Latest news with #MountHotham
ABC News
4 hours ago
- Climate
- ABC News
How to avoid getting your car stuck on snowy roads this winter
Heavy snowfall during the opening weekend of Australia's ski season has led to multiple emergency rescues as people became trapped in their cars. In Victoria alone, about 20 people had to be rescued from vehicles on alpine roads. With winter only just beginning, authorities are urging drivers to prepare for alpine conditions and understand what to do if they get stuck in the snow. Gippsland emergency services responded to calls of people trapped in vehicles after becoming stuck in heavy snow on Mount Hotham on Saturday. Across the border in New South Wales, search crews spent more than 20 hours rescuing two bushwalkers stranded in blizzard conditions near Mount Kosciuszko. Police continue to respond to the ongoing snow conditions at Mount Hotham, with a rescue of two hikers also underway on the Wonnangatta walking track. Bright SES unit controller Graham Gales said the main cause of people getting stuck in the snow was not carrying chains. "Some inexperienced drivers there, some people who hadn't checked the weather forecast and gone in ill-prepared for even light snow." Victoria Police Eastern Region Division Four Superintendent Joy Arbuthnot said police turned back 14 drivers a day at Mt Hotham last season because they did not have snow chains. "That's not just a statistic, it's almost 1,500 drivers who put themselves, their passengers, and others on the road at serious risk," Superintendent Arbuthnot said. "Without snow chains, your car simply won't grip on icy roads. "We've seen cars slide off the edge of mountainsides, families stranded in dangerous conditions, and collisions that could have been avoided." Mr Gales recommended passengers trapped in stuck vehicles reach for any warm camping gear on hand, such as sleeping bags, and preserve fuel. "There are also issues with diesel engines that will freeze up … and not be able to start," he said. "You've got to be able to get in and locate those people and get them out." Snow-goers have been warned to obey road closure signs to allow emergency services to continue their search of the area and identify whether any more people require rescue. At Harrietville, members of Highway Patrol are understood to be travelling in the region, warning people they will be fined if they have snow on the roof or windshield of cars that could fall off and pose a danger to other drivers. In Victoria, all vehicles travelling to alpine regions during the declared snow season must carry wheel chains and fit them when instructed. Failure to carry them can result in a $395 fine, and a $988 fine for not fitting them when directed. These rules differ in NSW, where 4WD and AWD vehicles do not require chains to enter the Kosciuszko National Park, but all 2WD vehicles must carry snow chains. According to The Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV), preparing your car before heading to the snow is paramount. The RACV's advice to drivers includes: Falls Creek recommends people visiting alpine resorts drive slowly in snow and ice conditions, allow plenty of room between vehicles, and avoid using cruise control. It recommends drivers who are stuck do not spin their wheels or rev the vehicle as this will dig the car further into snow. Instead, drivers should put the vehicle into as high a gear as possible and slowly manoeuvre forwards and backwards, to gently creep out. When parking a vehicle, Transport Victoria recommends positioning front wheels away from the slope, putting manual vehicles in first gear, and lifting wiper blades up to avoid them freezing onto the windscreen.
The Guardian
7 hours ago
- Climate
- The Guardian
Thirteen people trapped in cars overnight and hikers rescued as heavy snow falls across Victorian and NSW alps
More than a dozen motorists and two hikers have been rescued after being trapped in heavy snow in the alpine region of Victoria amid a dangerous start to the snow season. Separately, bushwalkers were evacuated near Mount Kosciuszko in New South Wales as snow fell across Australia. Search crews rescued 13 travellers stranded near Mount Hotham as 50cm of snow fell around the Blue Rag Range Track near Dargo High Plains Road. Some spent Saturday night in their cars and one man in his 40s suffered minor injuries after his vehicle rolled. Emergency services used snowmobiles to traverse the mountain. Members of Wangaratta Ski Club, the Country Fire Association and a snow plough from Mount Hotham Alpine Resort joined the rescue effort, said Graham Gales, an SES unit controller. Gales said the roads had been challenging even for experienced volunteers, and it had been difficult to ascertain how many people remained stranded. 'We were very surprised at the number of vehicles that we did come across yesterday … that had gone out for the weekend and have been caught short by the snow,' he told ABC Radio. 'The experience of our drivers going into the Dargo High Plains Road yesterday was even they were having difficulty, and these are people that basically work in the snow all year round.' Police and the SES said no one remained trapped in the area by Monday afternoon. Roads had been closed across the Victorian alps, but the site of the incident was accessible to motorists over the weekend despite heavy snowfall being predicted. The local Alpine Shire council on Friday recommended motorists avoid the road in a Facebook post before declaring the road closed on Sunday morning. However, some gates on Dargo High Plains Road wouldn't be locked until Thursday, the local mayor, Sarah Nicholas, said. 