Trip Report: ‘peak of the season’ snowbuming

Mon July 23

It was organized I would pickup my friends (Josh&Kizza;-Thredbo locals) from Canberra airport at 7pm.
Late Sunday night a text from them told me they wouldn’t be flying until Thursday because of ear problems. This sucked as I had budgeted relying on the $30 each they would give me for fuel (as they had when I dropped them to Canberra last week - Josh’s sister (Amy) forgot to pay).

Unfortunately it was too late to pack the car ready to set off early after school drop off in the morning.
I end up having dinner with mum and leave at 7:22pm

Pockets bulging with change, it takes a while for the servo attendant to count, so I can pay for whatever fuel I can afford.
Trip computer says I have 389km but It’s 500km! I usually roll into Thredbo with +100km left from a full tank but…
This isn’t a full tank and as I progress my fuel consumption is higher than normal.

Making great time with little traffic, I get past Canberra in 2.5hrs then I see police have closed the Monaro, Eek!
Start taking an alternate route but soon remember my fuel situation, scrounge up $13 still floating around in the car, add fuel and go back to wait for road to open.
Road opens at 10.30pm

Accident scene. I’m the 3rd car waiting.

Fuel is looking grim, I limp the ‘petrol guzzling beast’ forth and manage to reduce its thirst by 1L/100km.

20km from Jindy I get the warning tone of 0km left. Stupid computer.
Hoping for fate to shine bright and a money transfer to show up at midnight, I plan to get fuel in Jindy ready to hit the snow tomorrow.

Midnight comes, no money in bank account.

1am, no money.
5am, no money.
6am, no money.

Josh’s younger sister Amy (who I forgot to get $30 off) had already driven back instead of flying. I sent her a text asking for $$ because she lives in Jindy, no response (it was 5:30am).

7am, no money.
8am, no money and no first lifts on V8 with Ashstix.

It was a cold night down by a foggy lake Jindabyne.

9:30, my bank balance is now even smaller but…

As the morning fog cleared so did my fate.

Lovely Amy made contact and wanted to give me $100! (which I refused). She insisted on $40 and not the $30 I had compromised since they were friends. $20 goes to fuel and the rest my wallet for food/drinks.

I make it to Perisher by 1pm, get off the Skitube and walk straight into a staff party, it had been going all night and was now on a rare patch of grass, bodies laid out everywhere sunning themselves and still drinking.

I was handed a beer after being group tackled by all these strangers.
A couple of beers later and it was time I should slide.
2:45 I’m finally on a chairlift. The snow is so good especially for the time of day. There where some areas that where a bit firm/icy but generally I had my groove on.
Hit Liechhart Park, get camera out to find I’ve grabbed the wrong mounting system and end up having to ride with it handheld.

Stay on the hill until 4:15, go back and help clean up, another beer, I’m handed pizza (first real food of the day), then it’s time to go night riding.

Some of the crew had begun returning from the land of the dead and it was a sick session of bombing down FF or doing the odd park lap with them.

Money transfer comes through and I can relax and by some of the crew drinks at Jax.
Cook some steak on Jax grill, some salad, then do a few more runs.

I was easily talked out of going to Sundeck (but I could have as easily been talked into it).
Everyone was seedy and after my day it was beginning to rub off and I felt tired now my belly was full.

Some of the crew had spent the evening cleaning and all the common area’s were clean as.
It seemed everyone had gathered in the one room, considering their zombie like state I’m welcomed into their homes, ‘the block’ has an open door policy and I really don’t know who lives where or anyone’s name - even the girl I rode with most the night and chilled on the lounge with later, looking at each others photos on our phones.

I must have met a good percentage of the company staff today.
Some were working out how to mount a GP2 on a pole, others editing video, watching TV and all the other random stuff that goes on… once I got involved with the set up of the GoPro we sat up until 1:30am taking cameras and shooting techniques.

We got psyched for riding tomorrow, everyone went to bed and I made a nest of cushions on the lounge room floor.

Wed July 25

Wake to a very quiet household/building, no-one stirring by 8am so I head out alone.
I hit; Front Valley, Mt P, Liechhart, then get a message from Dropbear.

The next 45mins we spend chasing each other around without finding each other, finally we meet at Mid Station and do a few runs dropping in and out of Happy Valley area. I liked Dropbear and brotherDropbear’s riding - drawn out carve turns developed over years of experience and they really knows Perisher well (I’m not saying dropbear is old - he’s just done years of riding).

