Looking for some advice for a ski trip for four. Intermediate skiers looking to head out first week of August.
Weighing up between staying in Victoria (Buller, Hotham or Falls) or flying over to Queenstown, NZ.
Costs involved:
- Return travel (driving in Victoria or flying to NZ)
- Accommodation 6 nights
- Ski hire 4 days
- Lift pass 4 days
- Mountain transport
- Travel insurance
Hoping for some guidance,
Cheers
Yep second this. If skiing in Aus try to go mid-week outside of school holidays if you can.
Having said that, you can’t predict when you get an epic dump of snow or not in Aus or no, so it’s a gamble either way.
Totally different experiences. NZ slopes have no trees and so very exposed to wind blasting in from the Antarctic. On average assume 1 day of skiing lost to weather a week.
Also driving 1 to 3 hours a day can be painful and the driver can't drink. That's Only to carpark. Unless early add another 10 mins each way to get to actual slopes.
There are much cheaper and better options than Australia or nz.
Friends in Qld find NZ much cheaper as hard to get to Australia n resorts. They say north America is much cheaper including airfares and much much better everything like Queenstown but on snow meaning zero daily driving and no chains to have to fit.
Back to choice Aus vs NZ
If snow quality is important go Aus. If nightlife important go to Queenstown only in NZ. If NZ don't mention all blacks losing to wallabies.
If go NZ get a 4wd or at least AWD.
Don't want to be driving on very poor rds in 2wd. The Remarkables and Cardona rds are short and gravel for quite a few KMs.
NZ if it doesnt go into lock down
AU if you cant get travel insurance to cover your $$$ if there is a lockdown…
I love bushwalking the Victorian high country, but there is no argument - the skiing is SO much better in NZ. Above the treeline, steeper and genuine powder if you're lucky. If costs are similar, go Kiwi.
Doubt if anymore lockdowns. Public is so sick of them (the silent majority, remember them? Bill shorten does) and massive pressure on politicians as rest of world opens up. Just read on FlyerTalk site that JetBlue a mainly large domestic u.s. airline is starting to fly the Atlantic in August 2021 plus USA has 2 brand new airlines breeze and avelo.
NZ
Skiing in Vic is not choice bro.
I've skiied Buller, Hotham and Falls Creek. Also done Queenstown.
Queenstown runs just seemed to go on and on, but also the township is quite close to the mountains such that you could stay there and within 30mins be at the base of mountain.
So for me, apart from skiing, night life was more fun in Queenstown as staying in VIC mountains can be a bore.
We're in a pandemic with a virus that spreads more in winter and in a population that has barely been vaccinated. You really want to run the gauntlet of border closures and mandatory quarantine!?
And we have a working system for that pandemic. Maybe just lock your doors and never leave home again
We do NOT have a working system. We just made it a criminal offence for Australian citizens to enter Australia for the first time in history.
Last winter Victorians were forbidden from traveling 5km from their own home for the entire winter, making trips to the snow illegal.
Maybe just lock your doors and never leave home again
Sounds like something Dan Andrews said repeatedly last year.
Tell me about all the cases this year . A man recently had it from Adelaide, went to the footy, hoped on a packed train. Guess how much it spread ? 0. Last year with tens of thousands of people coming back from overseas from all over the globe with 0 restrictions has nothing to do with now. As I said. Lock your doors. Stay home and don't enjoy your life because your mind set is what if….
I can give advise on Hotham and Treble / Coronets.
Hotham - travel to Vic (use ff points as snow is in footy season. Points price doesn't change). Accom, stay on mountain in a lodge mid week. Hire a car off the airport (Jucy, Apex, Ace) and add chains for the week. Alternatively, take public transport from bright to avoid the $50 resort entry fees… per night. Buy food and booze at Bright before heading up. Prepay lift and resort entry fees before getting there. Vail have increased the price a lot. Used to have 6 day free lift pass with jucy. All over with Vail. Ive loved Hotham since I was a kid for its tree line runs. It has double blacks, but they are all pretty tame. Can be an absolute ice fest. Can be amazing. Local knowledge helps knowing which way snow drift has blown and which faces to avoid if in a thaw / freeze cycle. If it dumps, it's brilliant. Can also wonder off out the back of the orchid if you want to give your wallet a day off from lift passes. Aim to arrive at 2:30pm, as lifts are free after 3pm. Officially need to have a lift pass the next day. Will basically get an hr of runs in for nothing. Beginner runs spin a little longer if a beer isn't your thing at 430pm.
Treble cone NZ - I flew into CHC for $240 return via Emirates from Adelaide. Queenstown was double that. Jetstar charge $50 per leg for bringing boards, so avoid if you have gear. Had a delayed flight and hit the QF and Amex lounges hard ;)
Hired a relocation RV, CHC to Queenstown for 3 nights for free + $50 per night for 2 extra nights. Airbnb for $100 in Wanaka for last night. Plus hired a relocation jucy car both ways (2 seperate bookings). This included 2 X 6 day ski for free lift passes to Treble cone and gave us a car to drive up mountain. Plus jucy pay for fuel. Watch out for rocks hitting the windscreen, marble sized rocks everywhere. Parked RV in Wanaka and Queenstown library carpark. Treble was an absolute rock hard ice fest for 3 days. Then it started snowing. Hit Coronets that night for night skiing and was pretty good. Simple little mountain, but literally on Queenstowns door step. The next day at Treble was amazing. 54cm dropped over night and knee deep powder!! If you left a day earlier, you would think treble was terrible. Totally different mountain..loved it …So timing is everything.
On the last night, stayed in a Jucy pod in CHC for $20. Walked to the airport in the morning at 4am for a 6am departure.
This booking was a work of art… Probably almost impossible to replicate, but gives ideas.
That NZ adventure sounds amazing!
Yeah started looking for another NZ dash using flyer points with sing,/ air NZ. Hope the jucy ski for free returns one day. Queenstown now have their Jucy pods/ hotel open. So probably go down that path in 2022. Stick with Aus snow this year…maybe.
Overall for your trip length, the costs will probably work out to be similar as flight cost + car rental will be offset by cheaper ski rentals/lift passes/accommodation in NZ. However, the snow conditions, ski trails and scenery are far better in NZ.
What you have to consider is whether or not its worth the quarantine risk. If that's not a concern, I'd pick NZ any day. I've done Thredbo/Perisher a couple times, and way below par to Cadrona/Remarkeables.