skiing in Australia 2018 vs 2019 - massive price increases

[ozfflyer]

Have skied in NZ a lot, but sick of driving 1-3 hours everyday on coughty roads, to get to their small primitive ski hills.

So, skied at Mt Hotham in Sept 2018 & it was very good value.

We flew to MEL using combination of Qantas/Virgin ff pts.

Got a Jucy car for a week, which was about $210 & it came with a 6 day adult Hotham lift pass (1 per car)

(you can leave the car at Bright or Harrietville & get govt subsidised bus up the Mt. Think it cost $8 for adults & $4 for kids - sure beat hassle of chains on tyres & $50/day resort entry fees.) Had a choice at early am (think it was 7.15am, which meant could ski a full day) or 3.30pm. Going back, there was a 9.30am or a 5.50pm.

We got early one up & late one back, so skied nearly 6 full days with only 5 nights on snow accommodation.

BTW-Hotham has an enormous range of accom, from not for profit club lodges(some basic, some 4 star) to luxury apartments, such as at Zirkys.

Other adult got 5 1/2 days lifts & lessons for $475(cheaper than lift only) & 3 kids under 18 got free lift passes for 5 1/2 days also

+ got 1/2 price lessons ($37/day) & 1/2 price ski hire ($87 for 6 days was kids price I think)

Asked travel agent a few months ago to look at doing the same, but they warned me, that mega resort co. Vail resorts was taking over Hotham & Falls Ck & prices were sure to increase.

She said when they took over Whistler in Canada, prices for accommodation went up 20% overnight as they applied some sort of surcharge.

(so free skiing with a epic season pass is really a con)

Agent emailed new prices yesterday & yes prices have gone up dramatically.

Lift tickets have increased 61%, no effectively free lessons & no Jucy deal.

When we were there last Sept, the place was empty, even though record snowfall (global cooling has kicked in). So now they increase prices dramatically ? That makes sense.

We might not bother & just ski in USA for longer, where it's so much cheaper, when comparing apples with apples. Cheaper as in Us$37 lift tickets for adult per day with up to 4 kids free at major Colorado resort. Combine that with $762 return airfares BNE, SYD or MEL to LAX or SFO & it's really cheap. We use Qantas & Virgin ff pts to get from west coast to one of many Colorado airports. We often stop for a night or 3 on west coast & didn't realise til agent told us, that can use Qanats ff pts to fly from at least 10 major Californian airports to Colorado.

 

[Ausbt]

Well ozfflyer I tend to agree, I've averaged just one day in Oz every two years. Generally I try to hook up some clients in Canberra and do a ski day either side of that. But otherwise, sadly I just don't ski in Oz anymore. I mean $177 for skitube + Perisher lift pass, conditions would want to be good. Vail are the evil empire, forcing everyone onto passes. Annual passes just don't work for me - I never know where I'm going to be or when, and trips occur out of the blue or not at all. No way I can do enough forward planning to make Ikon or Mountain Collective passes work. I could have got value out of the latter at Alta & Snowbird in Feb at the original price, but not the last minute price.

I definitely want to head to CO maybe Feb 2021, but next Jan I'm headed to Myoko with the family and after quite a bit of price comparison with Honshu resorts, it seems good value.

 

[ozfflyer]

Well ozfflyer I tend to agree, I've averaged just one day in Oz every two years. Generally I try to hook up some clients in Canberra and do a ski day either side of that. But otherwise, sadly I just don't ski in Oz anymore. I mean $177 for skitube + Perisher lift pass, conditions would want to be good. Vail are the evil empire, forcing everyone onto passes. Annual passes just don't work for me - I never know where I'm going to be or when, and trips occur out of the blue or not at all. No way I can do enough forward planning to make Ikon or Mountain Collective passes work. I could have got value out of the latter at Alta & Snowbird in Feb at the original price, but not the last minute price.

I definitely want to head to CO maybe Feb 2021, but next Jan I'm headed to Myoko with the family and after quite a bit of price comparison with Honshu resorts, it seems good value.

thought about going back to Japan one day. Was there in mid 80s, but flying time is almost same as getting to LAX & USA was much cheaper & many more things for non-skiers or those who don't ski everyday, all day to do, esp the shopping. Must be the worlds biggest outlets at Silverthorne, with huge range of stores.

www.outletsATsilverthorne.com

it's so big, it straddles the interstate hwy & they have a bus to take you to different parts(4 villages I think) plus hundreds of restaurants within short distance. FREE county buses run all day & night, every few minutes.

Some friends went shopping there & went crazy & had to go to nearby Walmart to get another cheap suitcase to bring all stuff home.

Have skied a lot & it must be some of the best skiing anywhere, both groomed & off piste.

