2019 Snow season - Costs, Conditions.. etc

Sammyboy on 28/07/2019 - 10:49
Last edited 28/07/2019 - 10:54

How many of you have gone up to the snow resorts this year, even with the very average conditions?

Unlike last year with the bargain sale tickets for Mount Buller (each time an Aussie scored a medal during the winter Olympics), this year no such luck with discounts.

Looking at Mount Buller prices this year, I'm guessing they have gone up this year? And also by more than CPI probably

Sat pricing is the peak pricing at $139 and Sunday is $131. Although my mates paid $124 for this Sunday (a few days ago). 1 day park is $46.40

At those prices, and the Ozbargain mentality in me, its really making it hard to justify heading up for such crappy snow. One would expect numbers to have been down due to conditions, however it seems like the carpark has been full most weekends, so the resort doesn't even have to consider discounts. So much for a downturn in the economy. People spending the tax rebate lol

Starting to think it could now be more economical to take a week off and go overseas on a snow package. I would guess if booked early enough, a holiday (longer than 1 week) with flights could potentially work out cheaper than staying on the snow resorts here for the same duration. Even that Mt Hotham/Falls season pass that can be used overseas is looking more attractive now.

Sports & Outdoors Snow

Comments

  • boomramada on 28/07/2019 - 11:06
    +2

    By the time you make your mind, snow is melted.

    • Sammyboy on 28/07/2019 - 11:07

      Yep I procrastinated like crazy over going up today. In the end decided it just wasn't worth the cost. Will just leave it to the 2 weekends booked at Hotham in August. Mates said its reasonably dry right now in Buller but foggy

      • boomramada on 28/07/2019 - 11:55

        Are you a first timer ?
        You into snowboard or ski?
        How long you want to spend in snow?
        How many of you or just you?

        And do you have the correct gear or need to hire them?

        Snow sport is not chepo sport rename your title to snow season 2020.

        • Sammyboy on 28/07/2019 - 13:50

          Been boarding for 20 years. Own my own equipment. Even service it too now. Wax, beveling, base leveling and repairs. Just to save on costs in the long term which have definitely paid off now. However my extent of overseas skiing has only been NZ. Beginning of next year will pass through Japan, so may have a day or 2 of boarding

  • slknv on 28/07/2019 - 11:23
    +2

    Was at buller last week midweek - bought some advance $66 tickets. Forgot to buy entry online and was stung $58 :(. Quite a few lifts shut - grimus, federation, most other runs were thin/patchy. At least hardly any people, would never go buller on a weekend again.

    If you have the time, go overseas - we were in nozawa in Feb - $100 per double including breakfast at a lodge right on the snow, $30 board hire, $50 lift tickets, and the most amazing snow, runs and food there. Taking into account cheap flights, far better deal than staying on snow at any australian resort. Plus japan. Next month - we have a week in queenstown. lift tickets not significantly cheaper than australian prices, 4wd hire pretty cheap for $200/week, off mountain accommodation about $120/night. Then december korea - meant to have fantastic resorts and can't wait for that!

    • theHMASfriendship on 28/07/2019 - 13:35

      Nozawa is awesone

    • Sammyboy on 28/07/2019 - 13:55

      Yes I'll prob spend 2 days on Nozawa when I'm in Japan in Jan. So your total cost of Queenstown, has it worked out much cheaper per person and/or group wise than a week on the resort's here?

      • MA1970 on 29/07/2019 - 10:42
        +1

        I think USA might work out much cheaper than NZ, Japan or Canada. Bit hard to compare apples with apples, as virtually no on snow hotels in NZ & those that are are either very basic club lodges or isolated. By isolated mean, after 4pm, nothing there, like at Cardona near Queenstown

    • Love a bargain on 28/07/2019 - 19:41
      +1

      Don't have your hopes up too much re Korea. Apparently the ski slopes there mostly rely on snow machines as they're not far enough to the north.

      PS. Have only been to one myself. No natural snow even when the temperature was below -10°C

      • Sammyboy on 30/07/2019 - 08:22

        Oh thanks for that bit of info.

  • [Deactivated] on 28/07/2019 - 11:25
    +1

    Well, skiing in Australia is pretty expensive. I calculated that it would cost the same amount of money going 7 days to Hotham or 7 days to French alps (around 2000$) with included airfares!! That is bizarre.

    On the other hand, Mt Buller is really close to Melbourne so you can do a day trip whenever you decide. You can follow forecast and choose good day for a trip (snow chains are not mandatory unless heavy snow, check website). Sadly it is small ski resort so 1 day in more than enough to check all slopes.

