 Poster: A snowHead
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I read somewhere that Australia has a larger mountain range/skiable area than the European Alps. New Zealand has some good skiing too. Not sure about South America???
Have just looked at the FIS website and there seems to be loads of Aussie Alpine skiers but they are not competing at the standard of Northern skiers.
Any of you guys have an idea why?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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When I went to NZ, the skiing was okay, but limited. The friends that I have from "down under" are all snowboarders, not skiers - and they say that a lot of the ski scene is set up around the fun park.
Not sure how representative this is though.
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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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NZ has some good skiing, on both islands, but nowhere near as extensive as France, let alone Europe as a whole. The Southern Alps are huge but most of it is not developed for skiing. The ski industry is not as all conquering as it is in Europe and ski instructors that I know say that it is fun to do seasons down there but that it is not economically sensible as the earnings can be little more than the airfare and living costs.
I have only boarded in Coronet Peak (one of the hills near Queenstown in South Island) and it was my first introduction to downhill snowsports, but my memories tell me that it did not have a big choice of pistes. Good fun though.
As for Australia, I have not tried it but I think that the snow can be unreliable - I believe that many Aussies go to NZ as it is a better bet. Could be wrong though. The main area is the Snowy Mountains (typical Aussie approach to naming things!!), with resorts such as Thredbo.
As for South America, I think that Chile is on the up.
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| Quote: |
| I read somewhere that Australia has a larger mountain range/skiable area than the European Alps. |
That bit certainly isn't true.
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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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laundryman, I'd back you up - from what I have read the actual Australian resort areas are quite small, with limited vertical and unreliable snow. Of course the potential total mountain area may (?) be larger, but certainly not the recognised areas.
I agree with Elizabeth B - most Aussies I know are snowboarders too.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Back country in NZ must be fun, I would have thought.
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I wouldnt make a special trip to ski in OZ. Thredbo is about the best they got . When I was there I did Thredbo & Perisher Blue in 1 day but I was a bit late in season and the bottom slopes were green !
The Victoria State resorts (Mt Bulller , Falls Creek) are small .
Why do you think there are so many Ozzy's skiing over in Europe & North America? It's because its so crap down under 
If your heading over that direction, NZ is a better bet. The resorts around Queenstown are not that great exceptionbeing Treble Cone. Mount Hutt near Christchurch is the best IMHO . ON the North Island Turoa & Whakkapapa are good.
Me, I prefer South America having said that im planning revisiting NZ this summer.
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| Quote: |
| I read somewhere that Australia has a larger mountain range/skiable area than the European Alps. New Zealand has some good skiing too. |
Oh great. More complete bollox about skiing Downunder. As an ex-pat Kiwi I skiied back home before moving here in 2001, and this sort of shite really gets up my nose. I'd love to slap the idiot who wrote that crap.  Thanks stanton and Tony Lane for sorting this out (I've been away in Switzerland).
Bored At Work, probably what the writer mis-represented is that NZ has a vast alpine snow region which is very nearly comparable in size to the European Alps. Definately snow quality in NZ is at least as good as it gets in the European Alps. However given the miniscule population of NZ (4mil), only a tiny fraction of the available skiable area has yet been developed for skiing. Despite this, the total skiing still adds up to about a dozen good-sized commercial resorts, and about twice the number of club fields, and there's a lot of heliskiing which opens up the off-piste.
Oz on the other hand, is pretty shite for skiing. Of what few resorts Oz only a limited number are able to maintain snow for much of the "season" due to their low altitude and unfavourable weather patterns. Even Australians agree that their skiing generally isn't anywhere near as half as good as what's on offer in NZ.
In terms of FIS - It's a 3hr plane ride between Oz & NZ, so getting enough quality snow-time for Oz skiiers is that much more difficult. In any case, in both countries snowsports are seen as a hobbie done for fun. During winter what goes on is rugby, rugby, and more rugby. Ski racing just isn't a big part of the culture.
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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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hi guys! meet your first aussie skier! even thou im still a beginner, still, im aussie (well chinese but live in australia, so ill just call myself aussie for the sake of arguement).
anyway, i havnt been to any other mountain ranges except the ones in australia, from what i can tell, yeah it's shite, but hey, it's what i got, so i enjoy it as much as i can. we'd describe aussie conditions as "wet". from the pictures ive seen, NZ is way better, and im planning a trip to NZ and damn it their season goes until christmas.
here in Oz its not thatttttttttt bad, it's still snow, itz all i get, so meh, here i come!
p.s. last year aparently we had our best season...
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| Manda wrote: |
| ... - It's a 3hr plane ride between Oz & NZ ... |
Yup. Easy to not realise that, looking at an Atlas. One of the reasons I came to England was that NZ seemed so remote from the rest of the world. That was in the 60s. These days, the remoteness seems rather an advantage....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I thinking of a trip to Chile in 2007, I just need to contact the right guy to get the details. Its a 2 week tour of the Chilean resorts with guides and instructors one of the instructors was in Banff while I was there.
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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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Cheers guys for your replies.
I've been trying to find the article but no luck as yet, i'm also thinking that maybe I saw it on tv on one of those nature programmes. Will keep looking and post if i find it.
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You know it makes sense.
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how does oz compare to Scotland, any one tried both...considering both areas seem to have had fairly 'good' seasons of late??
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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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Isn't the heli-skiing in NZ meant to be great?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Manda, found the link here.
Yes, i'm bored 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Kramer, yep! There's lots of heli-ski operators in NZ c.f. Europe, primarily cause it's allowed  and also cause the the lift infrastructure in NZ is so limited that getting to powder would otherwise involve endless DIY hiking.
tomski01, dunno, but NZ is an vast improvement on Scotland.
Bored At Work, eh? Since when has Australia had "alps" of any nature??? 
NZ has what are known as the Southern Alps, which are pretty damn massive (they turn up lots in LOTR) . Plus the North Island snow. It all adds up. Hang on, nope, looks like trans-Tasman cultural myopia strikes again - Oz does indeed have it's own Alps. Not clear, tho, how much has been/could be developed for downhill skiing.
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