It's snowing and the resorts are glowing on Victorian Alps

IN summer, where there is smoke, there is fire. In winter, where there is rain, there is ... snow. 

Natural snow means family fun at Mt Baw Baw.

IN summer, where there is smoke, there is fire. In winter, where there is rain, there is ... snow.

The downpour and drizzle in Melbourne has translated into a fair dumping of snow on the Victoria Alps for this weekend and the next two weeks of school holidays.

The main resorts have all reported fresh snowfall, plus the sub-zero temperatures have allowed them to fire up the snowguns.

Falls Creek had about 5cm of fresh snow. Spokesman Ian Talbot predicted the next four days would provide "snowmaking windows" and fresh snow is forecast on Tuesday.

Pictures: Victoria open for snow business

 More: Ski Guide 2010 

"Falls Creek now has the most lifts open in Victoria with the beginner-friendly Drovers Dream opening today (coinciding with the school holidays) for the first time this winter," he said.

"There's more challenging terrain on Highway 83 (see pic of Winter Olympian Steven Lee testing the terrain on Main Street ) and a couple nights ago all the floodlights on the 2.2km Wombats Ramble were lit for a trial session of night skiing."
 
"With five lifts turning, the first influx of school holiday guests have a choice of beginner to intermediate snow-covered terrain in Sun Valley and they can also check out how effective the increased amount of snowmaking is on Wombats Ramble."

Falls Creek's Pretty Valley Lodge has a $10,000 family Canadian Ski Holiday up for grabs. Any guest can enter, from July 18 until August 6.

At Mt Buller, communications manager Rhylla Morgan said conditions were "shaping up nicely for the school holidays".

"Things looked dicey yesterday but happily we do have some fresh snow (5cm) and sunshine today," she said.

"Snowmaking is expected to crank tonight and more snow coming this week."

Hotham spokeswoman Gina Woodward said 6cm had fallen at Mt Hotham and Dinner Plain.

"It has even been snowing down past the Hotham airport," Ms Woodward said.

Hotham's airport operates all year round. QantasLink flights direct flights from Sydney started this weekend and run through until September 12. There are also three charter operators out of Melbourne flying to Hotham, including from Lilydale airport.

Ms Woodward said the resort's chairlift operators were already preparing for a busy season.

"We have three lifts operating today," she said.

"There will be good snowmaking conditions again tonight and we expect a week of nights with temperatures down to minus five or six."

Mt Baw Baw seemed to fare best overnight, with resort spokeswoman Andie McMaster reporting 15cm of snow.

Resort CEO Leonie Turra is also anticipating a busy school break.

“We’ve got lots of very happy little vegemites’ this morning” she said.

“There are lots of kids up here for school holidays who have never seen snow before so it is very exciting for them.

“With lots of families packing the car with their winter woolies and heading to the mountains for the school holidays the timing couldn’t be better.

“This year's snow season got off to a promising start with 10cm of snow over the Queens birthday weekend, but due to the mild weather conditions the snow mostly disappeared.

“We are preserving the base this morning as more snow and snow making capability is on the way with the forecast looking very promising.

"The groomers are out on the trails and we are starting to pack-down the base, the lifts will be opening progressively as conditions allow”

Mt Baw Baw has packed school holiday program, including tobogganing, short course tubing, snowman making, terrain park rails and plenty of entertainment with Baw Baw’s mascot Frosti the Frog.

  More: Ski Guide 2010