Will the Australian ski season go ahead?

COVID-19 has cancelled many of the things we love to do. For snow lovers, the question everyone’s asking is, will it also kill off the Australian ski season?

It’s late April, and we're in the midst of the COVID-19 lock-down. Things seem to be getting better, but there’s still no official word on when the strict social distancing conditions will end.

But for keen skiers and snowboarders stuck at home indefinitely – the key question is: will the 2020 Australian snow season go ahead? 

As a Jindabyne-based store, Alpine Sports spends a lot of time thinking (worrying?) about this – and the potential impact on our business, employees, and community. And while we don’t have a crystal ball, here's what we know about the season to come.

What are the resorts saying?

The major resorts are still gearing up for a winter season. However, they are upfront in acknowledging that the safety of staff and customers – and compliance with government restrictions – will have to come first.

One of the indicators everyone is watching is the debiting of season pass balances – originally scheduled for April and May. Unsurprisingly, people are concerned about this payment taking place while there's still so much uncertainty about the season.

Both Perisher and Thredbo have announced they'll push back this payment to 2 June. Whether they decide to go ahead with this payment will be a very clear sign (although not a guarantee) of whether they expect the season to go ahead.

Thredbo

Thredbo has been planning for a bumper 2020 season, with the launch of their new Merrits Gondola lift. So they’ll be keen to get it spinning in its inaugural year if they can.

Having said that, they have cancelled their opening weekend events, and are not taking bookings for lift, rental and/or lesson products, or accommodation with Thredbo Alpine Hotel or other Thredbo Resort Centre properties, until after 29 June (the date the current restrictions on gathering and movement are due to end). Payment for pre-booked seasonal racing and development programs has also been moved to 9 June.

Find out more about Thredbo’s COVID-19 response. 

Perisher

Perisher is making lift tickets, lessons, and rental equipment available to book from 1 April, with season passes still currently available for sale. 

They’ve confirmed their cancellation policy for tickets, lessons and equipment will allow people to cancel up to the day before without penalty (except for private lessons). They’ve also said that, if they can't provide the services, you’ll get a credit for the 2021 winter season or a full or partial refund, depending on the circumstances.

Find out more about Perisher's COVID-19 response.

Selwyn & Charlottes Pass

Selwyn ski resort was severely impacted by the bushfires earlier this year – so was not planning on opening this year, regardless of COVID-19 restrictions. However, because both Selwyn and Charlotte’s Pass have the same owner, Selwyn Season Pass holders can transfer to Charlottes Pass at no extra cost, or get a full refund.

Meanwhile, Charlottes Pass is still preparing for a season open on the long weekend in June – subject to government restrictions. You can find out more about their response here.

Victorian resorts

The Victorian resorts are taking a similar approach to NSW. However, it’s important to note that different restrictions on travel and gatherings apply from state to state. Here are the links for the main Vic resorts, and how they’re responding to the current crisis:

• Mt Buller
• Falls Creek
• Mt Hotham

What we think ...

Jindabyne locals are understandably concerned about potential for a cancelled season, especially after bushfire evacuations closed down our summer season. But many remain cautiously optimistic.

Few believe the season will open on the long weekend. But there's still hope for a later start – potentially in time for school holidays on 3 July – still 10 weeks away at the time of writing. And recent experience has shown us how much can change in a few weeks.

At Alpine Sports, we understand that – if the season opens – some people will be busy getting back to work, and recovering from the financial impact from COVID-19. As such, skiing and snowboarding may be lower on your list of priorities. We totally get that, and hope that we can see you again next year.

But if, you're planning on heading down, be assured that Alpine Sports will refund any ski or snowboard rental bookings that you can't use due to COVID-19 restrictions. After all, we're in this together and the important thing is to stay safe. So if you can't make it, you won't be out of pocket. 

7 predictions for the 2020 Australian ski season

We’re going to put ourselves out there with some predictions for this year’s season – will be fun to see how many we get right (and wrong). Remember these are opinion and speculation only, so please don't book your snow holiday based on them.

1. The season will start late - likely sometime in July.
2. The resorts won't offer discounts or refunds for season passes for a shorter season.
3.  There will be no ‘locals only’ season. If the tourists can’t come in numbers, the cost of running the ski infrastructure will be too high for the resorts to justify.
4. Backcountry gear will be in hot demand, as experienced riders take the opportunity to get familiar with terrain beyond the resorts.
5. Staff and instructors will all have Aussie accents!
6. Eating lunch and standing in queues will look very different, with some social distancing still likely to be in place.
7.  It will be the best season of the decade! We usually like to leave weather predictions to the BOM (and the Grasshopper) but a big season isn’t out of the question. High levels of precipitation are likely over the coming months – hopefully falling as huge dumps of snow!

Disclaimer

The resort information in this article is based on public information available as at 24 April 2020. However, the views and predictions are the author’s opinions only, and should not be relied upon when planning your snow holiday.