 

[levelnine]

That's how capitalism works. A company buys an asset/service and sells it for the maximum price it thinks consumers will be willing to pay.

If you don't like it, vote with your feet, as you are proposing to do.

The situation for skiers is only going to get worse as climate change progresses.

The temperature in the Alps has risen at almost twice the global average, up by almost 2 degrees over the past 120 years. The increase makes snow levels precarious, and means resorts are evermore reliant on artificial methods for keeping runs open.

Subscribe to read | Financial Times

Victoria could see the end of ski seasons in 30 years, a state government report warns.

By mid-century, most of the state's resorts are likely to have closed and the number of days each year of good natural snow cover on the ski slopes could be in single figures.

Snowfields a generation away from climate meltdown, report warns

 

[ozfflyer]

That's how capitalism works. A company buys an asset/service and sells it for the maximum price it thinks consumers will be willing to pay.

If you don't like it, vote with your feet, as you are proposing to do.

The situation for skiers is only going to get worse as climate change progresses.


Subscribe to read | Financial Times


Snowfields a generation away from climate meltdown, report warns

yes no one there last Sept, despite record snow falls. The locals had had their fill & wanted to go to beach. Many restaurants closed due to lack of numbers, so here's a good idea ... increase prices a lot. That'll work, especially in a massive recession.

They must be planning on giving away free beer or something else !!!!

Seriously, you don't believe all that global warming non-science. The world is cooling, meaning, more snow & longer ski seasons

Sorry Global Warming Alarmists, The Earth Is Cooling

Natural climate cycles point to a decline in global temperatures over the next 10 years.

www.forbes.com

 

[ozfflyer]

BTW the Jucy ski4free deal still applies in NZ

Hire A Campervan Or Rent A Car To Explore New Zealand | JUCY | NZ | JUCY

Ready for your New Zealand adventure? We have the perfect rental car for you. Or go bigger and choose one of our awesome campervans to hire for the ultimate JUCY road trip adventure.

www.jucy.co.nz

 

[Ausbt]

thought about going back to Japan one day. Was there in mid 80s.

It's time for you to get back there Ozfflyer. Mid '80s, wow. If I had a time machine I'd reset to Japow early '90s and buy up a few lodges or start a tour company. We can only dream.

One thing I don't agree with is your point on travel time. I generally go to Japan for two weeks but I've also done quite a few 9 day trips. Leaving on a Friday night you are in the resort by 2 pm. Those efficient bullet trains huh? Ski Sun-Fri and you are back in Oz on a Sunday morning with no jet lag. Could you do that in the US? I mean the joys of the int date line mean you arrive before you've actually left, sure! It's the getting back bit though.

My wife's a bit ho-hum on the skiing but she actually loves hanging out in places like Nozawa Onsen, which is a beautiful village. She's not a shopper, would have zero interest in Silverthorne although I certainly would. But sure, point taken that there is much more to do in the US for non-skiers plus the scenery is just better anyway, Japan might have great snow but it doesn't tend to have the stunning alpine vistas.

I think we should enjoy both, I know I can't wait to get back to the US again.

 

[ozfflyer]

It's time for you to get back there Ozfflyer. Mid '80s, wow. If I had a time machine I'd reset to Japow early '90s and buy up a few lodges or start a tour company. We can only dream.

One thing I don't agree with is your point on travel time. I generally go to Japan for two weeks but I've also done quite a few 9 day trips. Leaving on a Friday night you are in the resort by 2 pm. Those efficient bullet trains huh? Ski Sun-Fri and you are back in Oz on a Sunday morning with no jet lag. Could you do that in the US? I mean the joys of the int date line mean you arrive before you've actually left, sure! It's the getting back bit though.

My wife's a bit ho-hum on the skiing but she actually loves hanging out in places like Nozawa Onsen, which is a beautiful village. She's not a shopper, would have zero interest in Silverthorne although I certainly would. But sure, point taken that there is much more to do in the US for non-skiers plus the scenery is just better anyway, Japan might have great snow but it doesn't tend to have the stunning alpine vistas.

I think we should enjoy both, I know I can't wait to get back to the US again.

I guess you're referring to SYD/TYO All Nippon or Qantas nonstops at 9.30pm? (9 hours 35 mins). Don't think there are any nights flights ex BNE or MEL & BNE & MEL people don't want to fly to awful SYD to go o/s ever.

I was thinking more BNE/CTS which at 13 hours 25 mins via TPE or 14 hours 15 mins into NRT & out of HND, compared to BNE/DEN or BNE/EGE at 17 / 18 hours resp is not that different, plus usually stop on west coast for few nights & then can almost always use qantas or virgin ff pts to get to colorado. Plus many combine Colorado with business trip or conference trip, so tax deductable. Also easy to get from Colorado to places like NYC, Chicago, Florida for cruises & 100s of other cities in USA, Canada or even Mexico, using ff pts & don't mean out of Denver, but rather EGE.

