Thredbo resort ski free deal, new chair at Perisher

AN Aussie ski resort is offering the chance to ski free in September if you buy a season pass for next year.

Toby and Caitlyn Harisson playing in the snow at Thredbo on Thursday. Picture: Steve Cuff

AUSTRALIANS are being offered the chance to ski for free in September if they buy a season pass for the 2014 ski season now.

Thredbo in NSW is offering the deal for people who purchase a 2013/2014 365 pass before the end of August.

Thredbo marketing manager Angus Thompson said the year-long pass, which costs $749 for adults and $439 for children and seniors, usually starts when the season ends in October and includes access to the lifts for mountainbiking in summer as well.

But the resort had decided to offer bonus free skiing in September as an incentive to buy the pass.

"Considering the conditions are now peaking it's fantastic value," he said.

"It's been snowing on and off for ten days."

Rival NSW resort Perisher also put its 2014 Freedom Pass on sale for the same price as last year - and announced it would build a new quad chairlift at Guthega.

Perisher's new Freedom Chairlift will take skiers and snowboarders from the bottom of the Cow Pastures J-Bar to the Top of the Blue Cow T-Bar at Guthega.

Cow Pastures J-Bar will be removed.

Toby and Caitlyn Harisson playing in the snow at Thredbo on Thursday. Picture: Steve Cuff

Snow Australia CEO Colin Hackworth said after a slow start to the season, with rain washing away much of snow in July, it is set to end with a bang."I can categorically say that there is now sufficient depth of snow for the resorts to maintain an excellent cover of snow right through to the end of the season at the end September, early October," he said.

"While conditions in late season can sometimes be marginal, conditions for the latter part of this season right up to closing will be excellent.

"Everyone certainly has smiles on their faces with the recent snowfalls ... There's probably been a couple of metres of snowfall in the past couple of weeks and that's been topped up with man-made snow.

"September is going to be a terrific month with top-to-bottom skiing. Prices go down at all of the resorts in springtime so there's going to be great deals to be had for what will be the best snow of the season.

"There's another 30 to 40cm to come in the next couple of days."

Thredbo's 365 pass includes unlimited rides on the Kosciuszko Express Chairlift where pass holders can access mountain biking trails, the bobsleigh, nine-hole golf course, tennis court and leisure centre.

Hotham and Falls Creek in Victoria are also expected to announce a spring ski deal for both resorts on Sunday while Buller will release its 2014 season passes and spring deals in September.

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Cars covered in snow at Falls Creek ski resort in Victoria on Sunday. Picture: Chris Hocking