Mike Law-Smith on skiing the western slopes

Over thirty Rascal members and friends enjoyed Mike Law-Smith regaling us with his experiences skiing the Western Slopes of the Main Range.




Mike was speaking at Rascal's 2018 Pre Season function, with the vast majority of attendees sharing an evening meal prior to the event.  It was a good time to catch up with friends and make new ones.

The evening kicked off with a welcome address by our new President, Colin McLean, in which he emphasised that Rascal is not just a building but a community and this evening was an expression of one common interest. Colin is keen to strengthen our sense of community, and welcomes members organising events that bring people together, be it walking, skiing, mountain bike riding, amongst other activities.


A common interest is walking in the mountains and to this end Colleen Fox gave a short spirited talk about the history and inclusiveness of the Hike de Femme, now in its 22nd year.  Colleen explained how the weekend is open to all Femmes and was focussed around having a lot of fun, laughter and a bit of exercise.  New Femmes are always welcome.

Mike Law-Smith gave the keynote address which focussed on skiing the Western slopes of the Main Range.  Initially describing the early exploits of Elyne Mitchell who skied the steep slopes in the 1930s-40s, Mike then provided an impressive photo collage of his many years of skiing the range.  His quiet understated narration belied the challenges in skiing the steep slopes and long uphill return treks to enjoy the thrills of this magnificent but rarely seen aspect of the park.

In addition to a large number of impressive skiing images of the Western Slopes, Mike further described similar steep backcountry skiing in New Zealand and Japan.

I know he inspired many in the audience about what is possible with a little courage and the right gear, and I know some were interested in giving it a try.

Thanks Mike for such a rewarding experience, and to Colin and Colleen for their contributions to a great night out.

Thanks also to Sharen Mack for organising the event.

The event was held at the Deakin Football Club on 27 June 2018.

Alan Laird 27 June 2018