My time at Mt Hotham - and related experiences

[El_Freddo]

G'day all

I thought I'd share my experiences since moving up to Mt Hotham for a season.

I'm sure you've all read about my radiator freezing exercise, always make sure you've got quality antifreeze!

So far I've enjoyed my time - more so now since we've got almost a record snow base! The last week of snow fall has been simply wicked. Skiing knee deep powder on Thursday morning was pretty much a life changing experience! I really need to learn how to turn in powder...

Just before the start of the season we brought everything we needed up in Ruby Scoo and the trailer I knocked up just before we left for Mt Hotham. The trailer carried my 27 inch tyres and Kez's "ebay special" hair salon.



While parked in that position we had some super cold weather + the wind chill factor, Ruby Scoo copped this:



I got that sorted and moved her down to the staff carparking. I've had a bit of fun in there and I'm getting good at accessing Ruby to start the warm up process while I dig her out, pics on that later.

I must say that I love driving on a snow covered road - the noise is different and when you can see for ages with no one coming, well, you know...

There's something different about living on top of a snow covered mountain - at least when there's snow, when the snow is/has melted the mood of the staff here is very low. But its the opposite when there's snow falling/staying/heaps of it (yet still not enough). Here's Hotham Central and the Mt Hotham Summit (just out of shot on left) under moon light about 3 weeks ago - using a long exposure the digi camera was able to snap this one:



^ the little lights on the mountain tops on the right are snow guns pumping out the good stuff. They're not needed now and have more snow on them than they'd probably produce in a night!

I've managed to do some 4wd'n and exploring with a mate that's local to the area since he was knee high to a grasshopper. Here's a video of our first trip out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5amnTrvXG8

The next trip out was down Omeo way. We did some exploring in a mine until we got to a roof collapsed section - we could've gone past but weren't properly equipt so turned back:







^ This last track was from the old mining days and wouldn't be there if the miners didn't build a 3 metre stone wall to hold all the rocks etc in place for us to drive on.

[El_Freddo]

This is how I usually find Ruby Scoo now:



We did a day trip to Mt Buffalo - it is a shame what they're doing to the now 100 year old Chalet up there. It is not being used for anything and is just wasting away up there, its been 2 years since its was last open for bookings over a winter. Rumour has it that they're going to open it up for tender again, finger's crossed. Here are some pics, not a lot of snow around but I'm keen to get back up there for a poke around again:

Ruby Scoo with The Horn in the back ground:



and with the falls on the way back down from the Mountain:



The interesting thing about the Mt Buffalo road is that it feels like a true mountain road - no guard rails on some pretty tight and narrow corners, steep gradients at times and an awesome view of the valleys below!

Then there was the last 4wd'n session with the Victorian subi club where the goal of the day was mainly finding snow, but we were almost too far south with the given weather conditions. Here's a few pics of that event:

Beigewagon giving it a red hot go in some really slippery conditions:



Owen biting off more than he can chew in TGM:



Our camp on Saturday night at Walhula (Schpelling?):



And where we ended up at one stage on Sunday:



^ That got a bit hairy at times. Glad we didn't find a road block at the end!

[El_Freddo]

And the three posers before we crossed the Thompson River (Subaruby, could you "donate" a river crossing pic for here?):



Venom's Liberty and Ruby Scoo crossing the Thompson River. We didn't get one of Subaruby as he dived straight in before we could get a camera sorted!



- thanks for the pics Subaruby!

I "scored" a "lovely" new ding in my replacement fuel tank when coming out of the river, I should have stayed to the right in the deeper water but I headed left - afraid I was going to suck water into the engine. Snorkel time I think!

Back to Hotham after a big week and a huge weekend. This is not an un-usual sight out our bedroom window after a bit of snow and a "bluebird" day:

[El_Freddo]

And this is how we found Ruby Scoo when we went off mountain to vote:





And after:



I'm hoping to visit her tomorrow (saturday) and will be expecting MUCH worse! I think we've had about 80cm of snow this week alone!

While we were off mountain for voting we decided to go the whole hog and head for Lakes Entrance for fish and chips on the beach While poking around we found a large sand bowl with no signs saying do not enter. So off I went without airing down. You can guess the rest... This is the only decent pic of the whole bogged situation:



After two attempts of jacking and back filling holes we found some wood/sticks and did it again, this time with aired down tyres and success following our efforts. The victory pic:



The fish and chips on the beach were awesome! Well worth the effort.

Back at Hotham on the Monday we had an awesome day of skiing. The expert and extreme skiing was now open - not that that had stopped us from skiing it earlier! Here's a group of mates walking out to some back country that drops us into Swindler's Valley - Good times!