 

[Ausbt]

I guess you're referring to SYD/TYO All Nippon or Qantas nonstops at 9.30pm?

Yes, non-stops definitely. Agree with you that anything with a layover blows the time out to pretty much the same as arriving LAX. And now Qantas are actually doing SYD-CTS direct and really that's a great option for those heading to Hokkaido, I expect it will be popular.

Agree combining with business is the way to go if possible. And that's precisely what I did with Utah, so easy to fly into SLC for a weeks skiing. I'd do it every year if I could.

 

[ozfflyer]

Yes, non-stops definitely. Agree with you that anything with a layover blows the time out to pretty much the same as arriving LAX. And now Qantas are actually doing SYD-CTS direct and really that's a great option for those heading to Hokkaido, I expect it will be popular.

Agree combining with business is the way to go if possible. And that's precisely what I did with Utah, so easy to fly into SLC for a weeks skiing. I'd do it every year if I could.

forgot about SYD/CTS nonstop. Just looked it up. 90 minutes less then BNE/LAX, but to fly BNE/SYD/CTS on Qantas need to leave BNE at 5 or 5.20am & then totally time is 14:15 or 14:35. To get a 5am flight, I'd have to get up at 2.30am to leave home by 3.30am, which means I'd get stuff all sleep night before.

 

[odysseus]

Seriously, you don't believe all that global warming non-science. The world is cooling, meaning, more snow & longer ski seasons

Sorry Global Warming Alarmists, The Earth Is Cooling

Natural climate cycles point to a decline in global temperatures over the next 10 years.

www.forbes.com

Quoting an article from 2012 about a 10 year forecast as though it was current, nothing misleading there.

So 7 years out of the 10 later, how'd that forecast work out for them??? Goes to show the credibility there...

 

[ozfflyer]

Quoting an article from 2012 about a 10 year forecast as though it was current, nothing misleading there.

So 7 years out of the 10 later, how'd that forecast work out for them??? Goes to show the credibility there...

yep. Spot on predictions, unlike the dodgy ones claiming global warming from vested interests,

 

[Spongbob]

Yes, it seems value for money skiing holidays are becoming downhill.

 

[moa999]

Don't think they've ever been good value...
And it costs a lot of money to make snow in Australia (there's not much natural).

Surprised you got any snow in Aus in September.

 

[levelnine]

Quoting an article from 2012 about a 10 year forecast as though it was current, nothing misleading there.

The hilarious, but also sad, irony of someone who loves skiing, a hobby/sport that will be devastated by climate change, being in denial about climate change.

 

[stm1sydney]

devastated by climate change .... denial ...

You know to check the actual data when confronted by such hyperbole, and then of course the old "denier" smear. So what does the data show: a clear trend of increasing snow cover over the last 30 years.
Rutgers University Climate Lab :: Global Snow Lab

Now back to the topic.

 

[ozfflyer]

Don't think they've ever been good value...
And it costs a lot of money to make snow in Australia (there's not much natural).

Surprised you got any snow in Aus in September.

that's the crazy thing. Prices in Sept are so cheap, cos many people think there's not much snow. What do people think, it all melts the night of August 31 ?

In fact, the peak of the season is the END of August. Have a look at chart below.



or this rather crowded one below, showing every year from 1993 to 2018. Note: the dotted red line is the average.


look above date 27 August

 

[ozfflyer]

The hilarious, but also sad, irony of someone who loves skiing, a hobby/sport that will be devastated by climate change, being in denial about climate change.

why would you think there's warming climate change ? No proof whatsoever. Everything points to global cooling.

 

[ozfflyer]

Don't think they've ever been good value...
And it costs a lot of money to make snow in Australia (there's not much natural).

Surprised you got any snow in Aus in September.

in real terms skiing is getting cheaper & cheaper. Lot at crazy U.S. prices & the best skiing anywhere is probably in the U.S.

eg. a family of 1 adult & 4 kids can ski for $37 U.S., that's just over $10 au a day per person & accommodation on snow, is also cheap as well. Got some prices recently. $133 u.s. per night (about $189 au) before xmas for a small apartment that can sleep 6. After new year same is $162 u.s. per night(about $230 au) & you can now get to LA or San Fran from $762 return, kids probably $200 less.

 

[ozfflyer]

The hilarious, but also sad, irony of someone who loves skiing, a hobby/sport that will be devastated by climate change, being in denial about climate change.

pay someone $500,000.oo & he/she will "prove" the world is flat.