International (Europe/Japan/Southern Hemisphere) Australia and New Zealand Snow Season 2019

[Jellybeans1000]

We are nearing the official opening of the ski season here in Australia. But Mt Buller, Selwyn and Perisher are already open to skiing and boarding this season. The other resorts will open on Saturday.

Over the summer, Mt Buller was added to the Mountain Collective and IKON Pass. And Hotham and Falls are still in the process of being acquired by Vail and to go on the Epic Pass. Good deals for Aussie skiers all round, with the Big 5 resorts here all covered by some form of international ski pass.

(Top: Perisher, Bottom: The Remarkables)

Our resorts!!!
Perisher: https://www.perisher.com.au/
Thredbo: https://www.thredbo.com.au/
Buller: http://www.mtbuller.com.au/Winter/
Falls Creek: http://www.fallscreek.com.au/
Hotham: http://www.mthotham.com.au/
Treble Cone: http://www.treblecone.com/
Cardrona: https://www.cardrona.com/
Coronet Peak: https://www.nzski.com/queenstown/the-mountains/coronet-peak
The Remarkables: https://www.nzski.com/queenstown/the-mountains/the-remarkables/the-remarkables-weather-report
Cragieburn Valley: http://craigieburn.co.nz/
Mt Hutt: https://www.nzski.com/mt-hutt
Whakapapa: http://www.mtruapehu.com/winter/whakapapa/
Turoa: http://www.mtruapehu.com/winter/Turoa/


Some key links.
Leading Aussie Snow Industry site and forums: http://ski.com.au/forum/index.html
NZ Snow Forums: http://snow.co.nz/forum/
Snowcams (including private and club cams): https://www.ski.com.au/snowcams/index.html



AUS & NZ Snow Forecasts on ski.com.au.
And http://www.snowatch.com.au/
And http://www.mountainwatch.com/
And https://longrangesnowcenter.blogspot.com.au/


A couple of snow retailers
http://www.snowskierswarehouse.com.au/
https://alpsport.com.au/
http://bumps.com.au/
https://aussieskier.com/


More information
Ask here or at a local forum!
Wikiski: http://wikiski.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
A developing resource with Australia and NZ having best coverage.

And I recently uploaded my season 2019 (for Australia) outlook, which you can see on the link below:
https://longrangesnowcenter.blogspot.com/2019/05/australia-winter-2019-seasonal-outlook.html

Cheers to all, and hopefully we have a great season 2019 on both sides of the Tasman.

 

[sbooker]

The Aussie resorts have had "the best start to a season since 2000" apparently. There was a substantial dump of snow on May 31 which allowed early openings.
It could be argued the true start of the season is July 1 given conditions in the middle of June are very average most years.

 

[geepers]

very average

Is that term distinctly Australian / New Zealand or in wider use?

I suppose most years the early June snow conditions could be described as 'very average' - as long as that average includes days at a seaside beach. In summer.

Mt Perisher 3 June. Definitely above average - most years it's still brown and green at this time.

Handy hint: It's seldom worth going skiing until that creek on the left is covered.

 

[James]

Does skiing in Australia suck? What does it compare to in North America?

 

[Turoa Kiwi]

Here in New Zealand (and probably in Australia as well) there is a saying
The snow in May will never stay
With snow in June its still too soon
Its the snow in July that you can rely

We generally don't get too excited until late June early July

 

[sbooker]

Does skiing in Australia suck? What does it compare to in North America?

Comparatively it sucks most of the time but you can 'win the lotto' and score decent conditions.
At 36 degrees latitude the hills don't have enough elevation (approx 6000 feet) to enjoy good consistent conditions. Pre frontal rain is fairly common and we don't receive a lot of snow. I have not skied in the east or mid western North America but from what I have read conditions here in Oz may resemble some of the 'second tier' mountains in those regions.
The ski fields in NZ have an advantage of better latitude even if their elevation is roughly similar.
The Rockies it is not.*

*But it sure beats not skiing at all.

 

[NZRob]

Here in New Zealand (and probably in Australia as well) there is a saying
The snow in May will never stay
With snow in June its still too soon
Its the snow in July that you can rely

We generally don't get too excited until late June early July

What, you don't like sessioning the magic carpet #3 in Happy Valley?

 

[Jellybeans1000]

Well at least this season has been a good start!
Normally you wait until mid July for conditions like these in Aus
Perisher is opening it’s new chair tomorrow and opening up much of the resort.
Lifts are opening at all the other resorts, something you don’t see some years.

And Australia does have big mountain terrain, you just need to go looking...

Courtesy of @australian_backcountry on Insta.

The resorts however don't really compare to North America.

 

[James]

Is it common the resorts are vertically reversed?
Meaning you drive and park at the top and ski down.

 

[ScottA]

And Australia does have big mountain terrain, you just need to go looking...

Wow, where is that photo taken?

