Hi all, Anyone know what conditions are like between Guthega PS and Schlink / Valentines? We're hoping to do a ski tour this weekend (out Friday and Saturday nights). Is it skiable?
Take your walking boots. You should be able to ski once you get up high based on a review of all the various pics about the MR. We look forward to your Report.
Skis on from just before Schlink Pass / Disappointment Spur intersection and off road below Schlink Pass elevation 1800m sketchy .
My planned trip up that way in Mid August 2020 is now set for 2021, if we ever get out of lockdown in plague town.
Headed up Guthega Trig to the Rolling Ground from Guthega on Friday morning, snow cover was very average (though very pretty). Fairly slow going. We were able to ski from about 1800 m but cover very poor, really had to steer a course through what snow there was. Ended up deciding to just set up camp in a little bowl / valley on Friendly Creek. Then spent the arvo just tootling around the general area (and the evening drinking some decent pinot). Not long after we started out towards Whites Hut on Saturday my mate's back starting giving him grief so we made the decision to turn around and head home. Somewhat lucky as it turns out, the sole of my leather boot came unstuck soon after we turned around. Still a fun little overnight trip. Just a pain the snow is so poor. Photos below are the iphone photos. Also took along my Om-1 (yes, you read right), will post more photos when I get the roll developed).
Well done. The insufficient snows falls so far this season and the plague are testing us all. You have overcome these things. "AAAAH mama, can it really be the end??, to be stuck inside of plague town with the no ski blues again!".
Time to whip up some picnic tables Mr T....??Stay focussed ! Nice trip report....what can go wrong does go wrong...nice photos...... Is this East Coast low going to do anything apart from coastal rain ☔️
@Total Whiteout ,You perhaps should have waited a week to do your trip. It seems that much of the KNP is very snowy now. Look at this , FFS!! The Kosci . road at Wilson's Valley. My guess is that you could possibly skin up to Horse camp Hut from the Guthega power station with this kind of snowfall.
In a kinder more forgiving and enjoyable cosmos I would be driving up there tomorrow to do that BC XC ski trip for sure.
A Hot meal and a hot shower and then flake out. I like the idea. You would need to punch out 30 kms before dawn with a head torch.
Ski some turns for me. I love skiing and not being allowed out to ski is the unkindest cut of all. It is very hard to take :-(.
Sorry, I was trying to be hip, cos I know it featured in the other thread. I don't know much about it, so will need @Untele-whippet to explain it to me some time
Haven't had it long enough to really know! We dug in behind a big rock and also built a snow wall to provide added wind protection. No problems at all. But then it wasn't a very windy night.
With proper staking and sensible site selection pyramid shelters can cop a flogging in the wind. I’ve been using them on the Main Range for years and in all sort of weather without issue. They take a bit of mindset change from normal tents but you can save significant weight and gain significant room. Mine weighs about 600g and can easily sleep 2 and gear. They are also nice and easy to setup in the wind in my opinion. The biggest problem I have with them is losing interior space when it snows. They require a few extra trips out at night to clear it off.
This is the issue I don't like about them having been buried many times without issue (except the very first time) in various tunnels and domes. And I really don't like getting out of my nice warm sleeping bag at night, never mind the tent.
All compromises I guess. A lighter pack for me means I can get out further in a day at the expense of some comfort/convenience when it snows.
Thanks will have a look......a local brand https://basicadventuretarps.com/shop-1?olsPage=products/batcave-fly
That’s right. Based in Gippsland I think. Walkers, kayakers and skiers. I’ve made a little pole extender out of copper pipe so I don’t have to connect two walking poles to get 30cm
Trying this trip again this weekend. Photos of Horse Camp and Whites this week suggest ok snow cover. any got any more info?
No current info but keen for feedback as we’re hopefully heading up there and further for 7 days, the week after next.
I saw some Instagrams from today and yesterday of decent looking cover on the aqueduct track as well as at Whites. Looked good to me.
Finally made it out to White’s River Hut last weekend. We took the aqueduct track up to Horse Camp due to fairly poor snow cover. Still had to take our skis off a couple times even on the aqueduct track. Cover from the river to Whites wasn’t bad though. Had a nice time in the hut with some other groups of skiers and walkers.
TW, I may have mentioned I was going to do that trip this winter. Alas due to the plague and the border being shut it has not become possible. Thanks for the photos. Did you try to ski out to Valentine's hut with day packs?.
