There’s a river to cross. There used to be a trail but people kept needing to be rescued. It also needed really good cover to be usable.
There needs to be lots of snow to cover that creek at the bottom, it is reasonably wide and flows fast. Same creek needs to be covered to have a ski out from Devils Playground down to ridge chair.
I was told there was a bridge to allow Smiggs to Ridge Quad load to happen but it was pulled out because it encouraged folks to use the route. And folks assumed they could go back the way they came & ended up with a loong walk up to a by then closed Pipers.
You can see evidence of it on google maps, see circle on pic below. When you do the walk along Wragge's creek firetrail, from Kozi rd to the Link road, you can see evidence of a snowy hydro aqueduct underneath the trail. There are vents / pipes along the trail. I believe that goes down to close to the ridge chair, to that creek, where there is the little dam on the map. You can see evidence of pipes etc there. Perisher draws snow making water from there.
At about 263736 on the Perisher Valley 1:25000 (near the northern edge) there is an intake tower marked. On the Geehi Dam sheet 263738 an aqueduct is marked. There is definitely an aqueduct IRL - it takes the water from Perisher Creek to the Geehi dam.
I did notice the dam & remember the pumping station that way, all visible from the Link Road in Spring. Didn’t equate this with an aqueduct, will investigate when over that way next.
Yep. Those vent pipes are on both sides of the Kosi road and then as you indicate, generally follow the Wragges track down to the dam. Did the walk last year from Wragges and Kosi Rd, out to the the link rd, up past the base of the chair, Smiggs and then back to the car. 18 kms round trip. Also skied over the back of Smiggs - that’s easy enough but then just have to pick up the regular trail back to the bridge and groomed trail.
Its an aqueduct as others have indicated. As best I understand the vent pipes assist with flow (air lock reduction) You can hear the water when you get close enough. When you look at the creek going up Kosi Rd you’ll see the diversion points. They can open or close depending (Guess only) on need.
Love this thread. Groundhog day, even down to the same people posting the same things. Just missing the anecdote of going that when when a kid/getting lost/getting bogged/getting stuck in the trees.