I'm heading over in late July probably Hotham (or alternatively Craigiburn in NZ). Do you know what the snow forecast is looking like for the season?

 

[NZRob]

Wow, where is that photo taken?

I'm heading over in late July probably Hotham (or alternatively Craigiburn in NZ). Do you know what the snow forecast is looking like for the season?

I can only speak for NZ....long range for June is looking pretty solid, some good southerly weather action already, good snowfall (Mt Hutt had 75cm a week ago and there was good snow last night) and more predicted for later in the month - (southerlies are the main snow-bearing weather fronts for snow in the South Island). In terms of timing, late July/early August is about as close to guaranteed good snow at Craigieburn as you can get.

Are you staying for the season or a shorter holiday? You probably already know from your research you've got lots of good smaller ski area options near Craigieburn (Porters, Cheeseman, Temple Basin, Broken River etc) as well as Mt Hutt. And you're only a few hours drive from small areas in the McKenzie country (Ohau, Dobson, Round Hill) and Wanaka.

 

[Jellybeans1000]

Is it common the resorts are vertically reversed?
Meaning you drive and park at the top and ski down.

Here in Aus, Mt Hotham is vertically reversed being at the top of a mountain.
Buller’s village is kind of nestled in between at about mid-mountain.
The others you park at the bottom.
I believe it’s similar at many of the NZ resorts.

 

[Jellybeans1000]

Wow, where is that photo taken?

I'm heading over in late July probably Hotham (or alternatively Craigiburn in NZ). Do you know what the snow forecast is looking like for the season?

Carruthers Peak, in the NSW Main Range.

It’s a bit hard to forecast that far out, but it looks like the snow falls may be easing in the next little while in Australia. The season is currently well above average though. It looks to be a relatively good but early season. Late July usually features a fair bit of snow coverage

 

[Ross Biff]

Does skiing in Australia suck? What does it compare to in North America?

I do get a little miffed when people, sometimes for the sake of ego's, poo-poo skiing in Oz. " You know it's not as good as( insert appropriately expensive resort"). I have had awesome blue bird groomer cruising, storm tree and powder skiing and spring sundeck days everywhere I have skied on 3 continents. There is probably a greater luck and timing element involved but to paraphrase an unknown skier" a bad day skiing is better than a good day digging ditches" Here's looking forward to a good season...I'm off for a ski on Saturday!

 

[peterm]

Is it common the resorts are vertically reversed?
Meaning you drive and park at the top and ski down.

In NZ not so much. Let me try to enumerate the ones I'm familiar with:
- Porters no
- Mt Hutt not really, although the triple chair does go a fair way below the car park. The bulk of the mountain is above the lodge and carpark.
- Coronet Peak no
- Remarkables not really, although there is a cool run that finishes at access road well below the carpark. A bus comes down to pick people up every 20min
- Cardrona no
- Treble Cone no
- Whakapapa no

In terms of comparing resorts in NZ to North America, there are a few obvious differences:

- No trees. As in, none whatsoever.
- The resorts aren't really resorts. We often call them "ski fields".
- Most don't have lodging at the base.
- Tend to be smaller and less developed than resorts in Western US. A "major" ski field like Coronet has 3 chairs and a t-bar.
- Generally a decent amount of vertical.
- Most access roads are not sealed.
- Doesn't usually get that cold as it's impossible to be more than 75miles from the ocean. Wind chill can be brutal though.
- We typically don't get huge amounts of snow, so true powder days are rare and conditions are often firm.
- The scenery is as good as anywhere.

 

[Turoa Kiwi]

Aaaahhh Yeah Na mate

What, you don't like sessioning the magic carpet #3 in Happy Valley?

 

[Mendieta]

Well. You guys please keep it up with stoke. Those of us in the North of our planet are heading into the sad, long days of summer

Seeing your pictures and videos will help us enjoy vicariously, but also start feeling that next season is around the corner.

Great thread!

 

[ScottA]

Are you staying for the season or a shorter holiday? You probably already know from your research you've got lots of good smaller ski area options near Craigieburn (Porters, Cheeseman, Temple Basin, Broken River etc) as well as Mt Hutt. And you're only a few hours drive from small areas in the McKenzie country (Ohau, Dobson, Round Hill) and Wanaka.

We're just going over for a week or so. Decided to hit Craigieburn and maybe we'll check out some of those small options you mentioned in the region.

 

[James]

Well this season in the Northeast US back in November it was amazing. Probably the best I can remember. I think we were 100% open which is unheard of. Then came December, which was terrible till very late. Overall, it was an odd season. Good snow usually followed by warm, then rain, then cold.

 

[dbostedo]

Good snow usually followed by warm, then rain, then cold.

Isn't that pretty standard for New England though? Seems like I hear that every season is unusual.

I'd like to see some pics from NZ/Australia.... I'll be keeping an eye on this thread. Hope you have a great season!