HelperElfMissy 42 Posted July 3, 2010 Share Posted July 3, 2010 Yeah...Aus start been pretty poor indeed. It is raining pretty heavily in Canberra tonight and the temps/humidity suggest perfect snow conditions, so one can only hope that there is enough fall to at least get the Kosi lift open, as the school holiday crowd will begin to descent there tomorrow and Sunday (change over day). I doubt very much that even with decent snow this week that they will get the surface lifts (so the best parts of the mountain) open this week. Last year - same time, when we arrived Kosi was open. Part way through the week Antons and Sponars opened. I doubt we will be so lucky this year. Top of the mountain/tree's shall have to wait until I am back in August. [Gareth - my bear cubs said to tell ya the 12 seater ROCKS! Thanks for the tip.] Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted July 3, 2010 Share Posted July 3, 2010 Originally Posted By: Mamabear It is raining pretty heavily in Canberra tonight and the temps/humidity suggest perfect snow conditions, Well...was I wrong! It rained in Canberra alright, but no precip in the Snowy's judging by the snow report. 0cm in the last 24 hours. Temps/Humidity were spot on though with a massive night on the guns which all helps. Kosi lift is open now, but exclusively for advanced riders (can't see that changing any time soon without a decent snowfall, as there is no snowmaking on that very top section). Will be sketchy up there, that's for sure. Link to post Share on other sites
Ross 4 Posted July 3, 2010 Share Posted July 3, 2010 Hi from NZ just back from aday at the Remarkables.Been in the terrain parks with my sons a bit stessfull but sharpens the old fellows skills. also been to coronet,remarkables and over to cardrona this week had agreat time like cordrona the best.worth the extra spectacular drive Watched the rail jam in the park in the centre of Queenstown last night the guys and 2 girls showed incedible skills in such a small area Sorry Mantas we did not do the heliski trip we where waiting for new snow that did not come bought some new ski jackets instead.We have had agreat trip spending tomorrow sight seeing then back home to work on monday.Recommend NZ it is a very beautifull country.so close to Aus but so differnt.But in saying that you can noy beat Japan.Hope that snow starts falling for you and the cubs mama bear. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 Glad to hear you had a great trip there Roscoe. My #2 LOVES Cardrona - would rather be there than here, that is for sure Link to post Share on other sites
Donner 0 Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 Buddy of mine lives near there and I've been tempted once or twice to take a few months off and spend some time down there. But my next target is Japan I think I'm fixed on that if it's only a plan Link to post Share on other sites
blu 3 Posted July 11, 2010 Share Posted July 11, 2010 BIG WEDNESDAY is coming! (in OZ that's 20cm+). Link to post Share on other sites
Jynxx 4 Posted July 11, 2010 Share Posted July 11, 2010 Are there many young Japa backpacking snowboarders in NZ these day? We met a lot of them in Wanaka '04. B'packer and lift tickets were cheaper than Japan then and many of them shared house. Scene and popularity change according to price hikes, crowd, etc bur honestly is it still worth staying there for a couple of months? Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 Originally Posted By: blu BIG WEDNESDAY is coming! (in OZ that's 20cm+). Lets hope so ... it was bucketing down with rain when I left Thredbo, and the poor piste that was well covered and very very good value on Saturday was looking decidedly brown in patches from the village. It is horrendous what rain can do! Link to post Share on other sites
ausi ski bum 1 Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 Looking at the bookings for my two apartments in Falls Creek, I will be lucky to earn enough this year to pay the Management fee's, most likely the worst year since I bought then in 2002 Link to post Share on other sites
TJ OZ 0 Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 Originally Posted By: ausi ski bum Looking at the bookings for my two apartments in Falls Creek, I will be lucky to earn enough this year to pay the Management fee's, most likely the worst year since I bought then in 2002 I noticed it is looking rather bleak up there ASB. Hopefully it starts dumping and finishes strongly. I saw the night skiing promo which is a good thing for Falls. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 Not good ASB. We have all got out fingers crossed for a big, late and long season. Such a shame the school hol's got bypassed - but the bookings should have been there through those regardless - so if some big systems push through then the bookings might fire up. Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 Well hopefully it means more Aussies will smarten up and stop wasting their money on the crap that passes for snow in Aus and save for their OS trips instead! Link to post Share on other sites
