Impressions of Aussie Ski Resorts

Went up to Mt Buller last Sunday for a snowboarding day trip with Chris. Snow conditions were pretty good (almost 130 cm depth) but the prices are steep. Let's see...

  • Entry fee: $32 (wtf is this?)
  • 1-day Lift ticket: $94
  • Season pass: over $1,000 (WTF?!? Compare this to $200 to $300 at Lake Tahoe resorts)
It turns out Aussie ski resorts are among the most expensive in the world, with Buller, Hotham, Falls Creek etc. in the top-10 most expensive list. Resort operators blame in a economy-of-scale and the short season, which I suppose makes sense. If that's the case, how can resorts in New Zealand be cheaper than Australia? I smell a ripoff here. The facilities at Buller are also nowhere near the quality of US resorts...no lockers, no villages, no atmosphere! In saying this, however, Whistler-Blackcomb sets a high standard. Also, there is a lack of decent hotels in the area (hello Westin Whistler, where the hotel lobby is just steps away from the chair lift).

Chris was keen to showboat his terrain park skills but all he managed was getting stuck on top of a ramp :) It's too bad that my phone couldn't capture his moment of "glory" properly.

Anyways, my toeside edge requires more work, so we're going back this Sunday before the season is over.

*** UPDATED BY 2 SEP 08 ***

Went back up to Buller on 31 August and the conditions were atrocious...near zero visibility and bitterly cold wind blowing sleets into your face. It turned out I wasn't completely recovered from the previous week (back leg was still aching) but I've managed to do toeside turns (thanks to youtube, Chris and Josie for the tips). Might go up to Baw Baw in 2 weeks for more practice.

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