    This season i'm gonna check Mt Hotham and Falls Creek for the first time. I booked accommodation at Bright, so one day Hotham and one for Falls Creek.

    • slknv on 28/07/2019 - 11:31
      +2

      Love bright as a snow base - for food, tomahawks is pretty good - casual food like burgers etc, gets really busy late at night. i really liked dr mauve; try and get a little table near the fireplace. for upmarket try elm dining (used to be simone's) which isn't bad, but needs more customers in it to feel hospitable.

      Be careful to watch forecasts for hotham if driving up from bright! Occasionally the harrietville road is closed, and it's a MASSIVE detour to get home to bright from omeo side! People were stuck on the access road for 6 hours a couple of weekends ago. It's a pretty sketchy road at the best of times.

      • [Deactivated] on 28/07/2019 - 11:57

        Good advice!! I am aware of that. Following the forecast from day to day, and booked accommodation with free cancellation.

      • Sammyboy on 28/07/2019 - 13:57

        Yes Bright is an amazing place. It's right in the middle of gourmet territory. Much better wines too than the Yarra Valley too imo.

      • MA1970 on 29/07/2019 - 10:33

        when we got the bus from Bright to Hotham, there were people on the bus, who were going up just for the day. The bus left bright at around 7am & came back at 6pm, but that bus only went 3 or 4 days a week, but apparently other bus companies do it everyday, but not for $8 each way. (kids were 1/2 that). Think the $8 bus company is subsidised by local council or Victorian govt.

        • Sammyboy on 29/07/2019 - 13:13

          this company http://dysongroup.com.au/alps-link

          the pdf shows off-peak pricing, I checked with them and that is their fee all year round. Works out to $10.40 return bright to hotham. Definitely worth while for the solo traveller.

    • OzFrugie on 28/07/2019 - 20:29

      Around 2k is only lift pass or incl equip hire for 7 days?

      I assume pass plus hire close to 300 per day in AU and in french alps just over 100 per day?? Assuming 1200 return airfare

      • [Deactivated] on 28/07/2019 - 21:02

        Depends. I can get a good deal with ski agency from my country. Only downside is that the dates are fixed so you have to choose between given dates.
        Anyway, their deal ranges from 330-500eur for the transfer, accommodation and ski pass (7 days total, 6 ski days) included. Did couple of trips with my friends before moving to Australia.
        You are right for the airfares, when i checked they were around 1100-1200$

        • OzFrugie on 29/07/2019 - 06:14

          Which country / agency is it? Can it be purchased by ppl overseas?

          330 to 550 euro for all that looks pretty good deal. Which month was it?

          • wittyusername on 29/07/2019 - 09:14

            @OzFrugie: I get blasted with ads from Liquid Snow Tours on facebook. Their current deal to Japan includes flights, (I think) 7 nights accommodation, transfers, lift passes for around $1370. Not sure on the details but if you're not set on the Alps could be worth looking into.

          • kiitos on 29/07/2019 - 11:40

            @OzFrugie: Interested to know too, presumably late in the season?

    • MA1970 on 29/07/2019 - 10:28
      +2

      around this time last year a travel agent sent us an email which had a deal to Hotham for anytime from start of September until end of season (can't find it now but will search old computer shortly). We paid around $470 for 5 days lifts & lessons & 3 kids under 18 were free.

      The kids got free lifts but not lessons, which were 1/2 price $38 each & ski hire was also 1/2 price at $87 for 6 days.

      We jumped at it, as found out that people in Melbourne don't fly on Saturdays in September due to AFL & there were many frequent flyer seats from Qld to Melbourne & back on Qantas, Jetstar & Virgin. Ended flying Jetstar one way for 9,600 points & Virgin the other (think it was 11,800 points). Qantas was 12,000 but their timings didn't suit in either direction.

      We flew to Melbourne, got cheap rental cars ($20 a day I think) & left them below Mt & got bus up to Hotham (very cheap about $8 each way I think)

      We stayed in moderate accommodation & skied for 1/2 day on 1st day & 5 full days & got bus back down the mt in dark around 6pm on last day.

      Looking for similar deal this year & have been annoying same travel agent, who says no September deal yet & they don't know if their will be due to new owners, but they said they have been emailing the lift company every week asking about September.

