Perisher's Pub to Pub ski race

Don your fancy dress clothes in the annual Perisher Pub to Pub race. Picture: Liesel Maddock Source: Supplied

Where's Wally? The chaos begins. Picture: Liesel Maddock Source: Supplied

CARNAGE is the only word that can accurately describe it.

Forming a v-shape with our skis, we attempted to climb up the first big hill, but as soon as one went down, another followed. And soon smurfs, umpa lumpas, Where's Wallys, Elvises, priests, ninjas and nuns were tumbling all around me.

Having not been on cross-country skis for two decades, I was at a distinct advantage. Many of my competitors were snowboarders who had never had skis of any kind on their feet before in their lives - let alone long, skinny ones. But it didn't matter. Perisher's annual Pub to Pub race is more about frivolity than it is about fierce competition.

The track
The race begins at the Smiggins Hotel, heads up the hill to the Sundeck in Perisher Valley, down to The Pub at Perisher Manor, across to the Man From Snowy River Hotel, then to Jax Bar and finally back to Smiggins.

The idea is to have a beer at each of the five pubs, located within 5km. The atmosphere at the start of the race was electric, as hundreds of participants stood in the snow banging their ski poles together in unison.

Soon after, cries of "who thought of this?" and "I've never worked this hard for a beer before" could be heard all around. Many gave up at the first incline, taking off their skis and walking. As I arrived at the first pub 24 minutes in, the winner, Ben Sim, was already crossing the finish line - claiming the title for the third year in a row.

The day I took part was a balmy 7C, and the snow was melting fast. As a result, we were forced to take off our skis and walk along the road to "The Man". Knowing it often took 15 minutes to work out how to get them back on, this concerned me greatly.

Despite my relative experience, I didn't escape the odd mishap. The most embarrassing occurred on a steep downhill run, as I turned at a checkpoint manned by police, lost my balance and fell straight into a puddle.

Dressed up
Being uncharacteristically unprepared for the fancy dress element, I had been forced to improvise and had donned my colourful striped thermal underwear, bright lime green socks and cheeky "Private Ski Patrol" T-shirt for the occasion. The shirt had the desired effect, with handsome instructors feigning injury along the way and begging me for help, but as I struggled to get to my feet I longed for my waterproof ski-pants.

My award for the most ambitious costume went to a bearded guy dressed as a hospital patient, in a gown which exposed his bare bottom. Unfortunately he had fallen over earlier in the day, and his exposed cheeks were severely grazed for all the world to see.

I crossed the finish line close to an hour after the winner, in a time of 1:24:23, arriving to a daytime dance party at the foot of the resort. We had heard only the first 500 people got a beer at each pub, so that was as competitive as we got.

Perisher's events co-ordinator Alan "Barney" Davis founded the event 28 years ago and it has since become the most infamous race on the Australian snowsports calendar. At the end of the season, when staff morale is suffering, the rowdiness of the event provides a welcome boost.

Across the country
Secretly, I have always thought of cross-country skiers in the same vein as birdwatchers. But with the high cost of lift tickets acting as a deterrent to many skiers, more and more snow enthusiasts are turning to cheaper alternatives, such as snow-shoeing and telemark skiing.

At Wilderness Sports stores in Perisher and Jindabyne you can hire a pair of cross-country skis, boots and poles for the day for $50 - though given the fact many get left outside overnight it is a bit extra on the day of the Pub to Pub.

We had decided to spend the day before the race practising back country on one of the many tracks Perisher offers, in the same hills I had been reluctantly given lessons on the finer points of crosscountry skiing by my dad.

As an adult I found I had a finer appreciation for the activity. We packed a picnic lunch of ham and salad sandwiches in our rucksacks, which we sat and ate on a rocky outcrop.

Passing fox prints in the snow, rocky creeks flowing with crystal-clear water and breathtaking views, you truly feel at one with nature.