panhead_pete 27 Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 Originally Posted By: Go Native Well hopefully it means more Aussies will smarten up and stop wasting their money on the crap that passes for snow in Aus and save for their OS trips instead! Yep - with global warming its over in Australia. Im not just speaking with my feet but like so many with my wallet. Cant ever see another $ of mine going to snow in Aus. It may be close but its still crap. Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 Very expensive crap too. Would have to be the least value for money skiing experience in the world! Even Scotland is probably better value!! Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 hmm...dunno, the infrastructure is absolutely crap at the ski hills in Scotland. This year they did have a good (by their standards) season. Its like being in a timewarp and going back into the 70's, the lifts etc are all relics from that age....except for the funicular railway in the Cairngorms Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted July 12, 2010 Author Share Posted July 12, 2010 Yeah I went! No snow! But. It was August http://www.snowjapanforums.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/323060/Re_Scottish_ski_resorts.html They were quaint! Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted July 12, 2010 Author Share Posted July 12, 2010 Ski school Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 Well...despite a virtually natural snow-less school holiday trip with our family I have to disagree with you. Disappointing: * Negligible natural snow meaning only a portion of the resort on groomed trails was open. * Bag jump that excited kid paid for didn't happen due to high winds. * Lack of manners of ski resort visitors, on piste and in lift queue's - anyone would have thought it was China! Reasons why I would go back again: * Thredbo Snowmaking and grooming are so totally on the ball that we had a great week even without the natural snow fix. It is not as good as riding endless and bottomless ungroomed pow of course, but hey, there is joy to be had in all conditions. You can book with confidence that if nature does not provide the snowmakers will work hard to make sure they do. * Staff. The awesome Thredbo Lifties, and the hotel and restaurant staff are all good value. I have never met a friendlier bunch of people, who welcome you back like a long lost friend year after year. * Efficiency improvements. I noticed this year that due to the trying conditions the lift staff made a concerted effort to run snowgums a lot faster than usual, and they worked hard and smart doing dual unload/loads per chair at midstations to make full use of every available space, and save people waiting time. They also worked very hard to keep the Kosi lift open restricting access to advanced riders and sliders when the cover meant rock dodging in quite difficult conditions. There was also a much bigger electronic ticketing presence, with ALL tickets (paper and permanent) being scanned. * Atmosphere. I just love the village atmosphere and riding surrounded by Aussie snowgums. Despite the lack of pow, there were 6 smiling bear faces when we left, and everyone said they had a great family vacation. I will qualify the above by saying that IF a friend of mine was saving for a once in a lifetime snow trip I would be recommending Japan. If it was all about the snowriding and a once a year thing - again ... Japan. But if you can go both northern and southern and a ski trip is not ONLY about finding and poaching fresh powder lines under a rope somewhere,....then Thredbo represents good value. Link to post Share on other sites
JA2340 16 Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 This article here tells it like it really ISN'T. The pics are from 2006 or 2009! Try a look at the webcams, they tell a totally different story! Truth in advertising? or just plain bull crap? up to you to work that out. Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 MB it's not only about finding powder for me but value comes into it. And I just can't for the life of me justify the costs of staying in an Australian ski resort from a value for money perspective. The lift prices are amongst the highest in the world as are the accommodation, food and resort entry prices. All that money and for what? Skiing for much of the season only on man made snow?!! It's not a matter of whether or not you can have fun. Hell you can fun doing just about anything if your expectations are low enough! I just can't lower my expectations low enough to justify the cost of skiing at Aus resorts. It just wouldn't be fun enough for me knowing the terrible value for money I'm receiving. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 wonder how much water they use per season to make that snow? For a country that struggles through summer to provide plentiful water for its inhabitants, perhaps a monumental waste of resources....no? Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 Not really Tubby. The water is taken from the local Lake Jindabyne that is the reservoir for the melt water....it is simply 'borrowed' from the lake during winter, and then melts and runs back into the river in spring. Link to post Share on other sites
Thundercat 60 Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 Don't they have to mix the water with loads of chemicals to make fake snow? Link to post Share on other sites
JA2340 16 Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 Not really, the chemicals are quite innocuous, and make no difference to the water quality, besides, the majority of the water is used for irrigation. minimal amount of it is used for consumption by either animals or humans. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 haha!! forgot about the melting!! Link to post Share on other sites
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