Malcolm Douglas - Australia - A Season Of Snow (1982)

[Music] [Music] [Music] in winter vast areas of southeast australia from new south wales to tasmania are covered with snow recently these snow fields have become more accessible and thousands of visitors arrive each week the majority come to downhill ski and stay at developed resorts smaller groups travel into the wilderness backpacking their supplies camping out for days and traveling long distances to ski untracked slopes [Music] during the record snow season of 1981 malcolm douglas and his friends spent weeks in the mountains touring the jungle wilderness reveling in the raging blizzards and the crystal clear days and far to the south hiking into tasmania's cradle mountain they developed survival skills of igloo and snow cave construction [Music] and with the spring thor rafted the snowy river [Music] and walk the ranges malcolm douglas's latest adventure takes you to the alpine regions of australia all through the season skiers flock to the snow in the kosciuszko national park in southeast new south wales the enormous numbers of cars stopping to have chains fitted and the many breakdowns create havoc for the authorities [Music] continual maintenance keeps the main access roads open but after exceptionally severe blizzards it's a battle with the elements that man frequently loses as day visitors struggle to escape the snow piled car parks vehicles left longer than a day are frequently trapped for weeks [Music] at the main resorts of perisher smigen holes threadbow and guthuga skiers shuffle in long cues to the toes and lifts after the ride they move like ants across the crowded slopes with proficiency they venture higher to ski the steeper runs a downhill skier's boots are locked to the skis to give easy maneuverability at high speed it's a popular and thrilling experience but the skier is restricted to the crowded resorts with their lifts and toes another type of skiing gaining favor is nordic or cross-country skiing cross-country skiing demands different techniques the skis are longer and narrower and the boots are attached only at the toe specialized patterns and fibers on the underside allow the ski to grip and slide facilitating ease of travel away from the congested areas into the heart of the alpine wilderness it's early august snow lies thick on the snowy mountains and it's malcolm's third trip from sydney this season malcolm and his mates brendan and john are heading out into the main range from guthagar all their equipment and supplies must be carried in packs and when extra gear is needed such as malcolm's heavy cameras and tripod sleds are towed it's a rugged way to travel but worth it to see the breathtaking scenery and feel all the moods of the mountains this creek feeding the snowy river is negotiated with ease with a little help from a flying fox [Applause] any extended trip into the national park should be registered with the park authorities it will provide vital knowledge if a search party is needed [Music] only a few kilometers from its source on the slopes of mount kosciuszko the snowy river is already a formidable force a swinging bridge the snowy rushing below is not everyone's idea of an easy crossing it shivers and jolts with each step [Music] brendan has spent all the season camping out in the snow first in victoria and now with malcolm in the snowy mountains john spends the winter as a guide with wilderness expeditions for safety and comfort it's essential to have the best quality tents capable of withstanding strong winds and heavy snowfalls the annex extension serves as a cozy kitchen with such glorious weather malcolm hangs out his washing well a pair of wet socks [Applause] cross-country skiing began in the scandinavian countries as a means of getting about and now today even though the equipment is modern the basic urge to cover long distances and to explore the mountains is still with us as the skiers head for the slopes of mount twinem they move higher and higher along the ridges [Music] unless there's a slip and then it's a quick descent and a hard slog up again sheltered by the last line of snow gums malcolm john and brendan stopped to build an igloo an important survival technique the dimensions are marked with a ski stock and the first blocks cut from within the circle to allow more room in the completed igloo the blocks angled and tapered lock together experienced cross-country skiers always carry a snow shovel and a saw any holes and gaps are filled in and the wall is smoothed with snow it's a warm day so the blocks are cut in the shade for the snow must be of the right consistency or it'll disintegrate when lifted there are several hours of constant work in an igloo as large as this one in an emergency it need not be nearly so big nor so well finished brendan must now stay inside until the structure is completed the correct slant of each block is important it gives the igloo its unique shape the cap is always a problem and when finally in place brendan is allowed out through the entrance dug from both sides of the wall the tunnel ensures that warm air is trapped within the dome [Applause] inside it's strangely still with soft light filtering through the icy walls a small vent is advisable if cooking during blizzards an igloo freezes and sits snug beneath the snow snow is actually a good insulator and an igloo becomes a warm and comfortable home for days and even weeks if you enjoy roughing it [Music] oh at night foam mats are laid beneath down sleeping bags which keep