The Skiers & Snowboarders Thread

[ayebee]

Do we think that this suggests sales are down this year? One can only hope.

Indeed.
Maybe they thought this week's falls would spur some action.

 

[ayebee]

Golly that’s brave!

It was quite thrilling but I never thought I was being "brave".
Alex inspired confidence with his professionalism and I just did as he told.

The guest who managed to score the previous day had an impressive flight as the breeze and updrafts enabled them to fly above the Sella Massif, and circle back to land at the takeoff location. I was hoping for similar, but the breeze died as we were circling and the sensible thing was to cruise down to Corvara.

 

[HirafuHeartAttack]

Indeed.
Maybe they thought this week's falls would spur some action.

Not as much as I think they'd hoped it would. That wasn't exactly a 'season starting' storm and they'll be struggling without about 2-3x that before the school holidays. Pass sales and the Aldi snow sale figures certainly point to an abattement of the post covid Australian skiing hysteria we saw the last few years.

Be interesting to see end of season skiier numbers this year vs the last 2. I also think we might see (if they get snow) Selwyn and CP benefit from having far lower prices.

 

[k_sheep]

Backcountry Australia. Practically 0 cost, as long as you don’t mind camping!

Camping I am absolutely fine with. But I am a cold frog, uncomfortable at 22 degrees! I might actually die.

I’ve heard Chile can be good for skiing - but I haven’t done it myself yet.

That's what I'm thinking. Apres pisco?

 

[ayebee]

Bluebird day on Hotham summit today.

 

[goosh]

Just returned from 14 days at Falls Creek..

First week - Bluebird days, plenty of sun and fun to be had across the resort. 7 days of snowboarding.

Having only ever snowboarded, after 7 days thought I should join Mrs Goosh and give skiing a go.

5 day rental locked in and Monday it was time to ski!

Second week (Monday) - waking up to it snowing and it being wet snow, which continued till about 3pm.

Managed to get down drovers and highways the first day, with out a fall, and all the way down wombats to head back to the accom for lunch.

Having boarded for years, it was a different feeling being on skis, but took to it quite well. Watching Mrs Goosh over the years as she improved her ability probably helped a bit too.

That afternoon, the conditions were primo on and off the runs, allowing to explore more of the mountain - I had to change back to the board to make the most of the conditions.

Each morning I would ski, then change to boarding for the afternoon.


Being on the mountain during the week is great, but it is such a pain on weekends with terrible queue management and not full lifts going up each time.

Didn't help with lifts breaking down too. Wonder how long it will take for Vail to update lifts around the resort.

The coverage is ok however the village is going to be cleared so not much ski in ski out happening moving forward. Definitely hoping for some more snow to fall to finish out the season.

 

[ayebee]

Just returned from 14 days at Falls Creek..

Didn't help with lifts breaking down too. Wonder how long it will take for Vail to update lifts around the resort.

The coverage is ok however the village is going to be cleared so not much ski in ski out happening moving forward. Definitely hoping for some more snow to fall to finish out the season.

I was at Hotham during your second week.
The Monday snow (5cm) was unexpected, and provided a good surface. Rest of the week was mostly clear and good skiing on what terrain was open.
Vail seems to be focussing recent investment on snow making and management. They are good at maximising skiable terrain for least cover, but some lift investments would be welcome.

We need a couple more storms to keep the season from ending early.

 

[Seat0B]

I heard from a friend of a friend that it was raining last night and today at Thredbo and Perisher. Anyone currently there at Perisher able to give readout on conditions?

 

[LCC]

Yes at Perisher warm temperatures for the last two nights and a small amount of rain has affected the snow making for very soft snow and negatively impacting the cover. Another warm period in the next 24 hours won’t help but maybe some snow falling at 1700m as part of the forecast precipitation after that will help prolong the season (Thredbo may not fare so well though)

 

[burmans]

I’m hoping Perisher gets some snow as I’m going down in 10 days!!

