Mixing punters and a working groomer risks seeing the snow turn a redder shade of white which is of course not acceptable.
Snow Report Hotham 2022 - Trip Reports, Pics & Conditions
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They wouldn’t consider closing the run for 30 mins?
Benefits outweighs the negs?
(Take Too long to codon the area?) 90 min-closure for 30 mins grooming?
I wonder how Heavenly and other resorts do it? Perhaps the areas groomed are stand-alone and not a central funnel?
Correct.
I know the owners. In fact I was just talking to them seconds before. That a***ole is me. I must have just missed GobrinIce this morning.
There are restrictions on where they may be walked, and restrictions on where the poo bags must go.
Unfortunately we see a lot of people bring their dogs on holiday when they're not supposed to be here, which can threaten and kill the wildlife and further encourage the feral cat problem.
Aside from Chalet Hotham and the few buildings behind, this is still alpine national park and everything is lease hold.
Vail resorts holds the lease to run the lifts/etc.
No it isn’t NP. The RMB run the Hotham area. It is excised out of the park.
I thought I saw a cat the other night but didn't believe it to be true. That is terrible that they're here. But I suppose humans and a massive ski resort with cars everywhere is also not great for nature.
Snow not so hard to day. Nice morning runs with daughter down sundowner.
they do trap the wild cats, I've not see one around here at Buller for years, they placed a trap next door a couple of months back, sat there for a week or so, nothing caught. Talking to the trapper guy, he said they did trap one on the ave. This is at Buller, but they all do these sort of things. Lost a huge number of rabbits over the last few months, as Mixy got into the village, dead rabbits everywhere.
Yep.
It amazes me how many people are involved in the Victorian ski resorts, including living in them, that still do not understand this. The Victorian resorts are not on National Park land. They are clearly defined areas of land surrounded by the Alpine National Park but very clearly excised from it by an act of parliament. This is why dogs are allowed at the resorts with permit, rightly or wrongly.
Orchard and keoghs properly loaded, could definitely open both. Better than midwinter cover.
The creek is fully covered whole way back to Mary’s. Fully, a good 2 metres of snow. Never seen that before let alone June.
Mary’s is sublime.
Assuming they have the staff up there already they should get it open now because if Covid gets into Blue Ribbon housing it could close the joint the down.
Yep, that dump is leaching all sorts of viruses out the walls and carpet every year though
. Perhaps Vail might invest some cash and renovate the place as they're doing at their (now unionised) US resorts.
How are the crowds/queues? Doesn't seem like we had the queue halfway up to HV from Village this time...
That’s evidently the problem, staffing.
They could open BR too.
But it’s more than covid I think, staff accom is a biggy.
Day turned beautiful, snow softened nicely. Took daughter on runs around heavenly. Gunbarrel, imagine, cornice. Went well and got our turns in. She was not at all confident yesterday but visibility made huge difference.
Happy atmosphere on the hill, most talking about excitement of so much snow so early.
Love the look of the distant runs at Orchard, but I'm always thinking about the next one along. Cornice into snake was still going nicely in the late afternoon where the other runs had hardened up a fair bit. Not really busy on the lines, main runs again pretty packed, but that's quite fun to watch when you're not skiing it.
Apologies for my lazy photography, I just can never be bothered taking my gloves off, but I very much appreciate those who do.
Contrast with this morning...
Hoth is deep end therapy.Day turned beautiful, snow softened nicely. Took daughter on runs around heavenly. Gunbarrel, imagine, cornice. Went well and got our turns in. She was not at all confident yesterday but visibility made huge difference.
Happy atmosphere on the hill, most talking about excitement of so much snow so early.
Love the look of the distant runs at Orchard, but I'm always thinking about the next one along. Cornice into snake was still going nicely in the late afternoon where the other runs had hardened up a fair bit. Not really busy on the lines, main runs again pretty packed, but that's quite fun to watch when you're not skiing it.
Apologies for my lazy photography, I just can never be bothered taking my gloves off, but I very much appreciate those who do.
Contrast with this morning...
Learn to ski at Hoth and you can take your kids anywhere rapidly.
