Hotham Heights (VIC), Australia – The banner start to the 2011 ski season in the Australian Alps is continuing, and 64cm of fresh snow from this week’s storms at Hotham has combined with extensive snowmaking to open the resort’s Heavenly Valley on Wednesday and Blue Ribbon today. With the scheduled addition of Gotcha, Keogh’s and The Orchard on Saturday the whole mountain will be open at Hotham, a feat not achieved in 2010 until August 21.

This week’s wild weather included winds that placed a number of chairlifts on hold during the storm that stretched from Tuesday to Thursday. When the skies cleared, Hotham’s average natural snowdepth reached 92cm with more in snowmaking areas. Forecasts call for light snow to continue to fall through the weekend.

Hotham’s Heavenly Valley Chairlift will start turning at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday for those who crave fresh tracks at no additional cost with a valid lift pass. The Basin Terrain Park will open Saturday with three features, and more will follow after the first event in the A La Carte in the Park series, the Cheese and Crackered Rail Jam on Saturday afternoon. Hotham staffers will build the Big D Terrain Park next week.

Hotham’s annual Christmas in July festival will kick off on Monday with venues across Hotham and Dinner Plain hosting a number of festivities.