Australia and NZ 2024
- Thread starter Sbooker
- Start date
You got it. Usually Oz has deepest snow pack about now but it’s been a lean season and recent rain and warms temps have decimated what’s on the ground. It looked ok just a week ago.Australia looks like a disaster.
This is equivalent to March 1st North America??!! When most resorts have their deepest snow bases?
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That said the basin area at Thredbo still has good cover for those poor souls that have pre-booked.
Low elevation and far from ideal latitude means poor seasons are a regular thing in Australia. Add to that climate change…..
Deja Vu (South America 2018):
But yes, late August is the normal peak for Spencer Creek snow depths at 174cm, while this year the base has declined rapidly in August to 66cm.
However:
Of the above, I'd only characterize Mt. Buller as "important." And of the 5 major Aussie areas, Mt. Buller has the worst overall reliability reputation.
But yes, late August is the normal peak for Spencer Creek snow depths at 174cm, while this year the base has declined rapidly in August to 66cm.
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Patrick
Well-known member
Considering that I've skied most Australian ski areas and all 6 above 180m vert, Baw Baw and Selwyn weren't part of these. That being said, skied Buller on Sept 21 and 22 in 2018. Other can't be far from closing if you look at webcams.
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Patrick
Well-known member
Ski season in Australia and much shorter compared to North America standards, the maximum season is generally from 1st weekend in June to 1st weekend in October, so 4 months. North America's most areas have at least 5 months, many of them 6 months with a reaching 7.
N. America includes multiple regions when it comes to snowy weather and mountains with enough vertical to make it possible for a ski resort to be a viable business. Especially with after snowmaking machines were invented in the 1950s.
I know you've skied all over the world, but the southeastern USA (TN, NC, VA, MD) probably wasn't worth the travel time. Essentially the reason there are ski resorts is thanks to 100% snowmaking coverage although there are trees in play after the rare snowstorm that drops more than a few inches. Most southeast resorts (with base lodging) are happy if they can get a few slopes open by mid-December. Appalachian aims to open by late November and stay open into April, but they only need to cover 25 acres.
Making it to mid-February for the Pres. Day holiday weekend is the goal in the southeast. Extending to mid-March is a bonus, but I doubt there is much money made in the last few weeks when it's mostly season pass holders on the slopes for a few hours. These days, the season in PA isn't much longer. Vertical ranges from 700 to 1100 ft.
Southeast resorts founded in the 1960's or 1970s were 4-season resorts from the start. Meaning those that survived as viable businesses past the 1980s.
Definitely not. That would be Thanksgiving to late April. "Most" ski areas are happy to be open a week or two before Christmas. In terms of ski area count, surprisingly few go past the first weekend or two in April. Most of the areas near population centers can't hold up, and many of the places with a good April snowpack close due to remote location when the destination ski business falls off.
Six months would be Thanksgiving to Memorial Day. That's one eastern area Killington plus Whistler, Bachelor, Mammoth, Timberline, Sunshine, Snowbird, A-Basin, Breckenridge, sometimes Palisades. Who achieves seven months? Timberline, A-Basin most seasons, Mammoth and Killington about half of seasons.
By ski area count the vast majority in North America are happy if they get 4 months. I'm a ski junkie favorably located for one of the best long season areas. My median first/last day of the season was Dec. 16/May 26 through 2004 and Dec. 2/June 16 since then. I realize that for Patrick there is no such thing as first/last day of the season.
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Patrick
Well-known member
Okay, it might be an Eastern biais/perception thing.
US Thanksgiving to mid-April : approx 5 months is generally about 20 ski areas in the East.
6 months : basically almost every season at St-Sauveur and Killington.
My median first/last day of the season was Nov. 16/May 20 from 1981 to 1992.My median first/last day of the season was Dec. 16/May 26 through 2004 and Dec. 2/June 16 since then. I realize that for Patrick there is no such thing as first/last day of the season.
Median Ski length is 189 (6 months) of my seasons. I excluded the end date for 10 day 1982-83 season as ended with a broken collar bone in January. Stopped in 1992 as I had very late starts and low season for me I needed to finish my thesis prior to leave for France in Dec 92 then started working (Nov 94) and eventually moving (Feb 95) to Ottawa.
To be able to compare Apples and Oranges, I made a few modification on the datasets.
All years (except ends Jan 83) = 43 seasons
Based on regular North America liftserv season days (ie. Blackcomb, Mammoth, Crystal, etc, but not Timberline Lodge or earned western summer tours.
*includes late starts in January (1995 and 2003) and others after Christmas.
Median first/late : Nov 11*/Jun 9 = 7 months
Only East lift served dates prior to US Thanksgiving (excluded are Colorado (Oct 2007, 2017), but France (Dec Holidays 1992, 2000) starts included). No Avila AKAMP days. No Tuckerman and preseason earned turns. On some of the Tuckerman/Chic Chocs outings, lift served season might not have been finished.
Median first/late : Nov 18*/May 18 = 6 months
Thank you for proving my point. There are 185 areas in the eastern US. Throw in Quebec and less than 10% have a 5 month season, not "most."
I slighted St. Sauveur a little bit. That's my western bias of not paying much attention to areas under 1,000 vertical. Crystal makes it to 6 months sometimes but definitely less than half of seasons.
For the median first/last dates it's a Patrick thing. Pre-streak he would still nearly always ski in November. Even though Mammoth is always open by mid-November, it only meets my quality standards then about 1/3 of seasons. Patrick and I close out our northern seasons in similar time frames.
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Patrick
Well-known member
Thredbo... Sept 15. As of now, only beginner area only for the last week (6/53).
Only other areas in operation: limited terrain at Perisher (17/110 runs) and Falls Creek (19cm average base). Tiny Charlotte Pass still has half of their 23 runs open. Tasmania's Mount Mawson is also open this weekend with snow forecasted.
From OntheSnow.com:
Sbooker is lucky with recent snow though base depths remain modest, often well under 100cm. Off-piste near Coronet's base looks rocky.
Saddle basin at Treble Cone usually has the best natural snow cover in the Southern lakes. Will you be getting over there or to Cardrona?
Saddle basin at Treble Cone usually has the best natural snow cover in the Southern lakes. Will you be getting over there or to Cardrona?
I’ll soon put a report up about our day at Coronet yesterday. We’ll get to Treble Cone tomorrow.
Yes in 2006, which I'll remind you was in excellent snow conditions. I doubt it was open in 1997.
See 5th and 6th pics from August 26.
See 4th, 5th and 6th pics from August 29.
Hollywood Bowl above is wide open cruising. Then it rolls over to chutes approaching 40 degrees. You will not see many people out there because it's a 10-12 minute 250 vertical foot hike back to the Saddle Basin lift. It definitely needs to be avalanche controlled, as topography is not unlike my Lauchneralp adventure last January.