW), the global environmental foundation founded in 2007 by legendary pro snowboarder Jeremy Jones, is broadening their reach this winter by opening a local chapter in Australia.
Protect Our Winters (POW) is a US-based non-profit organisation dedicated to reversing the global warming crisis by uniting and mobilising the global winter sports community. Jeremy has witnessed first-hand the impact of climate change on our mountains.

“POW was founded on the idea that if we harness our collective energy and put forth a focused effort, the winter sports community can have a direct influence on minimizing the damage that’s been done and ensure that winters are here for generations behind us”, said Jones.

Full report here.

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Have your say on the future of the alpine resorts

The Department of Sustainability and Environment and the Alpine Resorts Co-ordinating Council are reviewing the Alpine resorts 2020 Strategy. The strategy was created to guide the the long term planning and management of Victoria’s six alpine resorts.

Mount Buller, VIC

DSE and ARCC will be hosting a series of workshops in June to identify key trends and issues for the future of resorts and look at how the new strategy can address these issues.

Workshops will be held in Melbourne and at or near the six resorts from June 1 until June 23. You need to rsvp for the events.
hayley.hollis@dse.vic.gov.au

For details on the workshops, check here.

For details on the existing Resorts 2020 strategy, check here.

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winter on its way

Woo hoo. With another good dusting across the Alps in the last week, thoughts turn to the big questions: when will we get that first big dump? What trips am I going to do? Do I need any new gear?

Looking across the Bogong High Plains towards the east face of Feathertop, VIC

A few links that might help the pre season prep:

gear. The Green and sustainable gear site brings together information and listings on green and ethical outdoor gear, including whatever is still produced locally;

our carbon footprint. Here in Australia, a trip to the snow usually means a lot of hours sitting in a car. But most resorts are well serviced by buses. Perhaps think of doing at least one trip a year by bus, as a practical way of reducing your impact. The Keep Winter Cool site has a carbon calculator so you can measure – and hopefully – reduce the impacts of your next car-based trip

sunscreen. Up high, just that bit closer to the sun, we need our sunblock. But what about the hidden nasties? Check here for a guide to nano free sunscreens.

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2010 Snow Season Outlook

Mountainwatch.com Meteorologist Aaron Cook puts his neck on the line and has made a prediction about what the 2010 Australian snow season may look like.

Etheridge Ridge, Snowies Main Range, NSW

As he says, “the truth is, forecasting snow more than one week ahead is really hard to do and any weather forecast that isn’t straight up about how much uncertainty there is at this time of year just shouldn’t be trusted”.

This winter, conditions are forecast to be neutral (neither El Nino or La Nina) as last year’s El Nino dies off in a similar fashion to 1995 and 1983.

In spite of a long list of caveats, he does make the following suggestion about how the season might shape up: “If I had to make a call, I would say we’ll see 10 to 15cm of snow later this week and a few more minor falls throughout May. However the ground is still too warm for the snow to hang around. I’m going to stick my neck out and predict: First big dump of snow will be around June 10. The snow depth at Spencers Creek (above the Charlottes Pass Ski Village) will hit 1 metre about July 3, and will peak at 160 cm this winter”.

The full version of his report, which explains all the difficulties of making a long range assessment is well worth a read.

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“Climate change is a scam”

Climate change is already negatively impacting the snow and ski industry.

Our notoriously fickle winters are becoming more erratic. For instance, climate change projections show that, as Australia’s temperatures continue to increase, the maximum snow depths will continue to decrease and the snow seasons will become shorter (source).

In spite of compelling evidence, there is still stubborn denial in some parts of the snow community.

Here is one example.

If your income came from running a large ski business, do you think it would be worth tracking what trends are happening in your industry? And if anyone and everyone was saying that climate change was going to impact on the future and possibly even the viability of your business, do you think that maybe you might look into what’s coming?

Obviously not everyone works that way. Here’s some choice quotes from Mick Klima, co-owner of the Rhythm Snowsports megastore in Cooma, courtesy of Powerhound magazine.

(Does climate change worry you?)

“I’m with [British politician] Lord Monckton on that one, mate. That guy’s got it together. It’s a scam. It’s the new religion. It’s become too politicised and too emotional”. Which does beg the question, does ignoring it because its ’emotional’ make it go away?

“I’m not into the masses being manipulated by fear. There’ll always be something that politicians use to manipulate the way the public’s money is spent”.

(Will it impact on your business?)

“It won’t happen in my lifetime. I hope it doesn’t happen in my lifetime.”

Yeah, well, good luck with that one Mick.

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Snow Australia’s new commercial from Warren Miller

The theme of the ads being ‘ski here in Australia rather than NZ’. Certainly makes sense on environmental grounds, way lower carbon footprint.  Even better, catch the bus!

(The video is here. Prepare yourself for lots of ads!)
Warren Miller’s current film is showing at Australian resorts over opening weekend in June.

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Alpine Resorts Sustainablity Forum 2010 – Friday 7 May 2010

“The Alpine Sustainability Forums are an established annual highlight of Australia’s alpine industry calendar. It is a “must attend” event for key people involved in alpine resorts across Australia. It brings together delegates from resorts across Australia to listen, workshop, and be exposed to leading edge ideas and actions”.

This year’s forum is being held at Mt Buller.

Details of the Forum, including Registration Booklet and Registration Form, are available here.

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