'In the alps, during the declared snow season, you have to carry chains … so people should have chains with them during this current [long] weekend,' she told ABC radio. Police in 2024 turned back nearly 1,500 vehicles from the Mount Hotham area for failing to carry mandated wheel chains. Two hikers were rescued from the Wonnangatta walking track in Vioctoria's Alpine national park on Monday, police said. Sign up to Morning Mail Our Australian morning briefing breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Emergency crews separately rescued two bushwalkers stranded near NSW's Mount Kosciuszko on Sunday after the pair were stranded in blizzard conditions. A search party advanced through fierce snow on Saturday towards the 31-year-old man and 28-year-old woman but was forced to retreat due to white-out conditions. Trained alpine officers then reached them late on Saturday night and the pair was escorted from the Kosciuszko walking trail to a staging campsite and evacuated by 4am on Sunday. Hotham Alpine Ski resort reported 12cm of snow in the 24 hours to 9am with 63cm in the week to Monday. The Snowy Mountains were set to see additional dumps of 10cm to 20cm on Monday, with many areas already seeing half a metre of snow over the past few days. More snowfall was forecast across alpine regions of Victoria and NSW on Monday with some sites expecting further falls in the coming days.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
‘Treacherous': Six trapped in snow for days
Six people are still awaiting rescue after being trapped in their cars by heavy snow on Saturday night. About 20 travellers in cars became stranded on the Blue Rag Range Track on Mount Hotham about 10.50pm on Saturday. The convoy was snowed-in overnight into Sunday, when 13 people were rescued by Victoria Police and State Emergency Service crews. A man in his 40s was injured in the chaos, after his vehicle rolled, and a fire truck became stuck in the snow after being deployed to help. However, a further six were forced to stay behind, with the temperature falling to -4.3C overnight. SES Regional Duty Officer James Boler said the operation had been 'pretty treacherous'. Rescue vehicles have struggled to get through the snow, and specialised alpine units were being brought in, with the remaining travellers expected to be evacuated via sled. People in the stranded vehicles had food, water and protection from the elements, emergency services said. Dargo Highway Plains Road is closed due to the extreme conditions and is not expected to reopen until after the long weekend. More to come
News.com.au
10 hours ago
- Climate
- News.com.au
Mt Hotham rescue continues for second day after 20 people stranded in snow on Saturday
Six people are still awaiting rescue after being trapped in their cars by heavy snow on Saturday night. About 20 travellers in cars became stranded on the Blue Rag Range Track on Mount Hotham about 10.50pm on Saturday. The convoy was snowed-in overnight into Sunday, when 13 people were rescued by Victoria Police and State Emergency Service crews. A man in his 40s was injured in the chaos, after his vehicle rolled, and a fire truck became stuck in the snow after being deployed to help. However, a further six were forced to stay behind, with the temperature falling to -4.3C overnight. SES Regional Duty Officer James Boler said the operation had been 'pretty treacherous'. Rescue vehicles have struggled to get through the snow, and specialised alpine units were being brought in, with the remaining travellers expected to be evacuated via sled. People in the stranded vehicles had food, water and protection from the elements, emergency services said. Dargo Highway Plains Road is closed due to the extreme conditions and is not expected to reopen until after the long weekend.
ABC News
11 hours ago
- Climate
- ABC News
Mt Hotham rescue work continues after snow strands holiday-makers
Six people remain trapped in their vehicles after becoming stuck in heavy snow on Mount Hotham, in Victoria's high country, on Saturday. About 20 travellers were stranded on the Blue Rag Range Track near Dargo High Plains Road after a snow storm. The region has now recorded 62 centimetres over the week, as this year's ski season officially opened. Victoria Police and State Emergency Service (SES) crews moved in on Sunday, rescuing 13 people. But SES Regional Duty Officer James Boler said half a dozen were forced to spend a second night in their vehicles. "The rescue operation has actually been pretty treacherous," Mr Boler said. "The conditions up on the mountain have been very, very difficult to deal with." Authorities said those still to be rescued had food and water, and were safe from the elements. The temperature fell to -4.3 degrees Celsius last night and more snow was forecast for today. Mr Boler said rescue vehicles were struggling to get through the snow and specialised alpine search and rescue units were being brought in today. He said they would use sleds to help bring the remaining travellers out. "My hope for today is that we actually are able to support anyone that does actually need any further assistance coming down. "We're hoping not to come across any surprises and we're hoping we can have this all wrapped up as soon as possible." On Sunday, a man in his 40s was treated for minor injuries after his vehicle had rolled in the conditions. Dargo Highway Plains Road was closed to traffic due to the extreme weather conditions and was not expected to reopen until after the King's Birthday long weekend. Last year, 1,471 vehicles were turned back at Mount Hotham for failing to carry legally required wheel chains.