      The same travel agent, keeps sending us deals in USA. $55 for lift pass for a day at Copper Mt, in Colorado for an adult & 4 kids free. That's aussie dollar not U.S. Sounded to good so asked about hotels. They came back with a small apartment that could sleep six people, but only 1 bathroom for $235 a night for all of January & February, reasonably close to the lifts. They said 250 yards, which must be approximately 230 metres. Currently very cheap fares to USA around $750 if go in February, but we'd rather go in mid January & they said they expect $1000 or less return fares soon, but they can't guarantee it.

      For some strange reason, many people seem to go in June-July school holidays, when there is alway more snow in September.

      ok found the email from last year at Hotham.

      We paid $475 for 1st adult for 5 days lifts & lessons. Not sure how to copy & paste the page here.

      • Sammyboy on 29/07/2019 - 13:15

        Wow that is cheap for last year. Looking like overseas options are looking to be a much more economical option

      • OzFrugie on 29/07/2019 - 20:29

        Is sept really the best time for snow? I thought its the tail end and hence less snow as temp is already rising?

        • MA1970 on 30/07/2019 - 10:33
          +1

          yes start of Sept is peak for snow depth.

          Check out this snow chart

          It might surprise many

          go to

          https://www.mthotham.com.au/on-mountain/conditions/snow-weat…

          & then move down & click on snow charts.

          Much more snow than even end of July.

          Most resorts close in early October due to lack of people rather than lack of snow. Sometimes resorts extend season by a week, but doubt if ever profitable.

          Think locals may have had their fill of skiing by Sept. They all then want to go to beach I guess.

  • payton on 28/07/2019 - 11:26
    +1

    In Straya, snow sports have always been for rich people? The gear, the jacket and coats, lift passes, hotels that aren't so far away from the fields .. all adds up.
    I only went once, sprained my wrist and never thought of going back.
    I like warmer climate anyway

    • MA1970 on 30/07/2019 - 10:29
      +5

      no you can do it on the cheap.

      Plenty of cheap new & used gear around, just get decent gloves, that are not only waterproof but breath as well. The cheap ones are like wearing plastic bags.

      Aldi every year have a 1 day sale that drags out for a week or more. Not a lot of choice & gear is basic, but it works & probably similar costs to hiring clothing.

      Once you have it, it should last 5 years or much longer.

      Avoid weekends at resorts as usually very crowded.

      A good plan is to arrive at a resort on a Sunday am. This might mean overnighting at a motel at a base town.

      Bright below Mt Hotham, has plenty of cheap motels & to avoid the drive up the mt & the need for chains, which are a pain to fit, the Vic govt has a very cheap bus service.

      The hour long trip costs about $8 for adults & $4 for kids, from what I remember. You leave at 7am & the bus back is at 6pm, so you can have a full day or five nights. Many resorts have everything from 5 star hotels & apartments down to very inexpensive club lodges. We looked at club lodges & many started at $40 a night including breakfast & many were 1/2 that for kids.

      Many only have a manager, who is often a ski instructor or ski patroller, who is not paid, but gets free accommodation, to keep costs down, so yes you might get breakfast supplied, but not served to you & you clean up after yourselves.

      For $40 per night, that's a pretty good deal. For example search

      club lodges mt hotham

      there are dozens of them from 2 to 5 star & some charge by the bed & some by the room. Some have ensuites, some don't. Think the $40 ones were based on 2 in a room with ensuite. Some with share bathrooms, were even cheaper.

      Most resorts give you Sunday pm free, if you buy a 5 day Mon-Fri lift ticket & lessons are much cheaper then as well. Contact your resort & ask when the Sept deals are coming out. The above 5 day $475 deal (1 adult & 3 kids under 18, with adult get 5 days lessons & 1/2 price hire & kids getting 1/2 price lessons) was great last Sept.

      PM me if you need more info.

      • payton on 30/07/2019 - 19:09
        +1

        Not planning on going back to the snow anytime soon, but I must +1 the thoroughly crafted reply!

  • outlander on 28/07/2019 - 11:39

    If you are a student, you should check out the student department. They often do special group trips at highly discounted prices

    • Sammyboy on 28/07/2019 - 13:59

      Going as a uni/collage student is the most economical. Stay at the cheap Uni/club accom. Was all so cheap from memory.

      • try2bhelpful on 28/07/2019 - 14:08

        +1 on that. The first time I went skiing with was when at Uni and it was quite cheap, but I do remember you could only get a spot by queuing up and the lines were pretty long. This was a good few years ago so it might be better now.

  • garffi on 28/07/2019 - 18:47

    I usually go near end of June when the lodges and lift passes are a bit cheaper. The past few years started with great conditions but this year sucked. Although there was a nice dump early on, the snow melted so I had to raincheck to ‘peak’ season. Lift tickets are pretty costly but the snow conditions at Mt Hotham is pretty good right now.