It was also Retro day on monday with drinks at the Brockoff hut, a few of the staff in action:

[El_Freddo]

One of the many weird and wonderful things you see up here if you open your eyes and mind to things other than what concerns you and mates:



Skiing the powder on Thursday morning - I'm still clipped into my skis in this pic, with out them I dread to think how far down I'd be:



And I couldn't end this part of the story without a subi pic - here's my mate's L series that's parked out the front of the Arlberg building, they got it out of this today for my bro to drive home for the weekend:



The Arlberg building design out the back on higgi drive has 3 floors above the stepped ground level, the top is the 6th floor, being ours - We were that excited about the powder situation that on wednesday night a house mate and I jumped out of our 6th floor window down to the snow that was just above the 4th floor's windows. It was exhilarating to say the least! We ended up about shoulder deep!!

While I've probabily made this out to be romantic towards the ideals of living in the snow, there are quite a few ups and downs plus the staff social situation can get interesting at times too. I didn't expect these when I came up here - the depression of the snow melting away the day after your bouncing off the walls at the amount of snow that fell is the biggest one for sure!

Anyway, I hope to update this thread from time to time, if you have any questions fire away, I'd be more than happy to answer them as best as I can!

Cheers

Bennie

[steptoe]

getting mild symptoms of hypothermia just lookin' at some of those pics

Thanks for the presentation Bennie

[AndrewT]

Awesome pics and story. Those photos of the cars under the snow brings back memories of when we went to Hotham, although we didn't have a car with us, it amused me a lot walking past the carparks each morning

RubyScoo badly needs bigger wheels!

[El_Freddo]

RubyScoo badly needs bigger wheels!

Got them with me but the chains I have don't fit + I need to move the front wheels forward to avoid the chains ripping away at the body work with the large tyres. She still looks tough!

Just got home from watching Jimmy Blaze do his famous backflip. Now for a serious video editing session.

I'm logging off only for that reason, hopefully I'll have something up here about it in a couple of hours - if the youtube upload lets me...

Awesome, I'm so stoked to have been there to see it!

Cheers

Bennie

[El_Freddo]

Ok, so here's the staff carpark at Whisky flat - dunno why they call it that cos I've not ever seen any whisky down there!

We apparently had 112cm of snow last week gone so I was keen to get some snaps of Ruby Scoo under more snow - more than the previous pics!

The Nissan sponsored Village Bus - its odd that the camera pics up the advertising better than when you look at it with your own eyes...



A ford in the staff carpark - I don't know how this was cleared in such a way but here's a pic for you:



One of the more unusual snow formations on the top of some cars - I reckon the wind has come from behind the vehicles to create the double cornice (as such) across the front of both vehicles:



This is how I found Ruby Scoo:



Good times! Can't wait to dig her out... I'm thinking of just clearing the windscreen and a bit of the path out and leave it at that - then see what happens. Not much I'm guessing!

Cheers

Bennie

PS video next....

[El_Freddo]

Jimmy Blaze and the his backflip on a skidoo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHbGYAP6jLc

Awesome time!

Cheers

Bennie

[AndrewT]

Be nice to have some kind of battery powered hairdryer or something to help clear the snow. Maybe a few big aerosol cans with a lighter could do the trick Spend a few minutes blasting that around some of the larger piles of snow.

[olddog642]

Fanbloodytastic,
congratulations and thank you for the awesome pictures and videos.As for Jimmy Blaze incredible skill manhandling the skidoo and the backflip fantastic stuff.
I hope the rest of the season goes well for you Bennie and look forward to seeing and hearing more about your exploits in the snow country

Hylton:twisted:

[subaruby]

Nice report looks like heaps of fun, no doubt hard work as well.

And the three posers before we crossed the Thompson River (Subaruby, could you "donate" a river crossing pic for here?):

As requested...



Venom making a nice little wave




El_freddo picking his line

[pezimm]

Subaruby, these are very, very nice shots! Now I'm jealous I missed out!!

Hopefully we'll have some of that water hanging around into summer so I can put my little lift to the test after I'm back late in October...

Pedro.

[El_Freddo]

Awesome Richard! From the driver's seat I thought it was deeper than that!

Glad we put the tarps on. I'm keen to get some snorkel stuff sorted for Ruby Scoo during the summer.

I'm still disappointed about the ding in the fuel tank I should've kept to the right instead of heading to the left when coming outta the river.

Good times none the less!

Cheers

Bennie

[__JC__]

Great shots guys!

Any tips on places to visit/camp in the Victorian Alps? (will be driving a standard height and very loaded up GT Forester). We should find our way down there around the 20th of September. We'll be coming from Kozciusko and thinking about heading down the Omeo Highway to Omeo then on to Dinner Plain and Hotham.