I don’t have my other goggle lenses and am stuck riding with sunny day lenses. The light is flat with low cloud I’m finding it hard to see and the snow is slow or icy. I decide, with snow forecast tomorrow, I should call it a day.

Wonder into Jax, through to Curve. How long has this place existed!? Wow.
Order some noodles and OH SO GOOD!

Pork, chicken and prawn - made by my mate, it hits the spot perfectly. I chill there for a bit, on the comfy lounges away from the masses just out in the main eatery.
I recommend getting noodles here, it’s the perfect shredding top up for lunch because you don’t feel full (I could have eaten another bowl) but most impressive is your instantly ready to hit the hill afterwards because your belly isn’t bulging but you energy levels are.

I don’t head back out, instead spend time lounging here using the free internet offered in the Perisher Center.
I make contact with the ULTIMATE PERISHER SKIBUM WINNER Ashatix, I stroll over to her accommodation to finally meet and check out her bum, literally not figuratively and not in a ski/snow sense and before you start thinking I’m some creepy old man (which I will admit too), Ash thought she had corked a muscle and I had been giving her advice, it was also a good chance for her to rub more salt in my wounds by showing off the perks of the job

Turns out Ash was at Sundeck the night partying at comedy night.
I tried to spook her with ghost stories I knew from round Perisher after her room door opened by itself, including a story about Room 27 at Sundeck (I really hope some one from BW stays in that room during the shred).

Winning the UPS isn’t as flash as it sounds, looks like Ash is doing well with what they provide but the mountain of noodles at her bedside suggest Perisher is making sure Ashstix doesn’t lose sight of her bumming title.


I then decide, wearing my boarding gear only, for two days is too much and catch the tube down, get my boots off - they are a little damp so pull them apart to dry by the car heater while I drive to Thredbo.

Not much happening in Thredbo. Even though I have a bed to stay in there, I’m too exhausted, I have a snack at House Of Ullr (squid off the bar menu) then go park the car and fall asleep by 8pm.

Thur 26

I wake through the night to the sound of light rain (

Thredbo drizzle), it’s still above 0? and I’ve been sleeping with my arm’s out of the sleeping bag and window slightly open.
When daylight breaks there is some snow on the windscreen but it’s more like slush and barely resembles snow.

I went to Josh’s place where I had left my computer’s charger last week.
Take a sneaky shower, do some yoga, wash his dishes and take out the garbage. They aren’t due back until later today.
Drive down to Bullocks flat and make use of the good internet speed before jumping on the tube.
Once in Perisher I hear reports of what the snow is like and decide to edit Tuesday’s video instead of riding.

Internet speeds are terrible in the resorts, often Facebook just wont load and Instagram is as bad. I do most online stuff from my phone, since losing my pocket wifi and while my mobile modem account is down my computer wont connect.

I get a text from Ashstix at 3pm and decide to catch up with her on Mt P.

By the time we hook up on Mt P the lifts are beginning to close. So we head to front valley and organize to meet at her place so I can show her the footage I just shot and make use of her modem.

Over beers at the bar we have computers on the bar and make the place resemble an internet cafe.
(I’ve actually written this part of my TR using her dongle)
At the same time uploaded Tuesdays video. All while she had dinner.
Thanks Ash, you rock.

When she returned I gave back the modem so she could update her blog.
Corobaree bar is meant for just servicing guests and I turned up with no cash in my pockets, thankfully they created a tab on my card (since they don’t have eftpos) which was lucky since the barman had already served me a margarita.

Had a game of pool with a guest who was riding with Ash and I that arvo, while Ash was harassed by half a dozen guys who were getting messy on their last night. They bought shots of tequila for everyone and the bar was open 1hr longer than normal - Tim (barman) said it was the busiest night he’d ever seen and eventually got the shits, stopped serving and closed the bar while the guys finished the rounds they had backed up.

I left and slid down to the tube, the night air allowed me to do it in just my hoodie and the snow still felt soft and wet.

Some of the oversnow vehicles are cool, I hadn’t seen this cruiser before;

From Bullocks I drove to Jindy to get fuel, returned to Bullocks and crashed-out.

<b>Friday July 27</b>

It was a great nights sleep at Bullocks, unlike Thredbo it is quiet and peaceful with surprisingly little human traffic or headlights disturbing me. I watch the flash flood of staff arrive then wait for an hour playing on my phone until the sun arrives to warm the air and I can get changed with some comfort.

