Excellent early snowfalls and the absence of a Japan ski trip over the Australian summer had me itching at the thought of a trip to the Snowy Mountains. The call was put out for partners with the usual mixed response, but welcomingly Joran was on the same page. Previously my focus has primarily been on snowboard touring out of Guthega, and this was the initial idea this time around as well. As fun as this is, on snowy and windy days it can make for testing conditions and less than relaxing days.
With this in mind (and a mixed weather forecast), it was a welcome idea when Joran floated the plan of joining his parents for a ski tour out of Selwyn to a few of the huts in the north of the Kosciuszko NP. It would also give me a chance to test out some telemark skis I had picked up when in the US for work last year. I’d gone for the K2 Wayback, a light mid-width ski that mixes good touring ability with strong downhill performance.
The trip ended up being a three day one: heading out to Broken Dam Hut via Four Mile Hut on day one, day tripping to Table Top mountain on day two, then returning back to Selwyn on day three. I’d done some cross country skiing years ago, but this trip really opened up my eyes to the joys of getting out and about in the mountains without a goal of skiing more challenging lines. As it turned out the Wayback was a decent, but not perfect fit for the tour, with the pattern base skis everyone else was using clearly a superior option. Another purchase to plan out for the future.
Broken Dam Hut was a fantastic base for the weekend. The area surrounding the hut looked stunning with a layer of fresh snow, and the clean and spacious hut made meal and sleeping times far simpler than being tend bound otherwise would. It also meant we could spend afternoons practicing telemark turns on the gentle slopes in the surrounding area.
There appear to be a range of opinions on the huts (including some who see them as being against the values of a NP), but I have nothing but positive sentiments. They are basic facilities, but offer a wonderful mix of simple comfort (for those exploring the mountains for pleasure now), historic interest (based on those who explored the mountains for commercial reasons in years gone by) and safety (for those who get in trouble exploring the mountains).
The ski tour back to the car was lit by the sun trying to poke out from beyond the clouds. The soft shadows on the snow were spectacular, and at higher elevations the skiing was smooth and (relatively) quick. It had been a welcome weekend of pleasant skiing, beautiful scenery and many laughs, a refreshing break from the Sydney working life.