you warm to 25 degrees below freezing small stoves are always carried as fires in the park are discouraged but there are times when a fire in the snow may be necessary dry wood and bark are collected high on the dead trees and a sheltered position chosen it's essential to alternate layers of wood then snow so that the fire burns steadily without melting the snow base too quickly a fire is soon crackling and the water boiling and it's debatable whether john is drying out his socks or cooking them [Music] after two weeks of vivid skies a snowstorm looms and the skiers break camp to make a dash for the sheltered valley [Music] the season of 1981 will be indeed memorable for blizzards mantled the mountains with heavy falls of snow [Music] foreign with the commencement of the august holiday malcolm leaves john and brendan to head for tasmania's snow fields with his son lachlan [Applause] it's a pleasant overnight voyage on the empress of australia across bas strait to devonport where immediately they make for cradle mountain right there [Music] tasmania doesn't have the extensive snow fields of the australian mainland but it makes up for this with its awe-inspiring scenery cradle mountain sawing in rugged grand lines is one of tasmania's most spectacular attractions lachlan and malcolm hike to the snow line the lakes in the mountains environs lie in depressions gouged out by the glacial action of the last ice age after an hour's steep climb they shelter from the chill winds to study a map and admire the magnificent views [Music] oh the mountain's shape resembles a miner's cradle used for gold prospecting in the early days hence its curious name [Music] malcolm and lachlan venture onto the main plateau so popular with bush walkers in the summertime but deserted now and snow swept ahead blasted by blizzards through the winter barn bluff looms in arrogant dominance on the frozen plateau [Music] [Music] even with the bleak conditions the local wallabies cope oblivious of the freezing howling wind returning to their toyota malcolm and lachlan set out east to spend a week in the ben lomond national park [Music] it's a nerve tingling drive to the summit up an incredibly tortuous dirt road carved out of the mountainside understandably many drivers prefer to leave their vehicles in the car park below and pay the experienced operator to carry them to the ski slopes in a four-wheel drive bus [Music] a popular winter resort with good areas for downhill and cross-country skiing the pace is easy going and relaxed after the crowded bustle of the mainland [Music] and if conventional skiing bores you why not try downhill backwards or have a go at the local jump [Music] malcolm and lachlan's ski away from the noisy throbbing diesel motors to enjoy the tranquility of a rare windless day [Music] cross-country skiing can be enjoyed by young and old each person progressing at an individual pace but it's thirsty work water near the developed areas is polluted but out in the wilderness it's crystal [Applause] clean [Music] so with the august holiday over lachlan is due back at school and malcolm must return to the snowy mountains to rejoin john and brendan for their biggest trip of the season within the week malcolm brendan and john are traveling the back roads there to tackle mount jajungal from the north with the persistent heavy falls the mountain streams are flooding and caution halts them at a wide creek with 20 years of experience driving in the bush malcolm says it's worth giving it a go the blue tarp will be a buffer to deflect the water [Applause] the first section's easy but then it's into the mainstream [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] the vehicles finally left below the snow line outside the national park from here on its walking and skiing all the way a straggling fence separates the park from the grazing leases and malcolm with a keen sense of the ridiculous opens the gate for his companions a rush of exhilaration takes john and brendan off the kosciuszko national park is the largest in new south wales covering over 622 000 hectares skiers can travel for weeks exploring vast expanses of magical mountain scenery [Music] so [Music] and survive under the snow all winter long and are extremely active and aggressive when the weather warms [Applause] oh [Applause] i see swift flowing streams must be crossed the current is surprisingly strong and the rocks [Applause] [Applause] slippery [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] get off my head [Music] in the afternoon high on the ridges they make a base camp from here it's possible to reach ja jungle with ease the tent site in the lee of a high snow drift must be packed solid and the ropes securely anchored storms in the mountains are fierce and unpredictable the close of a clear day on the top of australia washes everything with its golden magic [Music] oh [Music] in the morning with lighter pecs it's off for mount jajango the great mystical peak of the alpine region with so much development within the park the running water is often polluted only above the resorts is it fit to drink the kosciuszko main range is far behind and the skiers make good progress towards the jungle summit throughout the season john has made many attempts to reach the top only to be driven back by blizzards before the arrival of europeans mount your jungle was sacred to the aborigines every summer the tribes collected the bogong moths that congregate in thousands among the granite boulders after a lean cold winter the aborigines