[El_Freddo]

Great shots guys!

Any tips on places to visit/camp in the Victorian Alps? (will be driving a standard height and very loaded up GT Forester). We should find our way down there around the 20th of September. We'll be coming from Kozciusko and thinking about heading down the Omeo Highway to Omeo then on to Dinner Plain and Hotham.

There are loads! Just keep an eye out at your local outdoor store for books on camping areas and their facilities (or lack there of). I've borrowed one like this from a mate, I think its called Camping Australia - it list all the different campsites they know of around australia, provide maps of where to find them, a photo and general description + a list of the facilities offered. Pretty comprehensive... I reckon I've used it twice so far for a campsite on the go but have used it for some trip planning which has been good.

Cheers

Bennie

[El_Freddo]

Well my time at Hotham has come to an end for 2010. We got home on the 7th of October, actually it was the 8th by the time we got back to benders after a "little" detour to the Gunbower Island near Cohuna... That's for later.

After 4wd'n with Richard in Subaruby, I went fishing the week after with Bros, commonly known as "chops" up at Hotham. Before I'd even cast a line in the Mitta Mitta at Hinnomunjie Bridge I found this parked up awaiting its owner's return, sporting a new bullbar too:



And so Ruby Scoo wouldn't get jealous here she is on the bank:



The fishing was pretty tough too. Caught 12 all up and had 4 that I didn't get back to the bank... Here's one of the trout I got while there, and no, I'm not squeezing the life out of it! But I reckon I've found the symbol for the fishing club next year:



None were taken home, too small plus the "club" practises catch and release...

It was sad to see mates leaving the mountain for their summer jobs or holidays. The after our Snowgies celebrations I reckon we had the best arvo session. It started out with housemate Nads and workmate Duke sunbaking on roof of the substation behind the arlberg, Nads working off a killer hangover! I rocked up with 2 glasses, a bottle of rum and some coke... Then we got some music sorted, another mate rocked up and before we knew it there were at least 20 mates up there all drinking and having a good time. We were throwing packets of chips at anyone and everyone - including a cop on a skidoo! He was all good though. We continued our chill out session until the sun started to go down - it got cold! That was a great cap off for the season as people were really starting to leave in droves after this event...

Before we left we did a day walk out to Mt Feathertop! Glad we didn't do it mid winter as the snow cover would've seriously slowed us down. I'd recommend doing this walk over at least 2 days to make the most of the views and areas to see. We were pushing it for time in the end as we got of later than expected due to a mate getting on the piss the night before.

We nailed it though and had a good time doing it. Can't wait to do it again but at a slower pace. Here's some pics of our epic 24km walk!

Nads and Matt with Feathertop in the background:



Our view from below the summit - the ice pack was way too slippery to attempt a crossing without crampons (I think that's what they're called, I always forget!) so we settled for the lower southern point for lunch:



Nads, Kez and myself:



Yep, I'm a bit wooly at the moment...

Our residence is on the dark hill to the left, dunno if you can see it in the pic or not but its a 6 storey building!



The most depressing thing was being pretty much some of the last to leave. The building was shut down for the summer, there were maybe 30 people living in a 600 room apartment building and everything was quiet. No leaving hugs or well wishes for us. But we got by and are now home.

Our detour home was to see if the bar we built on the last oz day week was still there - we've been dieing to know! So off we went with all our gear loaded. Got there at 1am after dropping the trailer on the side of the sealed road then passing through loads of water over the road then crabbing our way into the camp on the slippery mud track. The bar was still there! But missing 3 seats, possibly burnt or floated down river after we worked out that the area we were in had been completely underwater! Only the top of the bar was out of the water and the camp was under... Crazy. The water was still a good 3 metres higher than what we usually see in summer!

We then turned around, collected the trailer and headed home, arriving at 3:30am! Good times and great weather for cruising!

That's it for the year in the snow but I'll dig up some other pics for your viewing later on. Here's an awesome sunrise we saw the day after our Mt Feathertop walk to finish off with for now... That's cloud in the valley, not snow!

Cheers

Bennie

[phillatdarwin]

got some cool pics
wood love to go and try to live and work in the snow one day as my dad tell me lots about how cold it is from when he grow up in the hi hills of NSW what is now the KNP

[El_Freddo]

Thanks mate! You should go if you can get the time off. Don't expect to make much money unless you're working 2 or 3 jobs which basically means little time for drinking etc/spending your money on entertainment stuff... The skiing is awesome as is the group of people that work up there!

Cheers

Bennie