NSW Nordic Ski Club
Buffalo Boogie - August 1996
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After the Dargo High Plains Trip (see the report of this trip in the May edition of Kick & Glide - Ed) we shifted to a Caravan Park in Porepunkah before heading up to Mt Buffalo to check out the snow cover. This can be somewhat variable because Mt Buffalo is an isolated and elevated granite plateau riding out in the plains like a great island.
This preview of Buffalo was in fact our rest day so we had a hot chocolate at the small ski resort of Tatra Inn, went for a short ski around the nordic trails before having coffee and cakes in the Chalet. The Chalet is an olde worlde timber mansion which is oozing with charm. In between the two sites is a series of vales and dales decorated with ash forests and numerous distinctive granite tors. During the Victorian era romantic and classical names were appended to nearly every pile of rocks.
Next day we returned and were rewarded with fine weather. This allowed us to ski up to and then climb the Horn which at 1723m is the highest part of the plateau. Then it was down through the Giant's Playground past Stonehenge to the Valley of the Gods to have lunch at Dickson's Falls. This was absolutely delightful skiing through spectacular rock formations. The day was rounded off by skiing to Skeleton Gully (named after some defunct Chinese gold miners) and visiting Whale Rock.
As the snow was beginning to be a bit thin we drove to Dinner Plain next day. This is a section of freehold land in the middle of the Park which has been turned into an upmarket ski village. All the buildings have been built to the same fairy tale ginger bread style. As such you can happily spend an hour wandering around looking at the marvellous architecture. Thereafter there are 13km of nordic trails to traverse. These wind through gentle terrain and scattered snow gums. Not wishing to pay the exorbitant accommodation prices we drove down to Omeo and spent the night in the caravan park. Dinner was held in the hotel which is the epitome of an old country pub complete with darts and dogs.
The following day we skied at Wire Plain which is the Mt Hotham resort nordic area. Here we skied around well groomed marked trails for the whole day after paying the obligatory trail fees (ouch!). These trails are either side of the main ridge and are generally in areas heavily treed with snow gums. However, every now and then there are quite scenic view points to provide some variety. The area is also used by biathletes. These are strange people who ski round and round set trails, stop and fire the odd deliberate bullet before skiing round and round again (we went away shaking our heads).
Then it was back to Porepunkah for the night which brought a front and accompanying snow falls. This allowed us to return to Mt Buffalo to ski the northern end of the plateau which we had missed out on. The freshly fallen snow was gently cascading from the trees as wind flurries wafted by to produce an exceptionally tranquil effect. We skied up beside Crystal Brook past Edinboro Castle to the Devil's Couch. Open glades then led to the striking rock formations of Gog, Og and Magog (the names of Aramean Kings from the Bible) before traversing a saddle to reach the Sarcophagus.
Some nifty navigation brought us through a saddle into a snow filled creekline flanked by majestic mountain ash. This formula was repeated for the next few hours to produce one of the most delightful and scenic days skiing that I have experienced. A walk around Lake Catani brought our sojourn to an end and we reluctantly strapped our skis onto the car for the last time.
So if you find yourself in Porepunkah in winter (or thereabouts) and there is a fresh snow fall, get into your car and drive up to Buffalo for some very scenic and pleasant skiing.
Maps: Eurobin & Buckland 1:25,000
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