Vail buys Falls Creek and Hotham resorts.

[drron]

"Vail Resorts announced today in a news release that the company has entered into an agreement to purchase the ski fields at Falls Creek Alpine Resort (“Falls Creek”) and Hotham Alpine Resort (“Hotham”) in Victoria, Australia.

Falls Creek, Victoria’s largest ski resort, features a variety of terrain including beginner and intermediate trails that are suited to families and first-timers. Considered the “Powder Capital” of Australia, Hotham is the only resort in the Southern Hemisphere where the village is located on top of the mountain, ensuring ski-in, ski-out opportunities from anywhere in the village."
Vail Resorts acquires two Australian resorts, including Down Under’s ‘Powder Capital’

 

[Jleno]

Wonder if Qantas will start flying to Hotham again.

 

[jase05]

The Epic pass would be awesome value as you would now possibly get unlimited access to Perisher, Hotham and Falls on top of their other great resorts around the world. I am hearing that Hotham might not be on the unlimited list though which would be a bit of a pity

 

[Matt_01]

Considered the “Powder Capital” of Australia, Hotham

I love the journalism twist and get why it is reported as such but being a skier the words powder and Australia to me just do not work in the same sentence. Sure every few years there is a reasonable dusting in AU but hardly powder compared to JP, US and CA.

I have not been to Hotham for a few years so am assuming that the Epic pass does not cover the chopper ride (Heli-Link) between Hotham and Falls so one still has to drive down one mountain and up to the other.

 

[RooFlyer]

For a sec I thought it was Vale buys ... (as in the Brazilian iron ore miner and problems with dams ...)

 

[ozfflyer]

Wonder if Qantas will start flying to Hotham again.

no chance of Qantaslink doing it again, their costs are just way too high, but might be a smaller operator, with similar sized aircraft to what Qantaslink used to use. The aircraft must have a MTOW of under 20t otherwise massive security costs kick in.

There could also be demand for MEL/Cooma flights.

I heard that Vail resorts, in some way, subsidises flights into Vail airport, 40 mins west of Vail.

 

[ozfflyer]

The Epic pass would be awesome value as you would now possibly get unlimited access to Perisher, Hotham and Falls on top of their other great resorts around the world. I am hearing that Hotham might not be on the unlimited list though which would be a bit of a pity

actually Epic season passes are expensive unless you can ski around 7 weeks(49 days a year) & who can do that ? Retirees ?

There are some crazy prices in Colorado right now. eg. US$21 for an adult per day, with 4 kids free, when tickets at resort are up to us$160 per adult per day & us$120 per child per day.

What's the catch ?

You must book through an australian wholesaler(can't be done online) & must be booked with on snow accomodations, but that doesn't mean a lot. Priced a studio apartment that can sleep up to 6 & has full kitchen for us$150 per night for most nights in January, February & start of March.

 

[Captain Halliday]

I love the journalism twist and get why it is reported as such but being a skier the words powder and Australia to me just do not work in the same sentence.

Are you sure the writer is referring to snow?

Those apres ski places get interesting after dark.

 

[jase05]

actually Epic season passes are expensive unless you can ski around 7 weeks(49 days a year) & who can do that ? Retirees ?

There are some crazy prices in Colorado right now. eg. US$21 for an adult per day, with 4 kids free, when tickets at resort are up to us$160 per adult per day & us$120 per child per day.

What's the catch ?

You must book through an australian wholesaler(can't be done online) & must be booked with on snow accomodations, but that doesn't mean a lot. Priced a studio apartment that can sleep up to 6 & has full kitchen for us$150 per night for most nights in January, February & start of March.

Don’t know about OS resorts but in conversations with my younger brother he mentioned he paid over $1400 for his Falls creek pass last year.
He also has a Perisher Pass aswell

 

[ozfflyer]

Don’t know about OS resorts but in conversations with my younger brother he mentioned he paid over $1400 for his Falls creek pass last year.
He also has a Perisher Pass aswell

You have to ski a lot of days to justify any season passes. Comparing season pass costs to crazy single day passes is just stupid. The single day price is paid by almost no one, but is a price they discount off, just like a hotel rack rate, which also not many pay.

At Hotham in September last year, a 5 day lift & lesson(NOT beginners lifts only & cheaper than lift only & who cares if you use the lessons or not) was only $475 & with any 5 day pass get extra 1/2 day free & 3 kids under 18 also get free lifts for 5 1/2 days. Kids had 1/2 price 2 hour lessons @ $38 each & 6 days ski hire was 1/2 price @ $87.

BTW
Peak snow depth is end of August, so start of September is perfect time to ski. Not quite as cold, plenty of snow, cheaper accommodation & lifts.

Most resorts end up closing in early October, due to lack of people, rather than lack of snow. (locals have had their fill of snow by spring & want to go to beach)

Go to this link

Snow & Weather | Hotham Alpine Resort

& then click on snow charts & see the 26 year average snow depth


We'd all love to ski 7 weeks a year(that's 49 days) but unless you're retired, that's very unlikely for most of us. Some people seem to get sucked into buying season passes, as they compare the cost of single day tickets.

 

[jase05]

You have to ski a lot of days to justify any season passes. Comparing season pass costs to crazy single day passes is just stupid. The single day price is paid by almost no one, but is a price they discount off, just like a hotel rack rate, which also not many pay.

Is that the same here in Australia?
I know he when he started going to Falls a few years back it cost him something horrendous for 4 days so hence why he started getting the season passes. He has moved from SA over that way now and in season probably spends every weekend alternating between Perisher and Falls and depending on his work he often gets down there a couple times a week. In the summer months he does a fair bit of mountain biking in the Thredbo area but no idea what that costs

 

[ozfflyer]

Is that the same here in Australia?
I know he when he started going to Falls a few years back it cost him something horrendous for 4 days so hence why he started getting the season passes. He has moved from SA over that way now and in season probably spends every weekend alternating between Perisher and Falls and depending on his work he often gets down there a couple times a week. In the summer months he does a fair bit of mountain biking in the Thredbo area but no idea what that costs

YES fictitious day lift tickets are expensive, but most people buy some sort of package in OZ or overseas, where the lift tickets are much cheaper.

One email I got recently, said buy a package in Colorado & lift tickets were up to 97% off (the maximum was if had 4 kids). The accommodation wasn't loaded either, in fact, we checked online & the online price for accommodations was more, with no lift ticket deal whatsoever.

HOWEVER for someone like your brother, the Epic season pass might work, but for most people they don't.

The internet is partly to blame. Some people think by doing all the arrangements online they'll save but they don't.

in general (there are probably the odd example or 2, that doensn't fit below)

1) airfares are always more expensive online (wholesalers have cheaper fares, when booking accommodation & these fares are never ever seen online)

2) lift tickets cost more

3) accommodation costs more

4) ski hire costs more

etc.

Online is great for the operators, as it reduces their handling costs, but those costs aren't passed on.

Resorts have to support wholesalers & travel agents & if they don't their handling costs go through the roof & hard to get good staff for 6 months only per year. Wholesalers & travel agents who specialise in snow, are busy year round & have deals you can't find ANYWHERE online.

We flew Qantas to USA few Xmas's ago & came home via Fiji.

GOt a really good price from specialist travel agent & just to confirm it was a good deal, I phoned both airlines who either said, can't sell you a ticket with one airline flying one way & different one the other or they said $4000 (we paid $1500 each)