June long weekend is only 4 weeks away now! Exciting times as the winter is setting in, snow peaks filling up and the snow resorts opening up for the season.
If you are planning on hitting the snow for the long weekend or for the opening of the season here are the dates:
Perisher Ski Resorts – June 2nd to October 1 2012, opening early this season
Thredbo – June 9th to October 1st 2012
Charlotte Pass – June 22nd to october
Getting Here
From Sydney Jindabyne is about 5.5 to 6 hours drive. Alternatively you can catch a fight to Cooma and drive from there.
Accommodation
While the resorts provide accommodation facilities, if you want to stay outside the national park for an easy access to the pubs, restaurants and cinemas, you can stay in Cooma or Jindabyne. You can find accommodation options here: Jindabyne or Cooma
Happy Valley at Perisher Valley Resort
Tips
While the day passes for the lifts start from the price of $100/day it is sometimes cheaper in June or at the in September. Also it works out to be cheaper if you end up buying a accommodation and lift passes package.
You can make the best use of the list passes if you hit the slopes first thing in the morning. Usually the lifts open at 8.30/9am. Please check with the resort you are staying in.
Also, if you are a beginner or you usually ski only for half a day or so then ask for half day passes which are valid for 4 hours per day.
For beginners, you can hire the equipment and the clothing at the shops in Jindabyne or in the resorts. If you have your own clothing and equipment thats even better.
The medical centres at Perisher and Jindabyne are private and are not 100% covered by medicare. Unless its an emergency, you are better off heading towards Cooma.
Apart from skiing and snowboarding, you can also try snowshoeing. Mountain Adventure Centre in Jindabyne organises these tours.
Unless you are driving a 4WD, it is legally required that you carry snow chains in the car while driving in the kosciuszko national park. And when it snows heavily you should pull over in the marked bays and are required to put these chains on the front wheels of the car. You can hire the snow chains at Cooma or Jindabyne.
Deals
There are awesome deals the resorts are offering this season.
Charlotte Pass is doing a “Ski free in July” deal where you only pay for the accommodation and the lift passes are free.
Thredbo is doing Ski free in June deal where you pay for accommodation at the Thredbo Alpine Hotel but ski free up until 22nd June 2012.
Perisher is doing many Stay and Ski deals. You can find the details of these deals here.
With so many deals and the snow already on the caps at the moment in the “snowy mountains”, we are looking forward to the opening of the season!