 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| mountainaddict wrote: |
1. Given that we would be at Canberra at some point, where should we aim to ski?
3. What else could we do when we're there - especially on the outdoor activities front (eg hiking and mountain biking)? Or are there any must see/must do things that we may not know about? We wouldn't be averse to packing in as much as possible on the trip.
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I'm not sure skiing and mountain biking go together that well...
When the mountain is snow covered, do you really want to bike on it or rather ski it? And if it's dry enough to mountain bike, I wouldn't want to trash my skis...
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4. Should we be thinking of including New Zealand while we're at it? And (again) if so....where??
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If you have the time, I would think that's a definite YES, given you've spend the astronomical air fare to get "down under".
Just a warning, quite a few people who "visit" NZ ended up staying... or at least wishing they don't have to go home
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I'm an expat Aussie but have never skied there. I have looked into it a bit though, so these might help a bit:
1. Perisher and Thredbo are definitely the closest, no point going to any of the Victoria resorts. Perisher is bigger. Thredbo has more 'vertical' but as far as I can tell it must be slushycrap down the bottom.
2. Definitely would need a car. There's no need to think about winter tyres because the associated motoring authorities don't recognise them as useful - chains and normal tires is the usual way I think.
3. Tasmania is worth a look if you're into outdoor activities. You're not going to find lift-served mountain biking anywhere in Oz at that time but I think it is possible to do some mountain biking w/ bus up on Mt Wellington in Hobart
4. With only 17 days (incl or excl flying?) for most I would suggest giving NZ a miss, unless skiing is very important... so maybe go to NZ? 
5. I think the best time is late July/early August, but no idea how this would affect crowds or how it fits in with school holidays
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Oh more on question 2:
There is a town called 'Jindabyne' which seems to have a lot of hotels and I think is the main off-mountain town for Thredbo and Perisher. There's also some thing called the Ski-Tube which is an underground train to Perisher so you can avoid driving a car into the (national) park. I don't really understand the purpose of these things but here you go:
http://www.perisher.com.au/resort-information/getting-to-perisher/skitube.html
This would probably mean you'd not need to worry about chains etc at all with a car because it's much lower.
So you could stay in Jindabyne, drive to the Ski-Tube and take that up to the resort level each day. I think this is a cheaper option than driving your car up every day (you'll pay national park entry fees and car parking fees) and is also likely to be cheaper than staying on mountain.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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mountainaddict, given that Australia doesn't exactly have a comparative advantage in skiing it seems strange to go all that way and do expensive skiing, which will be limited, rather than stuff like diving on the Great Barrier Reef, surfing, hiking, mountain biking, etc.
I have a nephew, a keen snowboarder, who has lived in Oz for years and never been to any of the Australian resorts. He says it's cheaper and better to go to NZ and more expensive but FAR better to come to Europe, which is what he's doing in January 2014.
It's a bit like an Australian coming to the UK and going surfing in West Sussex.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I worked in Thredbo for a season. Thredbo's runs are a lot longer than Perisher's and there are more challenging runs.
Jindabyne is the main town people stay in and about 30km from both resorts. Thredbo has a village but very few people stay up there.
The ski tube goes from about 15km away from Jindy up to Perisher and is before you enter the park. You have to pay to enter the national park if you drive all the way to each resort. I'm not sure how much as everyone I knew had workers passes.
As for chains, when I was there we maybe would have needed them 3 times. When it's bad you need either a 4x4 or chains in the Police's book.
That being said, Australia is ridiculously expensive. I would not go there if I was paying for myself, lift tickets are more than £60 a day and everything else equally overpriced! As pam w, says lots of Aussies often go to NZ as it's cheaper even when you take the flight into account.
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mountainaddict, are you thinking of going in the UK summer time??
I've been a fair few times, never to ski, always to see Father in Law and family. It's such a vast country you should do some of the "classics" like Sydney, Great Ocean Road, Cairns for the Great Barrier Reef, Ayers Rock etc etc IMHO
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Thanks to all so far! In response to the queries raised:
- We aren't expecting lift served mountain biking, nor are we expecting to bike the same mountain or mountains that we ski. We love mountain biking almost as much as we love skiing - so were hoping to maybe fit in a ride or two as part of the trip.
- We understand it wouldn't be as extensive as the Alps but love skiing so much that we're more than willing to give it a try, despite the expense. We really are easily pleased on the skiing front and love to travel as well. So an ideal excuse to visit friends and go skiing as well. If we are ever going to visit Australia, we may as well do it in our summer - & get some skiing in that is presumably much more extensive than our usual summer ski in Tignes.
- We neither surf nor dive (tho did try diving once).
- We haven't ruled out some internal flights (any recommendations?) to see a bit more of the place.
- The trip length would be to be determined. 17 days was a ballpark fgure. We think we could have a fair crack at a decent hol if we took a max of 3 weeks off work and had an outbound and/or inbound stopover plus (say) 17 days in Australia/New Zealand.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| mountainaddict wrote: |
A close friend emigrated to Australia recently - and has already asked numerous times 'So when are you coming over then?'
So questions at this stage are:
1. Given that we would be at Canberra at some point, where should we aim to ski?
2. How are the logistics for skiing? Would we need a car? Would we stay at the slopes or are there valley towns (or equivalent)?
3. What else could we do when we're there - especially on the outdoor activities front (eg hiking and mountain biking)? Or are there any must see/must do things that we may not know about? We wouldn't be averse to packing in as much as possible on the trip.
4. Should we be thinking of including New Zealand while we're at it? And (again) if so....where??
5. Oh, and when's the best time for snow.
Cheers! |
Your friend is very sensible. I am from Canberra and it is the best place on earth, just pipping Swindon.
Question 1 - Japan. Seriously, the skiing in Oz/NZ is rubbish. Crowded, bonkers expensive, not much snow, not much piste. For god's sake combine all the Gondolas in both countries and you get the number zero.
Question 2 - You don't need a car, but it is a PITA if you get the bus from Canberra. You could stay on piste but I suspect you wouldn't be able to afford it. As for standard, get your average Dolomites hotel and divide it by a thousand. Then put Basil Fawlty in charge.
Question 3 - go in summer and walk to top of Kocskiosko.
Question 4 - Oz full of Kiwis. No need to go. Skiing there pretty much same deal as Oz. sometimes they get a better snow year, sometimes not.
Question 5 - I would say early August best bet. You may still need to sacrifice a goat and do a nude snow dance.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Replying to the thread title : Kansas
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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FAQ
- so this could definitely be a goer then! We haven't identified a timescale and, with the exception of an awareness of Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Great Barrier Reef and Ayers Rock etc I don't know a lot about Australia - except I have now found out that it's a fairly expensive place to visit for us Brits and that lift tickets are the most expensive on the planet 
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