AUSSIE SNOW JOURNAL – On An Upward Trend

June 26th, 2013


The snow was welcomed with open arms in Falls Creek Image:: Falls Creek

Mountainwatch | Coco Angus

The snow gods have been listening to our prayers, it has finally been snowing! The first fresh tracks of the season were put down on Monday, just in time for the first week of school holidays, winter has arrived. At this point we can only hope the white stuff keeps falling, so keep those snow prayers going. With over 21 cm of new snow falling in Perisher and 25 cm in Thredbo by Tuesday, this wet and miserable cold front made a lot of Australian skiers very happy.

Unfortunately, the Victorian slopes didn’t receive as much snow as NSW, but at this stage anything is better than nothing, right? Temperatures look to be fairly cold under this ridge of high pressure so the resorts will be looking to snowmaking to boost the snow depth as much as possible. In his latest extended forecast The Grasshopper said, “I still like the look of a potential front due from the 5th to 7th July. I know that seems like a ridiculously long way out, but it is the widespread signal from all models that really has me paying attention. It could still all go horribly pear shaped. We’ll start to nail down the details early next week. Until then, have hope.”


Mt Hotham’s Big D was a treat in the sunshine today Image:: Mt Hotham

After a very slow start to the Australian winter season, the brand new snowmaking guns across all Australian resorts have had their work cut out for them. We have to put our hands together for the snowmakers and the grooming teams at the resorts for making the best of a not-so-ideal situation. All resorts were able to take advantage of the freezing conditions to generate a mammoth amount of man-made snow over the weekend.

Thanks to snowmaking technology and the hard work of the groomers over the weekend, both The Cruiser and High Noon were opened in Thredbo and Perisher expanded Front Valley. Zali’s opened in Blue Cow, Falls Creek opened Main Street and Towers and Hotham were able to open the Big D.


Perisher emerges from the storm this morning Image:: Perisher

Although it’s still only early in the season and conditions are still less than desirable there’s definitely plenty of action. Both Thredbo and Perisher have put in small parks to keep the jibbers happy, with the bluebird conditions this past weekend it was perfect for getting started on that all important goggle tan.

Night skiing is opening on Tuesday at Perisher and a whole list of NSW interschool races and championships are lined up for the school holidays, so good luck to all the competitors.

Thredbo has a demo day and Thredbo Freestyle event lined up for Friday, as well as nightly family activities planned throughout the school holidays, which should be fun for snow enthusiasts of all ages.


All of the fresh snow made for some gnarly road conditions in Thredbo, remember to take care in the snow this winter Image:: Thredbo

The Victorian resorts also have plenty of action planned for these coming school holidays with the Victorian interschool races being held at Falls Creek throughout July, with Mt Buller hosting the Snowracer Series providing great opportunity for school teams to have a run before interschools. Mt Hotham has the ALCP Bread and Butters Rail Jam on the 6th July and plenty of other exciting winter activities planned.

As usual the atmosphere at all Australian resorts is pumping so get out there amongst the early season snow action…

Perisher forecasts,
snow reports and
live snow cams.

Falls Creek forecasts,
snow reports and
live snow cams.

Mount Buller forecasts,
snow reports and
live snow cams.

Charlotte Pass forecasts,
snow reports and
live snow cams.

Hotham forecasts,
snow reports and
live snow cams.

Thredbo forecasts,
snow reports and
live snow cams.