FALLS CREEK

THIS IS THE KAT 2000  USED ON MT McKAY

THE 2002 PICTURE GALLERY IS NOW ONLINE

The year 2000 was the first that saw skiing on Mt McKay and the surrounding area. There are no lifts and skiing is via the Snow Kat 2000 above, this is a converted Snow Groomer that can carry 9 passengers at a time to ski this area. Tours last three hours and enable you to do around six runs on McKay and a few on surrounding hills.

Falls Creek Ski Lifts applied for permission to develop the Mt McKay area in January 2001 starting with Rocky Knolls and the Dam site area first. Follow the link below for more details.

I went out with the Kids in the 2000 and 2002 seasons and can recommend the opportunity to ski Mt McKay to all but what we need is for everyone to contact their local member (for Victorian skiers) and let them know you want this lift to proceed. It will provide more jobs and add to a great resort making it greater. Mt McKay and Rocky Knolls will make Falls Creek the best all round resort in Australia.

MY KIDS IN FRONT OF THE KAT 2002

(Note kids under 14 are not normally allowed on Mt McKay, My kids are exceptional skiers hence their being allowed)

Want to ski some of Australia's steepest and deepest skiing/boarding in Australia? Try Kat Skiing on Mt McKay. Having done this I can recommend it to everyone.

The service uses a refitted Kassbohrer 200 making life easy transporting people back to the top of Mt McKay for six or seven runs down the exciting terrain with a guide who really knows the area well.

KAT SKIING ON MT. McKAY SKI SOME OF AUSTRALIA’S STEEPEST AND DEEPEST TERRAIN

The Falls Creek Ski Lifts Racing Department was selected to head the guiding service. They are the best for this task being fully certified ski instructors, and having first aid and backcountry patrol credentials. Many have worked overseas with similar operations. On top of all of this they are all pretty nice people making it a friendly service.

The tour will provide expert skiing along with plenty of exploring around the Rocky Knolls area. "It isn't just Mt McKay, it is all the other runs leading out there that skiers and boarders can explore and experience. On the days we went we started the Kat Skiing session on Rocky Knolls which was fresh so we were able to put the first runs on it. This will be the first area for new lifts and you will be able to ski from the top of Ruined Castle to this.

THE REAR OF DAM WALL HILL WHERE THE LIFT IS PROPOSED

The Kat will take you from the top of Ruined Castle Quad Chairlift to above the of Rocky Knolls Gully where you ski down meeting the Kat again. Then it takes you to the top of Rocky Knolls. After some warm up runs the Kat will then transport people to Mt McKay which takes about 15 minutes to reach the pinnacle. "We did 6 runs on Mt McKay, we skied the south, south west and south east facing slopes which are consistently steep and dotted with boulders which create natural turnovers and jumps", the huge cornice on the top was a real challenge. Each session differs as it will revolve around each group's capabilities as to where they'll ski.

It is exciting to be in an area no one can get to. It is totally different to the marked, groomed runs in the ski area. We skied long vertical runs, which had a pitch of 30 to 50 degrees plus some of the more forgiving, undulating slopes in the area. After the last run on Mt McKay we were transported back to the base of Scott's Chair in the resort.

Falls Creek Ski Lifts plans to build lifts on Mt McKay and in the meantime get out there and try Kat Skiing on the mountain.

I've been out here quite a few times in my 9 years of visiting Falls Creek and I've walked around it in Summer. I always wanted lifts out here because it was the one thing that would complete Falls Creek.

The service operates daily with two, three hour sessions each day. Starting around 9.00am until midday, then an afternoon session from around 1 - 4 pm. Bookings are taken the day before departure at the Falls Creek Snow sports School. The group then meets at the top of the Falls Creek Express at the Snow sports School at 8.30 am or 12.30pm on the day and the guide will escort the group to the top of Ruined Castle. In Spring only a single trip each day is planned from 10:00am due to the Ice in the mornings and the softness of the cover in the afternoon.

The terrain is for experts and advanced skiers/boarders only. My kids were allowed to go due to their ability but this is not common, the minimum age is 14 years old however if you think your kids can handle Mt McKay ask for the instructors to assess them, they have the last say. Phone the Falls Creek Snow sports School on 03 5758 3331 for information and bookings.

 

THE 2002 MCKAY PICTURE GALLERY IS NOW ONLINE