grew fat on the rich food feasting and dancing until the autumn winds drove them to the valleys again jungle is an aboriginal word meaning mother of the waters for in the nearby valleys some of australia's great rivers begin their long journey seaward high on the mountain the views are unsurpassed [Music] and the fresh snow is an elating [Music] challenge [Music] [Music] at the end of the day it's a long shoes back to camp [Music] [Applause] john has spent the night out testing his emergency bivvy bag a chill wind heralds an ominous change the temperature pitches to below freezing mist and fine snow close in a blizzard is imminent they must pack quickly to escape its fury everything is stowed in waterproof bags conditions deteriorate as they get ready to make a dash for the shelter of the tree liners on the more exposed ranges skiers must never take risks sense of direction can easily be confused in a total whiteout [Music] [Music] by midday visibility is reduced to a few meters and the skiers hurriedly decide to head for cess jack's hut an emergency shelter [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] originally built as a rough home for summer stockman these huts now provide a vital refuge for cross-country skiers [Music] far off from the hut malcolm collects wood a valuable resource that must be used sparingly there is an unwritten law the dry wood must be left in the hut for the next group of skiers [Music] wombats are nocturnal animals but the exceptionally cold season forces them to forage during the day [Music] malcolm john and brynden shelter for several days in the tiny hut as the blizzard rages across the ranges for this is the week that even in far away sydney winds of 130 kilometers an hour left a path of devastation with the passing of the blizzard there's an eerie ice encrusted stillness the delicate shapes demand a photographer's attention [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] after a storm there are always casualties like this tiny native mammal which normally lives happily beneath the snow [Applause] and the cold was just too much for this wombat john revels in the fresh snow all skiers should know how to dig a snow cave the safest location is towards the top and at the end of an overhang [Music] snow caves range from a small depression hollowed out by hand or ski tip to a large cavity accommodating several [Music] people [Music] these dwellings are simple and speedy to excavate and will save lives in an emergency [Music] like all snow structures it's surprisingly warm and calm inside [Music] [Music] a bivvy bag a man-sized sack should always be carried to provide instant shelter not very comfortable but in a blizzard it could be the difference between life and death [Music] even in october the spectacularly heavy snowfalls bury the mountains and leave the foothills sparkling in the spring sunshine [Applause] ah [Applause] um without chains it would be impossible to leave the white wilderness the road out normally well defined lies camouflaged beneath an overnight snowfall [Music] with the spring comes the thor [Music] the warmth enticing the wild creatures from their winter hiding places an alpine grasshopper clambers into the sunshine an echidna found all over australia they adapt well to the frigid habitat and the wombats grow fat again on the sweet spring grasses [Music] [Music] gang gang cockatoos fly to the highest ridges to feed [Music] [Music] wow the melting snow spills down the mountains swelling the streams and rivers and with the rising of the waters malcolm's interest turns to white water rafting malcolm and his mates head off on a six-day journey down the snowy river before the snowy mountains authority diverted much of the river for the generation of hydro power and for irrigation inland the snowy was a raging torrent in the springtime now only a whisper of its former force it is still an exhilarating ride waterproof containers keep all the equipment dry even through the bigger rapids a stowaway is carefully evicted by malcolm redbillard black snakes are common along the river and excellent swimmers they often make an escape underwater [Music] so [Music] a gippsland water dragon demonstrates its territorial right until the raft draws nearer and it beats a hasty retreat so the last set of rapids provides a rollicking finale as the rafters leave the gorges and paddle leisurely for two days to rendezvous with a pickup vehicle at the buckin river high on the mountain peaks the last snow is melting once again the many moods of the mountains lure malcolm to the high country [Music] this time it's to walk with his son to observe and appreciate the alpine flowers that bloom in a blaze of color on sunny days many of the flowers are tiny living in their own special habitat heavy-scented alpine marigolds growing crumpled beneath the dwindling drifts stretch into bloom even though it's january the record falls of the winter have left deep drifts in the shelter of the high peaks near the summit of mount kosciuszko malcolm enjoys a rare delight skiing in australia on a warm summer day and lachlan gleefully lines up his ammunition [Applause] malcolm and lachlan going down the mountain for the last time linger to look at the bright snow daisies summer's heat haze will shimmer over the snowy mountains until in a few short weeks the cool autumn winds will herald another season of snow you

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Id: 0epPWy-Qem8

Length: 45min 22sec (2722 seconds)

Published: Tue Dec 01 2020