Eight Ramblers headed out from Burstal trailhead at 9:30 after spotting a car at Commonwealth trail exit. Warm and windy with fresh snow, temperature -3 warming to above zero throughout day. Advanced up Burstal pass trail to open meadows then cut right up through trees towards Birdwood pass. Carl lead good route over lower ridge and upward to Birdwood col.

Climb to Birdwood Col

Wind packed snow and bare rock conditions existed as usual on lower ridge.


Ulrike, Terry, Sim on Birdwood Col

Top of Birdwood col more wind affected than on previous coordinator trips, but fount the usual enjoyable ski conditions lower down in the valley. Lunch then onwards and upwards. We climbed too high on exiting drainage, coordinator not wanting to repeat low route on his last outing of this trip. We then corrected, climbed and traversed up to Smuts col. Some dropped down to the lake then up, other traversed directly across to Commonwealth-Smuts col. Col was wind scoured as usual requiring booting it down first 100 m.


Walk/ski down on wind packed snow

Group on Smuts-Commonwealth Col

Skied down left side of slope into trees at bottom. Followed narrow drainage with good snow down through lower trees, enjoyable skiing. Upper Commonwealth valley trail untracked, more trail breaking. Great group, strong trail breakers, enjoyable outing. Eight hours, 945 m, 17 km. Participants: Philip,Sim,Terry s/c,Arnold,Mike,Carl,Clifton,Ulrike.

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