  • 2ndeffort on 15/08/2019 - 14:03
    +1

    Long time ski tragic here. Have skied overseas; USA Colorado - Breck, A Basin, Copper, Beaver Creek, Vail, Utah (lots cant remember them all), Tahoe (same again, lots of resorts), NZ (Turoa, Remarkables, Cardrona), Japan - Niseko, Canada - Whistler, France - Chamonix and Italy - Courmayeur as well as most resorts in Aus. I am a member at a ski lodge at Mt Buller near Melbourne.

    The ski scene here in Oz makes most of their money from casual skiers or first timers. My son works as a snowboard instructor and most of their work is the package bus tours on what they refer to as 'Discos' (short for Discovery packages). Accordingly things are setup to make money off the casual 1 or 2 times a year skier/boarder.

    The way to do it economically is to commit yourself and invest. I own all my own stuff, dont hire (I have hired skis overseas, mostly because I couldnt be bothered dragging them through multiple customs and fittig them into taxis etc overseas).

    If you intend to ski more than about 6 days next season, most of the Mountains will start selling seasons passes for lift tickets in early - mid September. Normally around $700 gets you a seasons ticket and if its a late season you can maybe get 1 or 2 days skiing in this year before the snow melts. Ski 4 or 5 days next year to break even, any more and you are ahead. The cost of that season pass will probably double to where it probably is now during the season. Earybird discount for ski season pass is huge.

    This year I bought a thing called the 'Mountain Collective' pass. it cost me around USD$350. For that I got 3 day passes to Mt Buller and a free day or 2 at a huge number of resorts around the world (most of which I obviously wont use). The bonus part is that I get half price lift tickets to any of the resorts (including Mt Buller) after the 3 freebies run out. Hotham/Falls creek are part of Vail Resorts and they use the 'Epic Pass' system. I'm not sure about their current deals but I do know they give a very cheap seasons pass usable worldwide to Military Veterans and their program is good for US servicepeople as well as UK, Canadian and Australian veterans. Worth checking out, if i'm ever skiing in the US again I'll be using it.

    Kit wise, renting is good when you are checking the sport out. Once you are hooked its worth owning your own kit. The good thing for us here in OZ is that our seasons are the opposite to most of the other places with snow. If you time it right you can buy stuff from the US or UK in ther massive end of season 60% off clearances. I've found that the postage from the US often kills a deal so like to look at the UK shops online. That said I have bought boards, boots, helmets and skis from a Utah based shop called Level nine sports. These guys do special cheap shipping to Australia and they are very helpful online. I was riding skis I bought from them last weekend at Mt Buller!!! I was up at the resort for opening weekend (Queens Birthday weekend) this year and noticed that almost all of the ski shops in the local towns (Mansfield for Mt Buller) were having pre-season clearouts of last season stuff. My son bought brand new snowboard boots for 1/2 price.

    Boots are a tough proposition. There is a special corner of hell for bad fitting ski boots and it is a quasi religious process to get boots that fit. You can buy hugely discounted boots online or even cheaper second hand but the 'fitting process' to make sure they arent agony to wear is normally why you pay full retail at a ski shop. Snowboard boots are more forgiving but cheap-out on the boots are your peril!!

    There is stacks of second hand ski gear and clothes on the various swap/auction sites. I'm not a fan of the Audi stuff mainly because if you time it right with the sales and you know where to look you can get the brand name jackets of higher quality in the european clearout sales for the same price as the 'Crane Sports' stuff. If I ever want to flip it I am also a better chance to sell my Spyder/Nth Face jacket second hand than I would be to sell a Crane Sports jacket. Anyhoo just be careful of anything on FeeBay originating in China or in an advert with broken english etc. There are a lot of fakes on Feebay and the reality of a fake jacket is that regardless of if it looks legit it may not keep you warm and dry which is the main reason you wear one! Level nine do great clothes deals as well as do Sportsdirect, I normally get something else thrown in from Levelnine if I buy skis. I bought helmets from them for a fraction of what the same helmet costs here. Boards and skis second hand are cheap, just be careful what you are buying.

    Accomodation wise I am a member of a lodge. I pay around $700 a year to be a member and I can stay there (if I can get in) for about $45 a night on mountain. I also get a locker to leave my ski stuff up there and avoid having to cart it up and back. Parking and transport fees I cant avoid.

    Overseas trips skiing in the US we always use a booking site called VRBO and chip in with others to rent an apartment.

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