On the hill there are a couple of cm fresh snow but 5 times the people but still, it’s not crowded.
All but the very peak has frozen solid and causing me discomfort. I head for high ground on Mt P and find some better snow and a few freshies left from yesterday that weren’t accessible due to the fog around Shifties.

On my second chair ride (Mt P double) I see a Lifty heading to the top of Olympic, after another run through Shifties I head over there, a small cue had formed and by the time I get to the top the patrollers lines are indistinguishable from everyone else.

I drop in and find its a good foot of pow, shift stance and start letting The Shadow (Chemical Storm board) work its floaty magic. That lasts for about 5 turns then suddenly I’m on sheet ice and struggling to find an edge on the icepack, heading straight for rocks.
Shuddering my way to the bottom I decide the ice and death cookies aren’t worth going back to the top so start heading to Smiggins. Not making the traverse I end up at Front Valley and realize I’ve tortured my knee bouncing through the ice.

Go to staff accom and hang for a bit before heading to Bullocks Flat. Chill in the car then go and sort out my NPWS pass.
It takes a while waiting for a confirmation fax that I have permission to be driving mums car.

By the time I get to Thredbo Dan83 had checked-in to River Inn and I can unload my gear, sort it out, put batteries on charge then park the car - which is more difficult than normal given the weekend arrivals.

It’s going to be a few hours until ozgirl arrives so Dan and I wander into the village for some dinner.
Being Friday there are many people about. Our first stop is T-Bar but we can only get takeaway pizza and the place is crowded. Both of us have an appetite needing attention. I don’t allow Dan’s request to eat at the Bistro’s become reality and we end up at Alfresco’s Pizzeria where there are plenty of tables. We order the ‘Four Mountains’ and a beer each (now they are licensed). The pizza is good and satisfies us before heading upstairs for a beer desert. On they way home we stop at Ullr where Jock(patroler) and Josh(airport lift) are performing and have another drink before walking home.

As we arrive ozgirl’s bus pulls up with all 40 of her entourage, I carry 2 foam boxes of beer and ice to our room to find it only has 8 full beers total in both!
We are soon socializing at the RiverRock(RiverInn) until sleep overcomes us.

weekend

At breakfast the good skiers in the group show their disappointment of “spaz - a local legend” (quoted from their itinerary) may not be shredding with them so I go to the ticket office while they polish off their plates.

After speaking to the ticket office manager I make a deal for a day ticket and dash back to River Inn to get some cameras and pull on my boots. We make it to Gunbarrel in time to beat the weekend crowd, with Dan leading the way, the crew of better skiers/boarders hit the fresh groomers at Cruiser while the others have some lessons.

The international flavor of all 40 is overwhelming, there is lucky to be 6 aussies (including oz, dan, myself).
Having the experience of European resorts there are a few disappointing “comments” about our snow on the chair ride up.

It was clear some of these guys could really ski, it was time to show them some of the best lines in Thredbo.
We head to Central Spur and gather at the top of Anton’s. Not many people around and these guys were all eager to slide and not talk, so before I could set my PoleCam we had dropped in and and were gassing it!
Hoots and hollers at the bottom and with little hesitation we jumped back on the T.

Negative comments about our snow conditions then stopped, but for asking how much better do our conditions get.
The crew enjoyed my fast carving style and hand to the snow turns on the groomers and I was soon leading the top 4 or 5 while Dan and oz made sure the stragglers weren’t far behind (it’s unfair to say stragglers because they kept up without problem).

After chasing me down some of my favorite lines in Central Spur we decided to give their office muscles a work out and hit Supertrail (secretly it was about time I put my feet up and rest my knee anyway - a coffee break).
Once on the Supertrail Dan led the charge and I was able to watch some of them from behind, it was a true delight with a telemarker and 3 boarders amongst the other skiers ripping, I was pushed to match the hard, fast, race turns one of the skiers made. Thank goodness these guys were all on hire gear!

I stopped for a coffee while the rest all went exploring with Dan and oz.
it was now 10:30 and the wave of weekenders were just getting on the hill.

I spent the next 45min cruising on my own and making my way back to Merritt’s for lunch.
I could feel my knee starting to complain so after lunch I went back to River Inn, then made my way to the village to prepare the town for a group of 40.

It was evident by the weekend influx of people we would be a burden squeezing into most establishments.
Santes gave me some good feedback based on their big night ahead.
Ideally Candlelight would have been the pick to watch the flare run though small for us all and too noisy for the other guests having dinner.

