Think of pristine slopes still covered with dry snow. Imagine skiing perfect corn snow all day. Or finding powder stashes after a windy night. Then setting up camp at the treeline and watching a spectacular Alpine sunset.

• Perfect corn snow all day...

Sound appealing?

Well…we'll let you in on a bit of a secret. The Hotham region offers some of the best backcountry touring in Australia.

The terrain is out there, just waiting. Ridges, gullies, bowls, glades, big cornices, cliff bands, tight chutes, cruisy ridges….all of this easily accessed thanks to The Great Alpine Road, which traverses the Hotham High Plains.

The trick is knowing where to go on any given day - and knowing how to play it safe.

Remember, while backcountry can offer extreme fun, it's not for the inexperienced, ill equipped or unprepared.

Trip intention forms, topographical maps, the latest weather forecasts and snow report information is available through Ski Patrol. The Mount Hotham Resort Management also offers a comprehensive Snow Survival Course, which teaches all the basic skills essential for safe backcountry touring.

So, if you're prepared to develop the necessary skills and acquire the right equipment, backcountry touring at Hotham will be an experience you'll never forget.

And once you've been out there once, we bet you'll be coming back for more.

Perfect corn snow all day...

The temptations of the backcountry are hard to ignore. Pristine slopes still covered with dry powder many days after the last storm. The opportunity to get away and explore with just a couple of friends. Camping at the treeline watching the sunset after skiing perfect corn snow all day and the sense of achievement knowing that you've earned every turn, are just some more of the reasons you may want to get out there.

There are many ridges, bowls, gullies and glades around Hotham that are great to ski and board. With slopes facing all aspects there is almost always something worth a look. The trick is knowing where to go on any given day. Knowing the effects of snowfall, temperature, wind, sun, rain, slope angle and aspect have on the snowpack will help you find the best snow and more and more importantly the safest conditions available.

Where might you find powder stashes after a windy night? When do you ski a slope that catches the sun all day? Will the snow be frozen solid after a cold night? Do you want to ride in spring snow or powder? If you know where and when to look it's possible, on a hot sunny day in September, to ski perfect corn snow on one run and then freeze-dried powder on the next.

With the Great Alpine Road traversing the Hotham High plains the nearby backcountry is easily accesses by the skilled and equipped touring enthusiast. The terrain includes big cornices, steep faces, cliff bands and tight chutes. There are also plenty of cruisy ridges, protected glades and wide-open bowls. The backcountry offers a variety of terrain to suit most standards of equipped and skilled tourers. If you're after a night out you can choose from one of the alpine huts in the area, plenty of protected tent sites in the snow gums or dig a snowcave in a huge wind drift. There is a large core of local enthusiasts who regularly venture out into the backcountry. The day after a storm the locals are out establishing boot packs in some more frequented areas close to the resort.

For the experienced Skiers and boarders a day in the Hotham backcountry can be extremely rewarding, however all can easily turn foul if the inexperienced and unprepared venture into this rapidly changing environment. Trip intention forms, topographical maps, the latest weather forecasts and snow stability information is available through Ski Patrol. The Mount Hotham Resort Management offers a comprehensive Snow Survival course which teaches all the basic skills that are essential for safe backcountry touring.

The only way to ensure a safe and enjoyable outing is by having a solid foundation of alpine skills and knowing how to properly use them. If you're prepared to put in the time and effort developing the skills and acquiring the appropriate equipment, the Hotham backcountry can be a most rewarding experience. Take care and have fun.