Hotham Trail Names

[Cherry Ripe]

Re: Hotham August 9-10

Mod's Note:
This topic germinated from another topic (Hotham Aug 9-10) - There are some "disagreements or queries" (for want of better words) on the name of marked and/or unmarked trails on the Hotham Trail Map.

Also, this thread would be a great repository for historical trail names and even maps (if people could find links to it) with names that are no longer current.

Additionally, it would a good place to discuss potential names for unnamed trails (especially in the out-of-bounds areas, some of which actually have names).

To start it off, I've split off the relevant replies from the other thread and merged it into here.

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Does anyone know if the area circled in red in this pic has a name?

 

[cashie]

Re: Hotham August 9-10

Thats the top of wall of death isn't it?

 

[Cherry Ripe]

Re: Hotham August 9-10

Maybe, but I'm referring more to the bowl at the top of the wall proper, just wondering if it has a name.

 

[kimberlee81]

Re: Hotham August 9-10

It's always been called the Funnel

 

[Slushii]

Re: Hotham August 9-10

According to the official trail map , "The Funnel" is that part of the run above the access trail between basin and bottom of Sun Run (which, in the official map, is labelled "Playground Trail").

That area circled by Cherry Ripe is below the access trail, and doesn't appear to have a name on the official trail map. Do Hotham Locals and long time Hotham riders (thinking of Sandy, The Guru and others) have an old or unofficial name for that run?

Hacker's Horror is the name of the run that is underneath the Village Chair.

I noticed some "inconsistencies" (at least with my personal memory of the trails & trail names, and where they start and end) in the official map, and I'm sure others will have similar questions in their mind. With permission from the thread originator, I'd like to split off this discussion about trail names into a separate thread, as I think it will be an interesting topic.

 

[kimberlee81]

Re: Hotham August 9-10

"Lower Funnel"???

 

[Cherry Ripe]

Re: Hotham August 9-10

I don't mind, go for it DC.

 

[Sandy]

Re: Hotham August 9-10

Well, before the wide trail was cut from the Basin, I'd always thought the part below what is now the Basin-Sun Run trail(at the bend) was the Funnel, along with the upper part. But that may have changed.

So for example, Beauchamps went from the top of the Sun Run all the way down to the bottom of Slalom Gully. The lower half is now called "Off the Edge", because it is now cut by the Gully Catwalk.

 

[Lorem ipsum]

Re: Hotham August 9-10

I'm with Kimberlee - before the Village quad was put in that was the Funnel, all the way down.

 

[Slushii]

It's what I suspected, L.I., Sandy & Kimberley. Just wanted some confirmation from Hotham veterans. BTW, I'll split off this interesting discussion of trail names into a new thread soon and give it a more appropriate title.

 

[Slushii]

Done!

Welcome to the new thread!!

So, what were some of the old names for the Heaven Valley Runs? (I know this has been talked about by forum veterans in the past, but with new readers on board, could be a good point of discussion). Do you like the old or new names? Did you now that the top of Heavenly was dynamited to create the current profile?

 

[Slushii]

...

So for example, Beauchamps went from the top of the Sun Run all the way down to the bottom of Slalom Gully. The lower half is now called "Off the Edge", because it is now cut by the Gully Catwalk.

So, Sandy, there was a time when Gully Catwalk didn't exist - when was this trail made, do you remember? I always enjoyed "Off the Edge", and it would have been much more fun if it was longer and you didn't have the Gully Catwalk interrupting it.

 

[Sandy]

The gully that runs down the left of Imagine (from below the Cornice) was called Harper's Gully.

 

[Sandy]

...

So for example, Beauchamps went from the top of the Sun Run all the way down to the bottom of Slalom Gully. The lower half is now called "Off the Edge", because it is now cut by the Gully Catwalk.

So, Sandy, there was a time when Gully Catwalk didn't exist - when was this trail made, do you remember? I always enjoyed "Off the Edge", and it would have been much more fun if it was longer and you didn't have the Gully Catwalk interrupting it.

Regarding the Basin/Sun Run catwalk, I can't remember when that was cut. There was always a bit of a trail there, but it was more like a traverse line than a cut catwalk.

The Gully Catwalk was put in around the time that lower Slalom Gully was piped.... maybe around 1983-84?
Before then, Slalom Gully was a bit similar to the Mary's Slide creek trail.

 

[kimberlee81]

Wendix

Oh, and wasn't there a nice little run called the Basin? (Please note large amounts of dripping sarcasm)

(And I thought Beauchamps was around the back of the summit, dropping down to the road on the Harrietville side...?)

