SKI SEASON 2011 - SOUTHERN SLOPES
Ski Season 2011 - Southern slopes - Luxury Travel Magazine
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| By Emma Brancatisano and Antonia Maiolo |
| 15 July, 2011 |
| So far, it’s been one of those seasons that all Australian ski lovers dream about. Following on from six successive winters of below-average natural snowfall, this year the Australian slopes are experiencing record-breaking snow falls, fresh snowstorms and soft, powdery slopes. The ski season began with a heavy dump across the NSW and Victorian ski fields just in time for the opening week of school holidays in June. Continuing with a major snowstorm that struck the Snowy Mountains last week, resorts are experiencing the deepest snow since 1990, setting them up nicely for the rest of the season. In New South Wales, Perisher has recorded 62 centimetres of fresh snow in the past three days, with snow depth levels reaching 158.9 centimetres. Skiers at Thredbo are enjoying the luxury of using thirteen out of the resort’s fourteen lifts. Across the Victorian border, large dumps have blanketed the Alps, offering the best conditions this season. At Mount Hotham, the snow depth reached a record breaking 92 centimetres while the advanced terrain at Falls Creek, Australia’s largest alpine resort, opened for the first time last Friday. With weather reports predicting continued snowstorms and strong fronts, it seems that this year’s season in at home will continue for the months ahead. The story, however, in New Zealand, has until now been less than positive. Low levels of snow through May and June, accompanied by not low enough temperatures had left the fields lacking. An uninspiring start to the season was made worse with flight cancellations resulting from the Chilean volcano. That is until the past week, during which a storm dumped snow on west of the Southern Alps. Treble Cone, for example, received 40 centimetres on 11 July and a further 25 centimetres on Wednesday, and The Remarkables netted 30 centimetres in total this past week. So while Australian travellers may have been opting to remain local due to our ideal conditions, it seems there’s no time like the present to hop on a flight to New Zealand to take advantage of the turn in the weather. |
| Click here to see our comprehensive guide to the best snow accommodation on offer in Australia and New Zealand this seaon. |