A plan was made to meet at the Schuss at 5:30 everyone was prompt and at this early time already hungry and wanting to go for dinner.
Mark Travers was playing and with our arrival the place was approaching uncomfortable numbers. They were understaffed and moving our group would have been extremely hard so we stayed and had a fairly disappointing view of the memorial flare run (this was where Thredbo suggested was the best place to watch it from??). Really the group who skied with us should have taken part but alas, oz was doing so well for the size of the group as it was.

After the fire works and a few more rounds we slowly gathered outside the Schuss then moved through the concourse and into the lounge bar (I tried to get my phone out for a photo coming down the stairs as we filled the entire stairwell! but was to slow).
Security and hotel management worked with me to ensure staff were filtered there to cope with our number.

We all drank and chatted and I tried to stall the group from going to Santes. Some were antsy for food and everyone was effected by alcohol in empty bellies. I did a quick dash to Santes to see how ready they were - I was given the stall signal as the staff were scrambling to push tables together and reset.

All but a few couldn’t handle another drink without food and some were standing at the doorway when I returned, coats on. I had a drawn out conversation with them and soon sent them ahead while I slowly led the rest through the hotels corridors. I could move them slower this way giving the first group time to get seated so we wouldn’t bottle neck Santes entrance. Before everyone was seated I had the staff running food.
Everyone settled and I thought it appropriate to get sangria jugs on each table, playing waiter I poured everyone a glass.

Somehow I managed to sit at one of “The Partners” table and before I knew it I had three full drinks in front of me.
<img src =“https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/483223_10150955054547274_30369723_n.jpg” width =“800”>

We filled or bellies (and then some), a few plates of churros came for desert and espresso martinis.
I dash off to prep Keller bar of our intentions - the hadn’t opened the doors yet and the dj was due any minute.
Staff was again redirected. We walked into an almost empty bar, beats pumpin and began to cut loose on the dance floor.

Soon enough the place filled, our party dispersed and everyone had left to make use of the courtesy bus before it stopped running.
Dan, oz and I were the last to leave and found a few party hard types making use of the RiverRock bar space, Dan and I sat up to 2am with another from the group talking shit while finishing off the beers left from the bus trip from Syd.
In a very unusual occurrence - ozgirl went to bed before she fell asleep in the lounging area

Video

Sun July 26

Head down for a buffet breaky but still feel full after Sante’s so just have a bowl of cereal and coffee.
Hoping to scab a lift ticket off someone who isn’t riding but everyone is heading up. I’m not too fazed as my knee is a little achy and feel tired.
Spend the morning packing and sorting out my gear and stringing the car. Then sit around River Inn editing more video.

Everyone is to meet for lunch at 1pm and slowly they trickle in from around 12. I could have grabbed a pass then but lethargy had taken over and I was happy to soak up some rays on the deck watching people get drunk and party the way weekend warriors do, and they entertained.

After lunch I sat around the foyer while they all organized their gear and put it on the bus.
Goodbyes were said and I wandered into the village to catch up with some locals.

I drove to Bullocks and found the overnight parking area. My pleasent night there and convinced me to check out what the area could really offer.
It was still daylight and I went for a stroll along the MTB track under construction. Unfortunately I left my phone behind because I found some beautiful areas including Bullocks Hutt. Which except for the fire place being blocked and no running water would be an ideal place to camp. I plan to return there another time for an overnight visit, with my bike because there area looks to have some great trails.

After settling into the car and prepped for bed I realize it’s only 5:30. With nothing to do I start getting bored, spend some time online, check the weather but can’t stop thinking of all the things I need to do through the next week.
I start trying to motivate myself to stay but nothing can reduce the building desire to hit the road so at 7:30 I climb out of my sleeping bag and begin a long drive home.

“Long” because my bank won’t allow me to use the funds and only has available $20! Combined with the $50 in my wallet I’m in the same situation the week started. Driving to conserve fuel I get very tired, stop to rest a few times and 30km from home the trip computer hits 0kms left. I make it home without running out but it’s 1:30am.

I sleep until 10am - a very rare thing for me.

I thought I would bump this for others to see.

yeah good bump, wouldn’t have seen it otherwise.

^^^ seconded!

Yeah its kind of the problem with reserving slots - when you edit it doesn’t get moved to the top or marked as unread…

yeah I always click “view new posts” so would never have seen it.

Thanks for bump… enjoyed TR during my lunch time…