Interesting that it’s fast becoming Bollywood on ice, not sure how that happened but guessing someone’s making coin.
All a bit weird, and frustrating at times when the road suddenly gets closed because Amit forgot his chains, or 300 of his mates all decide they suddenly want a day pass at the ticket office to walk all over the groomed XC trails.
And don’t get me started on snowboarders who suddenly think they’re good enough to ride Mary’s but can’t hold an edge on the trail out, but still think it’s perfectly polite to block the trail and leave divot city behind them.
Cnts.
I get the frustration but I feel resorts are for everyone and that's part of their quality. Amit is a great guy and having a brilliant time with his family. Making mistakes and being poorly prepared is to be expected for the inexperienced. It's rubbish when it inconveniences us but we're privileged enough to know the routine.
Agree to an extent, but blocking a trail is just stupid and selfish. All it demonstrates is people's inability to think about anything except their bubble which extends as far out as their skin
A lot of this comes from how these people are taught to ski or board. Not sure much of the basic alpine responsibility code is taught or trail etiquette in lessons these days ? Or some that are just taught by mates.
Just base bogan ignorance mostly.
Who doesn’t understand that blocking off a single track or stomping the crap out of it isn’t poor form?
Maybe instead of running the groomers mid afternoon have you thought about maybe just learning how to ski better. If you can't navigate slalom Gully maybe go back to the big d and learn how to ski. Shutting the mountain down at lunch time so we can take a few bumps off slalom Gully might just be the stupidest thing I've read on this forum. Close to the thread about adjusting to the 'new normal'' of bulk Australian snow.
Hi Plink,
I’d take some offence but hey you’re entitled to your opinion too. If it was that stupid, Major US resorts would probably not be undertaking this practice.
But hey, I’m happy to take my 13 year-old lad (who’s improving but only skis ~ 7 days per year) back to Big D & summit to gain confidence but mogul’s practice isn’t taught in beginner classes AFAIK.
Perhaps you could also help explain as to what ‘I can do’ with the hundreds (on any busy weekend day) of improving beginners and lower intermediate riders (predominately adults) - all struggling in the surf and churn of slush gully on a warm late afternoon.
I could continue to ski (tele) at max speed and use the throngs as gates (many do!) - fortunately my 110 kg has yet to kill or seriously make anyone over the decades! Pretty lucky - I hate to be up on manslaughter charges!
Or I could ask every straggler to go back to the Summit and Big D and request them to stay up there until able to ski moguls? You might even like to provide some free instruction - sounds like you’re more than good enough? Hey you could even volunteer to man the RR bridge to vet which skiers are allowed to cross down into hero terrain?
Or you could just show a bit of respect to people with alternative views on this forum. You could also keep an open mind about suggestions (whoever fanciful?) to try a fix the schmozzle that Is Slush Gully on a typical weekend. And maybe cut the serious-injury rate and save patroller /medico jobs at the same time?
Have a lovely QB Monday.
It's not an unusual question and it has been considered by the resort in the past.Hi Plink,
I’d take some offence but hey you’re entitled to your opinion too. If it was that stupid, Major US resorts would probably not be undertaking this practice.
But hey, I’m happy to take my 13 year-old lad (who’s improving but only skis ~ 7 days per year) back to Big D & summit to gain confidence but mogul’s practice isn’t taught in beginner classes AFAIK.
Perhaps you could also help explain as to what ‘I can do’ with the hundreds (on any busy weekend day) of improving beginners and lower intermediate riders (predominately adults) - all struggling in the surf and churn of slush gully on a warm late afternoon.
I could continue to ski (tele) at max speed and use the throngs as gates (many do!) - fortunately my 110 kg has yet to kill or seriously make anyone over the decades! Pretty lucky - I hate to be up on manslaughter charges!
Or I could ask every straggler to go back to the Summit and Big D and request them to stay up there until able to ski moguls? You might even like to provide some free instruction - sounds like you’re more than good enough? Hey you could even volunteer to man the RR bridge to vet which skiers are allowed to cross down into hero terrain?
