Category:Backcountry
From WikiSki
Back Country
ACT
NSW
- Strzelecki Ck
- Lake Albina area
- Mt Kosciuszko
- Leather Barrel
- Townsend & the Abbotts
- Watsons Ck & Siren Song
- Curruthers & Club Lake
- Twynam and Blue lake
- Ramsheads and Bogong creek
- Stanleys and Twin Valleys
- The Paralyser
- Tate east and west ridges
- Rolling Grounds
- Kerries, Brassies & Bull Peaks
- Jagungal
- The Grey Mare
- Tabletop
- Round mt
- Tantangara
Victoria
- Baw Baw Plateau
- Bogong High Plains
- Buffalo Plateau
- Bluff - Howitt Area
- Mt Bogong
- Mt Feathertop
- Mt Loch
- Snowy Plains
- Other areas
Tasmania
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What is Backcountry
The backcountry covers any snowcovered area not readily accessed from resort or open road. Generally an effort is required to get to these places. There is no machine preparation of snow slopes, no signs or barriers to warn of dangerous areas and no ski patrol. You are primarily dependent on your own resources. Definition is not precise, but once you are out of sight of road or resort and more than one ridge or valley away, you are there.
Non resort areas closer to lifts or roads are often called "frontcountry" or "sidecountry" and these have the same characteristics to a varying degree.
Backcountry Regions
Australia
OK, so we don't have any enormous mountain ranges: our alpine region constitutes less than 1% of the land mass of the Australian continent. But it is unique and beautiful, and does offer some fantastic skiing. And much, if not most, of the very best slopes in the country lie outside the boundaries of the ski resorts. We have diverse country as well, from the extensive open country of the main range of the Snowies, the 'ridge and valley' ski terrain of the Victorian Alps, and the rockier and more tempermental mountains of Tasmania. The following offers basic details about whats on offer: we hope its useful and helps get you out there to enjoy it!
NSW
NSW offers a range of back country options onto the main range which can allow for day trips or a week staying in the back country.
Victoria
Victoria offers a diverse range of trips, although the skiable areas are less continuous than the Main Range. The Victorian mountains are a series of long, high, and often forested ridges with deep vallies, and hence you sometimes have to walk between areas on longer trips. Highlights would be Mt Bogong, the Razorback on Feathertop, the Bogong High Plains (the most extensive area of open alpine country in the state) and the more remote country between The Bluff and Mt Howitt and down to Snowy Plains.
Tasmania
It’s all about the weather… as the mountains are lower in Tassie than on the mainland, they tend to hold less snow in winter and hence conditions can vary incredibly from year to year. The secret is to have a very flexible lifestyle that allows you to drop what you’re doing when there is a big dump of snow, then take off for the mountains. When it snows, it often SNOWS, making for great skiing in wildly impressive landscapes – because of the glaciated nature of Tas, it is rockier and more mountain-like than the Alps on the mainland. Even when you do have lots of snow, often the base isn’t great, so its good to be mindful of this rather than running the risk of trashing those lovely new skis.
And when it does snow, one of the tough things is finding skiable mountains that don’t have horror approaches. Ben Lomond plateau has the easiest access, as you can drive up onto the plateau. Most other great backcountry ski areas – like Mount Field, the Ducane range, Mount Rufus, Mount Anne all require substantial hikes. But when you’re there, and its in condition, its magic.
Rest of the World
PLEASE EDIT - list of main areas that are linked with more detailed information
Introduction to Backcountry
- Backcountry Checklist, clothing equipment etc
- Backcountry Food and Meals
- Backcountry Saftey and planing
- Backcountry Run Rating
Other Stuff
A properly trained Giraffe has many uses in the Alpine environment.
Articles in category "Backcountry"
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