 

[lovestotravel]

No snow for the rest of August sadly, well maybe a few cms, but it's way too warm and the snow is melting at a massive rate and the snow pack is warm.

Season is done sadly, 0 days for me in Australia this year which is a first (excluding COVID)

 

[Seat0B]

Yes at Perisher warm temperatures for the last two nights and a small amount of rain has affected the snow making for very soft snow and negatively impacting the cover. Another warm period in the next 24 hours won’t help but maybe some snow falling at 1700m as part of the forecast precipitation after that will help prolong the season (Thredbo may not fare so well though)

Thanks for the on the spot report. Not really what I wanted to hear, but it’s valuable info so thank for posting.

 

[jase05]

Yes at Perisher warm temperatures for the last two nights and a small amount of rain has affected the snow making for very soft snow and negatively impacting the cover. Another warm period in the next 24 hours won’t help but maybe some snow falling at 1700m as part of the forecast precipitation after that will help prolong the season (Thredbo may not fare so well though)

Yeah, my youngest brother lives at Jindabyne and takes his board out most days and reckons the season is all but done. Some of the workers at Thredbo and Perisher that he is friends with have been told they will most likely be sent home in the next fortnight

 

[ayebee]

No rain so far at Hotham, but last couple of days have been warm.
I fear precipitation forecast over next couple of days may be rain.

 

[ayebee]

Like the Oz ski season, this thread died rather prematurely.
In the last post I feared "precipitation" ... well at Hotham it certainly came with a tropical downpour, and with the base gone the snow that came later didn't last long, and the season closed 4 September.

Anyway, I thought we may keep this thread going with what may be planned for the northern winter.
There were some very interesting posts earlier about Japanese properties.

Personally, I am going to Italy and France in Feb / March for a bit of a road trip / resort sampler.
Starting with a return to the Dolomiti Superski area for 4 days, based in Alta Badia, then exploiting our Epic passes we have a week in Dolomiti Skirama in Madonna di Campiglio, and a week in Trois Vallées.
After that, a few days in Val d'Isere, and back to Italy for a couple days in Courmayeur.
Desperately praying for a reasonable European winter ...

 

[Captain Halliday]

We’ve snapped a deep discount deal for Niseko in early December.

There’s significant risk that early in the season that there will be insufficient snow.

We did this last year and endured what locals said was “the worst start to a season in living memory”.

Can’t be that unlucky two years in a row, surely?

Even so, three weeks off work, a fire place, a good book and a glass of red… It almost doesn’t matter.

 

[Cynicor]

Well of course I’ll be at my apartment, Yuzawa. Can’t wait, first ski time with the kids. God I hope they enjoy either the snow, the board sports or Japan. Otherwise it’s trips by myself…

 

[Stealthflyer]

Like the Oz ski season, this thread died rather prematurely.
...

Not in Tassie. In a last minute rally, the tows at Mt Mawson are open again this weekend.

 

[ayebee]

Not in Tassie. In a last minute rally, the tows at Mt Mawson are open again this weekend.

wow - I have been watching the weather forecasts and Tassie seems to have been taking a beating at times, but getting snow was a bonus.

 

[Stealthflyer]

Personally, I am going to Italy and France in Feb / March for a bit of a road trip / resort sampler.
Starting with a return to the Dolomiti Superski area for 4 days, based in Alta Badia, then exploiting our Epic passes we have a week in Dolomiti Skirama in Madonna di Campiglio, and a week in Trois Vallées.
After that, a few days in Val d'Isere, and back to Italy for a couple days in Courmayeur.
Desperately praying for a reasonable European winter ...

What’s Madonna Di Campiglio like for skiing compared to Alta Badia? I’ve only orienteered in Madonna Di Campiglio (in summer), but I head to Corvara every February. I have a week between Corvara and heading home this Feb and I’m wondering if it’s worth stopping off at MdC for a few days. I’m curious as to how it compares in winter. It was fabulous for orienteering.