 

[Sandy]

Wendix

Oh, and wasn't there a nice little run called the Basin? (Please note large amounts of dripping sarcasm)

(And I thought Beauchamps was around the back of the summit, dropping down to the road on the Harrietville side...?)

If you ski across the bridge and under Roadrunner, if you follow it until it gets steeper, that's Beauchamps, dropping to the left. It now hits Mother Johnsons, but it used to continue in a nice long run into what is now Off the Edge.

 

[SuskiQ]

Doug, Cherry Ripe and I named a run on Sunday..

"Tickle your fancy"

 

[Cherry Ripe]

Doug, Cherry Ripe and I named a run on Sunday..

"Tickle your fancy"

Oh yes, I don't think that name will catch on though!

 

[Cherry Ripe]

We put most of these tracks there on Saturday afternoon, I can just imagine how good that run would be without Mother Johnson's and the lower catwalk.

 

[Sandy]

The question is, whose fancy was tickled??

 

[Cuppa]

...

So for example, Beauchamps went from the top of the Sun Run all the way down to the bottom of Slalom Gully. The lower half is now called "Off the Edge", because it is now cut by the Gully Catwalk.

So, Sandy, there was a time when Gully Catwalk didn't exist - when was this trail made, do you remember? I always enjoyed "Off the Edge", and it would have been much more fun if it was longer and you didn't have the Gully Catwalk interrupting it.

Prior to the Gully Catwalk the main way to get to Brockhoff was via Brockhoff Access Trail, which is now Sundowner.

Dicksons Drop is a run that no longer appears on the trial map.

 

[Slushii]

Where is (approximately or otherwise) Dickson's Drop? Is it now "Pumphouse Drop"?

 

[Sandy]

I think Wendix was a combination Wenzel & Dickson.

Not completely sure where Dickson's Drop was, but it was not Pumphouse Drop.

 

[SuskiQ]

The question is, whose fancy was tickled??

More than one of us had our fancy tickled

 

[SnowBound]

who decides the names for hotham's trails? ive always wanted to know

 

[kimberlee81]

I believe it's the snow pixies... or maybe Santa / Satan.

 

[Sandy]

who decides the names for hotham's trails? ive always wanted to know

I assume it's the resort board or the lift company of the time??? When the Heavenly Chair went in, they came up with a number of new names: Imagine, Milky Way, plus ones that were named or renamed, then changed or changed back (Wendix -> Shangrilla -> Wendix, none -> Rollercoaster -> Brockhoff, none -> Sesame Street -> Mother Johnsons Return, JFC -> Cornice, maybe upper Slalom Gully -> Canyon, A1 -> Purgatory Spur)

A lot of the original trails/runs were named in the 1930s & 1940s however, by skiers of the day.

e.g.
Mary's Slide, Keogh's Bash, Wendix, Slalom Gully, Blue Ribbon, Varsity Drag, Wood Run, Noticeboard, Big Slope, Orchard, One Tree...

 

[Rensburg]

Just pulled out this years trail map, there's a few runs that aren't familiar; D8, southern cross and upper imagine. did southern cross used to be called patrollers drop? I can't really remember imagine being split into a black upper and blue lower. im pretty sure the 'beware cliffs' down gotcha ridge is a recent addition as well.

 

[Slushii]

Just pulled out this years trail map, there's a few runs that aren't familiar; D8, southern cross and upper imagine. did southern cross used to be called patrollers drop? I can't really remember imagine being split into a black upper and blue lower. im pretty sure the 'beware cliffs' down gotcha ridge is a recent addition as well.

Upper Imagine is relatively new - from memory, was so-named from about 2 years ago?
D8 seems to be well known to hotham vets/locals. My coach has been using that name for that run for years.

Southern Cross is not Patroller's Drop. If you are at the flat bit before entering the top of Brockhoff, Patroller's Drop is the run on the right and joins with Imagine, Southern Cross is on the left and joins with Snake Gully.

 

[Graeme]

Dicksons Drop is from the road or now usually from Mother Johnsons, into the Canyon/upper Slalom - another nice line broken up by a return trail.

 

[SuskiQ]

Dicksons Drop is from the road or now usually from Mother Johnsons, into the Canyon/upper Slalom - another nice line broken up by a return trail.

Ahhh... Did that with Doonks last weekned - was very noice!

Until meeting the monster death cookies that had rolled into Canyon!