Or you could just show a bit of respect to people with alternative views on this forum. You could also keep an open mind about suggestions (whoever fanciful?) to try a fix the schmozzle that Is Slush Gully on a typical weekend. And maybe cut the serious-injury rate and save patroller /medico jobs at the same time?
Have a lovely QB Monday.
Mid day groomers you serious?? There is more than enough terrain at Big D and Roadrunner to learn. Your going to need to learn to ski bumps eventually. Loosing part of the day to smooth out a few bumps is madness. It sounds like it has been considered before and the outcome was not to do it because its a crazy idea. Where is everyone gonna go when the groomers are running?? The whole bottom side of the mountain would be closed.
I probably could have worded it a bit better, I didn't mean it to sound derogatory, but I think it would be just as selfish for everyone to be kicked off the mountain so a few bumps can be smoothed over. 10 of thousands of people have managed to navigate slalom Gully and learnt to ski there. If you feel it's too dangerous go to one of the many other safe spots to learn. Having everyone punished for a few people learning to ride over some slushy bumps is madness in my mind.
Ok agree that mid day groomers might not work , but Hothams weakness really is that progression for beginners to intermediates per se that drives people down slalom gully, The increase in skier numbers , more lean snow seasons etc only exacerbates this. It is a nervous and scary experience for those that can ski down there given the congestion and the massive speed differentials of some people that hoon down there.
I get nervous taking them down there to be quite honest and i play the uphill human shield to protect them.. Its not about my skiing ability its about their safety and enjoyment.
Slalom Gully will forever have that problem, it seems. It's where a good 40% of Hothams runs collide. Everyone of all skill levels will usually end up either on or at the bottom of that run. You have people stepping away from the summit coming down Sun Run, basin, playground trail. You have the more comfortable skiers coming down lower imagine and snake. You have the speed freaks jumping out of the trees, kids going parallel the whole way down, combined with the build up of people waiting to go back up and the extras coming back from the valley trail it just becomes a mess, new skiers get overwhelmed, this usually ends in some form of chain reaction which is ultimately the cause of its reputation.
P.S. Snowboarders sitting in the middle of the run don't help either.
Once the Orchard area opens, I always take intermediates there. By skiing out wide, the slopes are fairly easy and not crowded (the "speed freaks" are elsewhere). Often manage to have a big days skiing without going to slalom gully. Lower intermediate skiers hate slalom gully and all prefer Falls Creek as a result. A pity there isn't a way to get the orchard area open earlier.
Yes a bit agro I though but I accept your point of view. You’re not alone!
Let’s be clear, I speak for my son, and to a degree my wife, who can happily do SG until the moguls get large and the chaos (speed differentials, congestion and stacks of others) becomes detracting. (Scary at times!)
ME? After ~ 40 years I’ll cop it sweet on SG - good and bad. But I agree with many here, SG is a very weak point at Hotham - the Achilles Heel STP?
So as an experienced ‘oldie’, I feel It’s worth (appropriate even?) advocating for ‘possible’ solutions to the SG dilemma. This is especially important as we return to near full slope capacity and when after two years, a lot of rusty and new skiers will be hitting the mountain.
And to be frank, While I’m not at all connected in any way with Hotham crew or management (city based), I rarely hear or read about any Hotham SL or RM proposals to improve or mitigate the ‘SG issue’. I’d no doubt love the chance to provide feedback on any formal proposals. (A chance for an end of season survey or focus group?).
…I guess expecting major announcements or upgrades in year #1 after Covid is unrealistic. But in time, as normality returns(?), this is something Mt H SL & RM management could (continue) look into.
Perhaps the eventual solution is to provide some new, easy blue runs to keep said cohort away from SG AMAP. The long-proposed ‘Imagine Chair(from memory), from the bottom of Imagine to Summit (yes with an additional skier bridge over the GAR) could also help - keeping more advanced skiers above and away from the congestion of SG?
And any other ideas - short of busing folks to Falls?
I’ve also thought of segmenting SG (with fencing and signage) into fast (LHS) and slow (RHS) lanes - yes a bit counter-intuitive for Aussie drivers but that reflects the sides from which each cohort enters SG (HV vs Gully Catwalk).
