Aussie snow '10

[RobBright 35]

Originally Posted By: Go Native

Ah Threadbare as it's known by the locals

wait for the locals to reply now,

[Go Native 70]

There's a lot of rivalry between the 2 big resorts in that area, Perisher and Thredbo. Perisher has a high resort base and a reasonably long season because of it. The base of Thredbo is quite low which does mean it has the highest vertical of any Aus resort but skiable natural snow right to the base is very unreliable even in peak season. They spend an absolute fortune on snowmaking to keep a strip of skiable snow out to the base. Plenty of Aussies, especially those who prefer Perisher, refer to Thredbo as Thredbare. It wasn't something I made up I can assure you.

Maybe you forget I am an Aussie Rob and skied over 20 years down that way

In fact I'd reckon it's safe to say I've skied more Aus mountains than anyone else on this forum. I've skied at every single ski resort in Aus except for Ben Lomond in Tasmania and I've skied most of the high backcountry peaks in Vic and NSW. I know the place pretty well

[RobBright 35]

Originally Posted By: Go Native

There's a lot of rivalry between the 2 big resorts in that area, Perisher and Thredbo. Perisher has a high resort base and a reasonably long season because of it. The base of Thredbo is quite low which does mean it has the highest vertical of any Aus resort but skiable natural snow right to the base is very unreliable even in peak season. They spend an absolute fortune on snowmaking to keep a strip of skiable snow out to the base. Plenty of Aussies, especially those who prefer Perisher, refer to Thredbo as Thredbare. It wasn't something I made up I can assure you.
Maybe you forget I am an Aussie Rob and skied over 20 years down that way
In fact I'd reckon it's safe to say I've skied more Aus mountains than anyone else on this forum. I've skied at every single ski resort in Aus except for Ben Lomond in Tasmania and I've skied most of the high backcountry peaks in Vic and NSW. I know the place pretty well

I'm sure you didn't make it up at all, but to some people it could be perceived as a red flag as is to a bull.

[Go Native 70]

Unless they are fooling themselves even people who love Thredbo are well aware of it's issues with snow cover down low. It's not unique in Aus though. It's one of the reasons it is so incredibly expensive to ski there, they have to spend so much on snowmaking to make it viable.

[gareth_oau 2]

I'm just about to commit to a week in Thredbo on 22nd August.

 

Yes the snow can be questionable, and yes it can be crowded in school holidays, but I still love the place, and I can jump in the car and drive to Perisher if I need to

[Mantas 3]

Ausssies that rave about the snow here or get defensive when it's being criticized, have never been to an overseas resort. One trip to Japan, Canada or Europe shuts them up pretty quick.

It is what it is. My kids will have a blast and therefore so will I.

[Ross 4]

How could you have a bad day on the snow.Each snow feild is special.And it sure beats being at work.

[Go Native 70]

For Aussies that live far from the ski fields like those in WA and Qld I must admit unless you're pretty damned rich and can afford to ski just about anytime you want, either in Aus or OS, then I don't really understand the allure of skiing at Aus resorts. Especially if you have been OS and understand what real snow is and what value for skiing is. I know a lot of people from Perth that no longer ski in Aus anymore, they'd prefer to save the money to spend an extra week or two OS. I was from Melbourne so it was easy for me to just head up when conditions were ok and I always slept in a tent so booking ahead wasn't an issue. I would hate to take the risk of booking months ahead at an Aus resort. Better to book months ahead for a ski trip OS to a resort where even if it's not the best conditions it's still probably far better than anything in Aus at it's best.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Originally Posted By: RobBright

$1275 for a season pass? :S :S

- not what I paid!
That is what Thredbo are charging for a Winter Season Lift pass from now on. However if you bought last week or earlier you could get the Platinum pass for year round access including the leisure center, golf, tennis, blah blah blah for less than the cost of the Winter Season Lift Pass.

It is expensive. But comparatively I did the math, and for it to be viable in Thredders to get a season pass you need to ski about 3 weeks...in Niseko it is longer than that before a season pass is viable. I get it though - the season is longer... but for people going for 3 or 4 weeks in the season, a season pass is viable in Thredbo, but not in Niseko.

[Go Native 70]

Season passes here are ridiculous prices but about the only ones who get them are those here all winter and most get them as part of their remuneration packages. I never have to pay for them

A 14 day pass in Niseko though is cheaper than a 7 day pass at Perisher. Even if lift prices were similar there's no comparing average snow quality!

[HelperElfMissy 42]

no .... quite right ...I agree GN.

 

But the price of Season Pass is reflective of the cost of any lift pass in Aus, and for those who will spend 3 weeks or more riding at the resort then it represents better value than purchasing as you go.

 

The 'average snow quality' is the reason I keep coming back to Niseko.

[RobBright 35]

i thought it was that you didn't want to leave Australia when you go on holiday?

[HelperElfMissy 42]

 

no, really, it is the snow.

[big-will 7]

Resorts have similar costs regardless of the quality of snow, surely. I mean even in Japan crappy little resorts charge the same or similar for a day ticket (with exceptions of course) as the bigger places.

