Ski season starts with a flurry in alpine regions
Pack the car, snow bunnies. This week’s cold snap has turned most of our alpine regions white.
There’s an old skiers’ adage: “If it snows, we goes.” Pack the car then, snow bunnies, as this week’s cold snap has turned most of our alpine regions white, just in time for the traditional Queen’s Birthday opening weekend of the snow season. With more flakes on the way next week, resorts are anticipating a bumper season. Sadly, things will be more subdued in the southern state, at least at first.
Last year was an unmitigated disaster for Victoria’s resorts, with the midwinter lockdown and poor snow writing off the state’s $800m season. Falls Creek and Mount Hotham had lifts running on just four days. And now, as if on cue, history is repeating, with the latest Covid-19 outbreak locking out Melburnians (who make up about 80 per cent of alpine visitors) from opening weekend and beyond. On top of that, rain has washed away much of this week’s promising snowfalls in Mount Buller and Mount Baw Baw; the latter will not have lifts running on opening weekend.
Putting that aside, life will resemble normal on the slopes. Unlike last year there will be no caps on numbers at any resorts and you won’t have to pre-book specific days. Indoor venues will still have to comply with density quotas, and QR code check-ins will be mandatory everywhere.
Perisher, Falls Creek and Mount Hotham are all covered by Vail Resorts’ 2021 Epic Australia Pass, but you’ve only got until Tuesday to buy one, with the season ticket going off sale on June 15. Prices are $1049 an adult, $599 for students and $819 for seniors. The Epic Pass also provides refunds in the event resorts are closed, as well as personal illness, job loss and injury.
Thredbo and Mount Buller are covered by Mountain Collective’s Ikon Pass, which also includes New Zealand’s Coronet Peak, The Remarkables and Mount Hutt, giving 21 days skiing across the resorts for $US1049 ($1355).
NSW
Thredbo
Opening weekend kicks off with a flurry of activities, including ice sculpting in Village Square, after-dark light projections on the Sundance ski run, live music at Schuss Bar and apres ski at Alpine Bar. Sunrise Sessions will run on Tuesday mornings from July 27-August 31 and take guests by snowcat to Australia’s highest restaurant, Eagles Nest, for breakfast before making first tracks down Australia’s longest ski run, Supertrail. On Saturday nights, ride the Merritts Gondola (Australia’s only alpine gondola), which opened last year, then board a snowcat to Kareela Hutte to watch the fireworks show and the Thredbo Flare Run, before returning for a Bavarian-inspired feast at Merritts Mountain House. Back in the village, look out for the under-the-radar Segreto, a late-night supper club dishing up grazing platters and cocktails. The resort is famous for having Australia’s longest vertical drops, but it’s worth checking out the undulating guided backcountry adventures, operated in partnership with The North Face, including a private tour to ski off the summit of Mount Kosciuszko.
Lift passes are $169 a day and some peak season dates are already on the verge of selling out.
Perisher
Australia’s largest resort opened last week (the first to get lifts rolling) but the real celebrations kick off this Saturday, with a fireworks display at 7.20pm, skiing on Front Valley from 6pm and free live entertainment at Jax Bar, Chargrill and Smiggins Hotel all weekend. This season sees new snowmaking on The Chute run in Perisher Valley, connecting the Village Eight chairlift on Front Valley to the Pretty Valley Double and Interceptor Quad chairlifts, which should reduce bottlenecks at the Perisher Quad chairlift. A new Leitwolf grooming machine (the first of its kind in Australia) promises smoother groomed runs.
Lift passes are $139-$180 a day, while season passes for over 70s are great value at $199.
Charlotte Pass
Charlotte Pass is Australia’s only snowbound resort (meaning visitors can’t drive in or out). A DayTripper ticket ($119) includes over-snow transport from Perisher, a lift pass and lunch. Kosciuszko Chalet Hotel (the resort’s premier accommodation) offers winter packages that include over-snow transport, lift passes, breakfast and a three-course a-la-carte dinner. The Mount Stillwell Snow Experience sees guests picked up at the hotel and taken to the top of Mount Stillwell for sunrise and the first ski run of the day.
Meanwhile Selwyn Snow Resort, which was destroyed by bushfires in January 2020, has announced it will reopen in June next year with brand new facilities, a full upgrade of the Chum chairlift and an expanded toboggan park.
VICTORIA
Falls Creek
Plenty has been happening in the off season at Falls Creek’s vibrant village. The iconic Lakeside Lodge has had a spruce-up after changing hands, with guestrooms modernised (gone is the shagadelic bright blue carpet with matching doors). Astra has a new Japanese-trained chef, Kauri Watkin, and is offering a wine-cellar experience for up to four guests, with a wine and cheese tasting followed by dinner in a private space. Astra Lodge remains the go-to spot for apres ski by the fire, while its day spa is spruiking an indulgent 5½ hour Ultimate Alpine Escape treatment. Elk at Falls hopes to lure sore ski bodies to soak in its six-seater hot tubs, inside the new spotted gum spa pavilion (for guests only).
Lift passes are $165 a day and resort entry is $52.50 per vehicle.
Mount Hotham and Dinner Plain
Mount Hotham has teamed up with Alpine Nature Experience for some unique excursions, including snowshoeing to a secluded eco-village for a night in a luxury snow igloo (with Arctic-endorsed sleeping bags and fur blankets), a French fondue meal, then waking to a cooked breakfast and a snowmobile tour. Traverse Hotham offers a variety of guided cross-country skiing tours and lessons that show off the best of the backcountry. Night-skiing sessions are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and Epic Pass holders will have access to first tracks at Heavenly Valley from 7.30am-8.30am Friday to Sunday.
Lift passes are $165 a day and resort entry is $48.80 per vehicle.
Dinner Plain remains a great option for beginners and families. It’s $74 for a day pass to ride the Cobungra Platter or fly down Australia’s longest toboggan run. It’s also the country’s only dog-friendly ski resort.
Mount Buller
This resort has invested heavily in infrastructure, spending $11.3m on a new water reservoir and $4m expanding the snowmaking network. New snow guns give guaranteed cover from the village to the bottom of the Bull Run chairlift, along the Standard run. Re-contouring of terrain at the top of the ABOM Express chairlift should make getting around easier, while a new trail on the northern slopes provides access to the Bonza chairlift from Boggy Creek. The village has been given a makeover, with a new piazza-style retail colonnade and undercover seating outside the revamped Kooroora Hotel.
Lift passes are $119-$176 depending on the day and month, and resort entry is $61 per vehicle.
Mount Baw Baw
Melbourne’s closest resort is a good option for beginners, families and fans of husky dogs. Howling Huskys offers a one-hour husky-drawn backcountry sled tour, while a Powder Pup Snowshoe Tour takes you into the world of the retired sled dog as you don snowshoes and take the senior pooches walkies along their favourite trails. A Weekend Couples Retreat package ($1525) includes two nights’ accommodation at Altitude Apartment, three days’ resort entry, a two-day lift pass and a meal for two with a bottle of wine.
Lift passes are $55 midweek and $80 weekend, and resort entry is $59 per vehicle.
To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register
Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout