springspur
2012-09-12
September 12, 2012

The 2012 winter has witnessed the return of some massive snow dumps, the like of which has not seen for over 12 years. With more than 2 metres of cover across the Bogongs, Steve is anticipating that some of the snowdrifts that have in past years survived right through the summer to the following winter, will be a feature of this summers rides. The drifts normally reside on the east side of narrow gaps and sharp edged ridges where the snow dumps deepest and only the morning sun reaches in. Some of the better known drifts occur at Warby Corner, on the south east face of Mount Nelse, east of Ben Coopers lookout and at the head of Cairn Creek on Mount Bogong.A unique form of plant life inhabits these areas, referred to as snow-patch communities, they feature tough but beautiful small enduring plant species that can survive with limited exposure to the sun. These plant communities occupy less than one per cent of the landscape of the Bogong High Plains and are thus one of the rarest and most fragile plant communities in Australia.