Originally Posted by Jon77

The Aussie snow resorts where the snow is is very commercialized, bit like Darlinghust or Balmain up a mountain. I think you have to buy a normal non ski mountain pass to actually get to the good snow play areas. And there are all kinds of road / car restrictions in the snow area, health and safety over kill if you are from the UK and more used to snow driving.

When I was younger I went to the Austrian Alps, we used to go to place called Saalbach which was great, also used to go to the Cairngorms. The Aussie snow resorts seem poor value to me but that is what we have to work with.

Next time I go back to Europe between Nov - April I will get to some mountains. Save the pennies for that as we didn't move to Australia for the snow / mountain lifestyle I guess, My son seems more in to the body boarding / surf side of things.

Originally Posted by BadgeIsBack

+1 But you still need to book something I guess and hope accomodation is available.



This was posted as I replied and so I will chime in with more VIC stuff (as we've swung away in that direction).

I plan to take my kids to Falls this year - the highest resort alongside that of Hotham. Falls is considered to be particularly modern and family family as it has easy and intermediate runs. Higher - more reliable snow!

Hotham has more advanced stuff but leads me on to the point that in Australian resorts that if some lifts are closed whole sections of the resort can be closed and this also dictates what you can ski - so at Hotham there are bottlenecks where it can get busy.

Mt Buller has supposed to have some of the nicest runs but it is busier as it's the main resort nearest to Melbourne.

The ski-in, ski-out perspective is great - you can even cross-country ski from Hotham to Dinner Plain and go past Whiskey Flat - which is where the Biathlon people shoot. I plan to join them this winter. When my kids are older we will save money by camping in the snow overnight (taking crampons and snowshoes etc) around this area. All part of their education!

You can also ski from Mt Bogong (a backcountry destination) to Falls Creek across the Bogong High Plains having summited Bogong with your gear on foot.
In later years I plan to do this and meet up with the kids/family at Falls. They are too young to do all that.

(Whilst I've touched on cross-country, stacks of the smaller resorts in VIC are geared for it : even Mt Stirling over-looking Mt Buller has a few runs for a bit of exercise if all you are looking to do is get rid of cobwebs).

Qeuestion to the board:

Does anyone regularly cross-country ski? And do they go for a XCD setup, traditinal Nordic (NNN-BC) or even a light AT setup? It's one thing hiring but I am looking to gear up this year and I am seriously considering AT. This is because I want to be able to ski downhill and cross country but still climb or attach crampons for steep ascents. I figure I will still be able to tackle downhill intermediate slopes with the kids to save money on skihire at resorts. They are also good for the steeper slopes of the backcountry mountains of Bogong/Feathertop where regular cross-country is a bit light.

Cheers

Originally Posted by oz miller man

almost forgot

Mt Buffalo


well worth it if all you want is some snow play...used to have ski lifts but they were damaged years ago in a fire, Plenty of places to ski, snowboard or sledge and its free!!
views are amazing as well

Originally Posted by moneypenny20

I don't know but I'm taking a guess that OP is just wanting to take the kids up to play and experience the white stuff rather than requiring skiing conditions and thus only needing a couple of days???? If that is the case then I'd be watching weather reports and ski slope web cams and then just jumping in the car rather than booking somewhere in advance.

Originally Posted by oz miller man

last winter we had so much fun up at Falls Creek, great family atmosphere and a great variety of beginner and intermediate runs.....perfect for us to get back into it after all these years.
we spent one night snow camping at mt Loch about 4km from Hotham as we had the chance to play around with a friends ice axes and crampons....who would have thought you can mountaineer in Australia?.....well pretend/practice anyway
This year we have splashed out on a 4 season tent, down sleeping bags and snowshoes with the aim of doing a few backcountry overnighters and possibly a trip up Bogong.
http://i1025.photobucket.com/albums/...99733254_n.jpg

Love to get out to Feathertop but as we all snowboard we are limited to snow shoeing distances feel it may be beyond us. Spent lots of the summer camping up in the alps and along with another trip to Mt Loch we will look at snow camping at the pretty valley hut (FC) and the JB Plain hut (Hotham).
I can see the appeal of XC skiing especially with the prices the resorts charge.
If your looking to buy any snow gear check online stores in the states and compare with the likes of aussie shops like Outdoor Equipment, Outdoor Gear, Outdoor Clothing and Accessories

Everything we bought was half price in America including a $899 tent we got for $300.

Moontrail
Outdoor Gear & Clothing | Run, Camp, Bike & More | Backcountry.com
Levelninesports.com
Sierra Trading Post - Great Deals. Great Brands..

Originally Posted by oz miller man

for Buffalo `rays outdoor shop` Myrtleford...on the great alpine rd.

lots of places in Bright, Harrietville and mt Beauty before going up to falls or Hotham.

I ended up using them 5 or 6 times last winter...worth buying a set if you are going often...aldi have them at the minute and i picked up some ex rental ones from a wodonga service station for 40 bucks.

for cheap snow clothing the aldi stuff is good quality for the price, also saw that woolies and big W are stocking gear this winter.
then again you can buy name brands online from the states at a similar cost if you dont mind taking a risk with sizes.

Originally Posted by moneypenny20

I don't do snow but do you mean that every mountain or hill type area that gets snow is enclosed in a 'resort'? No one can do basic snow stuff like sledging, making snowmen, throwing snowballs in open areas? That's barking.

Originally Posted by Swerv-o

It's not far off of that in the Snowy Mountains region. Most, if not all, of the snow line lies within the National Park, so there's a minimum access fee to pay before you even reach the resort. There was some ground level snow that you could frolic about in at Thredbo when I went a couple of years ago, but to get up onto the mountain to see any appreciable snow fall required lift and slope passes, even if you weren't skiing.

I don't think you are allowed to sledge - certainly didn't see anybody sledging. I doubt anybody would stop you making a snow man, assuming you had a regulation size carrot for his nose ;

S

Originally Posted by irishbloo

Once you have the proper license of course.

Originally Posted by Jon77

Stand by your ski's folks.

Looks like the trough / frontal systems that have been sliding past Australia will finally start impacting the SE from next week.

I see the potential for some good snow for the Snowies shortly.

I am off to the Ben Lomond areas in Tasmania from the 28th June for a week. Not a reliable area or as good as other areas but hopeful there will be some white stuff now.