I have a feeling I’ve seen such signage before in Oz - perhaps not with the orange tape?
Worth discussing solutions. HSL & RM could be checking in occasionally?
Speed freaks jumping out of trees, what is this, St Kilda on a Monday morning?
its those that go high up on both sides of the gully and cut back in at speed predominantly , with or without looking . Slalom Gully is a giant half pipe to them.
Agreed Orchard helps when its open but thats half the problem. Another intermediate trail down to Village would also help sort of varsity drag to davenport access but would require some serious bulldozing work
Yeah, I used to be one of those freaks riding gully walls and the dropping in from the trees. Fun times.its those that go high up on both sides of the gully and cut back in at speed predominantly , with or without looking . Slalom Gully is a giant half pipe to them.
Agreed Orchard helps when its open but thats half the problem. Another intermediate trail down to Village would also help sort of varsity drag to davenport access but would require some serious bulldozing work
Some time ago there was talk of trying to shape Lower Playground into a blue run. As with most ideas /plans at Hotham nothing ever ever happened.
Yep when I was young I did it, up and down I came along either side. I know now how much of a pain it can be to other people on the slope now. As Tanuki said the Orchard has helped, its just too far away from some people to A) Know it exists and B) Be bothered to go over there. That being said, if you get to the Orchard you never really want to leave on those bliss carving days.its those that go high up on both sides of the gully and cut back in at speed predominantly , with or without looking . Slalom Gully is a giant half pipe to them.
Agreed Orchard helps when its open but thats half the problem. Another intermediate trail down to Village would also help sort of varsity drag to davenport access but would require some serious bulldozing work
Yeah, the Orchard has being a great addition to the mountain, and it purely exists to clean up other blues. Falls will always have a one up on Hotham for inter runs. Hothams pride comes from its challenging terrain. If I want a calm day of Carving at hotham I won't touch slalom unless I'm starting over at Blue ribbon and chill down playground trail, but even then I'll always look at off the edge and if it's fine ill just jump down there to avoid the Gully. Then it's a smooth (ish) ride up heavenly and I can just work my way across to Gotcha and onwards to the Orchard.
Its Mid July on a sunny day during the holidays where families pack their shoes, socks, dogs and goldfish.
That would be a great outcome skimax. It’s not super steep. With some dozing and shaping, an additional ‘sundowner’ could be created. Whether that enough? Would take some better intermediates - who don’t want to/can’t do HV - away from SG. That would help. (;-)
Over to HSL / Vail / RM. Would need extensive environmental approvals to reshape. SG had its share of environmental issues in the 80s redevelopment. So thes things aren’t simple.
100% agree, Hotham is awfully awkward for low end intermediates. Falls is great and where I take any newish skier to help progress
Perfect day today. Crowds swelled a bit and so maybe 5 minute wait down at heavenly. But runs were soft and we were up and down that area morning and afternoon until it started to freeze over at about 3. Finished our trip doing laps of summit. I tried doing that fancy 360 and backwards skiing you see the young people doing with their fluro poles, not particularly successfully, and carved the last bit of corn on the side. Very good fun. Kids, after doing black runs all day, did the T-bar on summit with the littlies. They're still nostalgic about their first skiing at Selwyn.
is this a phone camera? maybe its just because its blue sky, but they look very nice.Perfect day today. Crowds swelled a bit and so maybe 5 minute wait down at heavenly. But runs were soft and we were up and down that area morning and afternoon until it started to freeze over at about 3. Finished our trip doing laps of summit. I tried doing that fancy 360 and backwards skiing you see the young people doing with their fluro poles, not particularly successfully, and carved the last bit of corn on the side. Very good fun. Kids, after doing black runs all day, did the T-bar on summit with the littlies. They're still nostalgic about their first skiing at Selwyn.
Agree about Slalom Gully being problematic. My kids enjoyed the black runs but found slalom to be very stressful and unpleasant. I felt the same. Late afternoon when it's icy makes it worse. It's just trying to be considerate of beginners in front of you, having speeders zoom past and then managing a decent run through while also watching out for my children. Definitely was sick of it by the end.Similar threads