 

Whats the main reason for the Aussie resorts being 'more expensive'?

[HelperElfMissy 42]

I don't know for sure... but I would hazard a guess.

 

$$.....Higher costs to maintain rideable cover - snowmaking, grooming, filling in the bare spots.

 

$$....Higher wages costs - Aus wages are generally pretty high compared to the rest of the world, and wages costs tend to include insurance costs, superannuation etc.

 

$$....shorter season, therefore the infrastructure cost is 'higher per use'. Lift costs are pretty standard, but if your season is a month or three shorter than other resorts - that means it takes a lot longer to get the $$ value out of that purchase, OR you need to get that SS value in quicker through higher prices.

 

$$....supply and demand. Only a few resorts, lots of people wanting to use them. Take it from me - the queues are long enough already - if prices were halved they would probably be a lot longer, and the snow cover would last less time with that even heavier use. People complain about J-resorts getting tracked out inbounds on the weekends - well...Aussie resorts can get tracked out in the first hour on a weekday! There are so many people on the slopes.

 

Do I like the high cost of lift tickets in Aus. No. Not really. Wish we were blessed with hundreds of powder filled hills like Japan. But that is not our reality.

[Mantas 3]

Not sure that I buy into all that logic MB. I don't think their operational costs would be much higher than any other resort in Japan or N.America given that it's serviced by about 70% T-bars and Pomas and they are no where near as big.. Perisher can receive anything from 5000-10000 punters a day. That's a hell of a lot revenue. Any Japanese resort would love that kind of patronage. I can understand Aussie resorts charging a little more, but not double.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

As I said Mantas...

Originally Posted By: Mamabear

I don't know for sure... but I would hazard a guess.

 

Thredbo only has 4 (I think that is right) tbars - the rest are lifts. Every time I have hit up Perisher things were on wind hold past the front ... so I haven't spent a lot of time there. Lot of t-bars?

[pie-eater 207]

70% T-bars

 

Seriously!?!

 

What are Pomas by the way?

[RobBright 35]

Originally Posted By: pie-eater

70% T-bars

Seriously!?!

What are Pomas by the way?

pomas

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Originally Posted By: RobBright

pomas

[Mantas 3]

Well, 70% was a stab, but I wasn't far off the money.

 

1 Eight Seat High Speed Chairlift

6 Quad Chairlifts (including 2 high speed)

4 Double Chairlifts

2 Triple Chairlifts

21 T -Bars

2 J-Bars

2 Platters

6 Ski Conveyors

3 Rope Tows

[Go Native 70]

What compounds the issue for me at Aus resorts is not only the exorbitant lift costs and the fact that food and drinks on mountain are at least double the cost as in nearby towns. It's also the fact you have to pay quite ridiculous amounts for car entry to the resort. In Victoria it's up around $35 per day! Few other ski areas in the world charge resort entry fees and for those that do I doubt they'd anywhere close to the ridiculous amounts charged in Aus.

 

 

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Yes park entry has always baffled me.

 

The most bizarre issue I had with Park Entry fee's was that at 7 days you could get an annual pass for just $1 more (Kosciusko NP), but that only applied to OWN vehicles as it was tied to your rego - and not available on hire cars. I argued the point within reason (when you are parked at the toll booth holding up cars behind you) but failed to make any headway until last year. One smart woman (God Bless her Soul) said to me "Love, that just aint right - let me see what I can do" - so she photocopied my drivers license and gave me an annual pass tied to my drivers license instead of my car rego - I still had to stop each new trip and request a windscreen sticker for the duration of stay, but the price was right!. I have saved last years, so that when I go back this year I can hand that over and say "same again please"!

 

I suppose the fee's are used for road maintenance, free parking at the resort, snow clearing, clearing of bloated wombats from side of road etc. I am always saying how great the roads are up to Thredbo - so I can the money being spent there. But the roads up to Falls were dreadful! How is it that they charge so much for National Park entry, but the roads are not improved....

[best skier in hakuba 5]

Originally Posted By: Go Native

What compounds the issue for me at Aus resorts is not only the exorbitant lift costs and the fact that food and drinks on mountain are at least double the cost as in nearby towns. It's also the fact you have to pay quite ridiculous amounts for car entry to the resort. In Victoria it's up around $35 per day! Few other ski areas in the world charge resort entry fees and for those that do I doubt they'd anywhere close to the ridiculous amounts charged in Aus.

Did not know. Madness. But again I suppose if people go and pay up...

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Originally Posted By: best skier in hakuba

Originally Posted By: Go Native

What compounds the issue for me at Aus resorts is not only the exorbitant lift costs and the fact that food and drinks on mountain are at least double the cost as in nearby towns. It's also the fact you have to pay quite ridiculous amounts for car entry to the resort. In Victoria it's up around $35 per day! Few other ski areas in the world charge resort entry fees and for those that do I doubt they'd anywhere close to the ridiculous amounts charged in Aus.

Did not know. Madness. But again I suppose if people go and pay up...

But it is common practice for National Parks in Australia to charge entry fee's - the fee's cover the costs of operation. Are any ski resorts NOT in National Parks here? (by here I mean Aus...and off to google it..)