 

[Flakey]

We put most of these tracks there on Saturday afternoon, I can just imagine how good that run would be without Mother Johnson's and the lower catwalk.

Beauchamps.

I skied it on Sunday afternoon. All cookies and crusty crap.

Nearby, upper Wendix on Wednesday afternoon ...

Only had a handful of tracks, looked superb (it had been inaccessible other than via the road owing to boardacross racing). But unlike the rest of the mountain which was superb powder, this little spot had become cookies and crud covered in crusty pow. It was the worst run of the day

Looks can be so deceiving!

 

[Slushii]

It gets exposed to the Sun a lot, and then wind, ideal for creating crusty snow. Hard work!

 

[Rover]

The upper part of wendix and dicksons drop get forgotten about a lot.......I can often find fresh tracks in there late morning after a fresh fall.....
Likewise with noticeboard, and peachbowl.

 

[Flakey]

I never forget them though

especially not Peach Bowl!

Notice Board? YUK YUK YUK we hates it!

 

[Slushii]

I thought it had become fruit salad bowl?

 

[Flakey]

Well for us yes Slush it's fruit bowl ... it's peaches, mangos, bananas and pineapples

 

[Flakey]

Two questions ... if anyone can fill me in I would appreciate it big time:

1) What is the name of the old run that starts behind Joyce Brockoff Hut and runs down through the trees to the Aqueduct Bridge at the base of Spargo's?

2) Any name for the out-of-bounds face that runs from the second ridge down from the fire lookout behind Australia Drift T-Bar down to Baldy Hollow?

 

[Occasional Visitor]

Decisions re run names in the Heavenly area were basically taken by the lift company (ie Schumanns)in 1987. So out went the old A1, A2, Harpers Gully, and in came new runs like Twilight Zome and Imagine. Interestingly, a couple of the name changes didn't last, Wendix was briefly changed to Shangri-la, and what we now know as the Cornice was JFC.

Under new ownership, the lift company didn't want the controversy of naming the runs opened by the Orchard / Keoghs/Gotcha lifts. It therefore fell to the then Hotham Committee of Management to come up with names. It asked a handful of people including committee members & ski patrol identities to put forward names - and so emerged run names like Zirks, Greenline and Initiation.

 

[Cuppa]

Two questions ... if anyone can fill me in I would appreciate it big time:

1) What is the name of the old run that starts behind Joyce Brockoff Hut and runs down through the trees to the Aqueduct Bridge at the base of Spargo's?

2) Any name for the out-of-bounds face that runs from the second ridge down from the fire lookout behind Australia Drift T-Bar down to Baldy Hollow?

Names that I know them by:

1. Joyce's
2. Stoggdale

 

[Flakey]

Oh OK, thanks Cuppa. Stogdale (gg?) might be named after Derrick Stogdale who was one of the pioneers of ski patrol in Victoria. That would make sense.

This is the face I'm talking about ...

c'est magnifique!

 

[andyR]

Interesting, I know the run that drops down to Baldy Hollow as Hotham North Face. Haven't heard of Stoggdales..

 

[Azz]

I was in Ski Club of East Gippsland yesterday and snapped a few shots of this old trail map they have on the wall. Sorry not the best pics, was in a hard spot to take a photo. None of the members there could tell me how old it was. Hope it is of interest.

 

[Sandy]

And I thought the trail map were going to be OLD!!!!!

It's around 1985 or 1986 I'd say.

 

[Azz]

Its all relative Sandy,

It is before '86, (well I am led to believe) as that is when HV opened. Very interesting to see the changes over the last 20 years.

 

[andyR]

Good one Azz interesting stuff Ive not ridden Hotham for as long as that so good to see a map with some older namers on it.

 

[Ulmerhutte]

The Mick Hull book, "Mountain Memories" details many of the original run names, along with photos of them.

 

[Sandy]

Its all relative Sandy,

It is before '86, (well I am led to believe) as that is when HV opened. Very interesting to see the changes over the last 20 years.

HV opened in 1987, an Big D was built in 1984, so it's 84, 85 or 86.

 

[skiflat]

Its all relative Sandy,

It is before '86, (well I am led to believe) as that is when HV opened. Very interesting to see the changes over the last 20 years.

HV opened in 1987

I remember going on HV the first year it was open, skiing around Hotham with my Father!

Was amazed at how big the lift and the cable was at the time, that's about all I remember along with hot milkshakes at the bottom of the Big D!

 

[Cuppa]

When did the Gully Catwalk go in?