AS interest in backcountry skiing and snowboarding continues to grow, the Mountain Safety Collective (MSC) is urging caution for those heading beyond resort boundaries at Hotham and Falls Creek this snow season.

The not-for-profit organisation, which produces free daily Backcountry Conditions Reports throughout winter, is reminding users that venturing into unpatrolled terrain requires serious preparation, regardless of how short or familiar the route may seem.

“The moment you exit a ski resort you need to be completely self-reliant in terms of equipment and skills,” says Owen Lansbury, MSC’s communication director.

“If something goes wrong a rescue may be many hours away.”

Victoria’s alpine topography adds another layer of difficulty.

“Anything you ski down in Victoria, you often need to climb back out of," Mr Lansbury said.

"This provides specific challenges for both fitness and navigation skills.”

At Hotham and Falls Creek, where sidecountry access is just a short hike from the lifts, it’s easy to underestimate the risks.

But that’s where most incidents happen, Mr Lansbury warns.

“People just frothing too much and overestimating their abilities, underestimating the risk of something going wrong and being unprepared with the right equipment and training.”

MSC’s Backcountry Conditions Report, published by 7am each morning during the snow season, provides vital information for safe travel.

The report includes snowpack stability, hazard warnings, and where the best conditions are likely to be.

“It should be the first thing you read before starting a backcountry tour… so you have a strong picture of what conditions are likely to be,” Mr Lansbury said.

Visitors can also refer to Hotham’s own Backcountry Snow Report, available via the resort’s conditions page at mthotham.com.au.

For those unfamiliar with the area, Mr Lansbury recommends engaging a professional guide.

“The best way to benefit from local knowledge is by hiring a backcountry guide to take you out and back safely," he said.

"MSC’s Alpine Guiding Partners are all highly experienced in doing exactly this.”

Mr Lansbury adds that while avalanche risk exists, “In Australia, only five per cent of backcountry incidents are related to avalanches. The other 95 per cent are related to icy surface conditions and bad weather.”

Reports are available daily at mountainsafetycollective.org.