Resorts in the off season....

[Tobi]

What things do resorts offer for the off season?

I know that Buller has the lifts running at times for mountain biking and the like but what do other resorts offer?

Just took a look at the Baw Baw website and it appears they are putting in a dry slope and setting up the park for the summer!


NEW TO 2010- BIG AIR BAG, DRY SLOPE, TUBING AND OTHER TERRAIN PARK FEATURES
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 12:48
Watch this space for more updates; release date to be advised.

Stop! Don’t pack up that snowboard or those skis just yet- we’ve got just the thing for those wanting to perfect their skills ready for next winter.
This December, enough dry slope will be arriving on our doorstep for the terrain park guys to set up our famous Big Air Bag (BAB), as well as terrain park features that you can use just like in winter!

Also on offer will be Dry Slope Tubing- it’s like sliding down the snow in a giant roll.

What’s Dry Slope?
Dry Slope is a material designed to simulate sliding on the snow, and won’t wreck your skis or snowboard in any way. Think of it as looking a bit like fake grass, but as slippery as the white stuff.There's also talk of a bungy tramp. :D

[D-Dog]

any one know of any upgrade works happening over summer at the resorts? any new snowmaking or lifts?

[Vet]

Baw Baw sound like they're pulling the finger out. Another mountain has sat on the idea for years: eg dry terrain park.

Check the dates that the lifts are working at Buller, Tobes.

Regarding other things to do, word is very few places will open over summer at buller. There was quite a rebellion up there over running at a loss over summer. One guy on the RMB was surprised that places shut before the lifts stopped. Well there just wasn't the demand to justify their overpriced gas bills and other costs.

[BlueHue]

Originally posted by D-Dog:
any one know of any upgrade works happening over summer at the resorts? any new snowmaking or lifts? I hear Thredbo are lifting Golf Course with a gondola from the valley terminal to top of Karels with a mid station at old tower 10 on Ramsheads and will also be bringing Stanley's Gorge in bounds whilst also putting a few other little known steep gladed areas on the trail map and patrolling them.

Perisher are replacing the Ridge with a high speed chair and adding new terrain wider out in the steep trees beyond outer limits and also putting two new quads in at Guthega, one from bottom of Cow Pastures to the top and the other from near the bottom of Cow Pastures to the top of Pleasant Valley so you can get back to Perisher in one hit from Guthega (and allowing you to ski Double trouble using only one lift).

Hotham this summer plan to lift Avalanche Gully, Falls are going to lift Mt McKay whilst Buller are lifting the chutes and building a gondola from Mirrimbah. Every resorts plans on trebling their snowmaking capacity and updating to new technology that allows them to produce twice the snow with half the water (and it will all be powder snow as well).

Oh yeh, I heard something about a funitel from the Thredbo Valley floor to Charlotte's with mid stations at the bottom of Twin Valleys and at the top of Mt Stillwell.

Ok anyone got anything else to add graemlins/cold.gif ;)

Seriousoly, nice work Baw Baw. Being the closest ski area to Melbourne you would think they are on to something with the dry slope and summer terrain park.

[Vet]

Originally posted by D-Dog:
any one know of any upgrade works happening over summer at the resorts? any new snowmaking or lifts? Buller is after volunteers to work on bike/nordic trails. I tink its 2 weeks hard yakka, and workers get a free bike pass worth about $250. Of course, if you're working, where do you get the time to ride and use the chair pass? But does it come with accomodation, meals, fuel up and down the hill everyday, the Award rate of pay, superannuation, sick leave, holiday pay and workcover? You'll have to ask them.

[Vet]

The Harley Owners Group are rolling into Buller 10-12 December. Pity I sold my 1200 cc. I loved that Datsun.

[tambo]

graemlins/big_laugh.gif @ BlueHue

[Podlettte]

:D nice one BH!

[SA]

You must be making up all that stuff about the dry slope BH...

;)

[pow pig]

Originally posted by BlueHue:
Ok anyone got anything else to add graemlins/cold.gif ;)
I heard that all snowatchers will be getting free season passes at all resorts as well as accommodation, food and most importantly, alcomahol!

But then, I also heard that 2009 was gonna be a bumper season.... graemlins/outtahere.gif

[parachutist]

Blue Hue for PM!

[Legolas]

Bags not being the one to wash blue hues sheets after that dream...

Not that I'm not lovin it bh. I'd vote for you. Blue hue 2011 ( it doesn't rhym like Kevin 07 but look where that gotthe budget slurpie. Gone on bloody 2 kid schools instead of viable ski resorts. ...;)

[The Frog]

Great post Tobi. And to the others that posted untruths, remember that not everyone knows you are joking.

I think Baw Baw are really onto a winner with this. I have been saying for years we need some artificial slopes in Oz, and only 2 hours from Melbourne. Anyone know what kind/brand of dry slope that are going to use?

[The Frog]

Hopefully it's Snowflex:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/77/Snowflex.jpg

I spuppose we can only dream...
http://www.besportier.com/archives/snowflex-slope.jpg

http://www.powdermag.com/media/photo/snowflex-machine-made-snow/1-snowflex-machine-made-snow-snowflex-slope.jpg

http://www.theskichannel.com/image/news/20090508_snowflex_700.jpg

[Bear]

We need one of them in Canberra. :D

[The Frog]

yeah I think Canberra would be ideal, actually Corin has the slopes and lift for it.

[Vet]

Originally posted by pow pig:
[QUOTE]But then, I also heard that 2009 was gonna be a bumper season.... graemlins/outtahere.gif it was a typo. they meant 'bummer', not bumper. :D

[Billy]

It looks like you'd snap your arm in 3 places if you had a fall! Is it hard?

[Vet]

I suspect it'll be on rubber matting like the flooring used at McDonalds' playgrounds. Still, it'll be hard.

I'd like to see it used on QB Weekends maybe with a rail jam. There's a house in Mansfield where the 3 year olds are boarding on it, but in 06-09 Buller didn't even bother carting it up the hill on QB Weekend for people to try. And they wonder why people don't go up.

What's that d'ziner fake snow like to ride on? I recall someone was experimenting with it at Buller about 5 years ago, but I haven't seen a commercial application yet. (And they wonder why people don't book school holidays)

[Tobi]

Originally posted by The Frog:
I think Baw Baw are really onto a winner with this. I have been saying for years we need some artificial slopes in Oz, and only 2 hours from Melbourne. Anyone know what kind/brand of dry slope that are going to use? The only information on their website is what I quoted in the first post.

I might be heading up there on Saturday for a bit of a hike and play in the snow so will see if I can find out any more information.

Have also heard there will some rock climbing going on up there over summer. smile.gif

[The Frog]

I emailed them last night to see if I can get any more info and if they could keep us updated.

As for injuries I found a medical paper on reported injuries from this type of dry snow and it found most injuries were upper body with thumbs being most injured due to getting caught in the matting (but that paper seemed quite old so that problem may have been amended). Maybe they didn't wear gloves cause it was so warm.

[The Frog]

I suppose not much will be happening at the resorts as far as work goes until the snow dissapears, which could be a while as it's still snowing.

[Jahoota]

Originally posted by The Frog:
As for injuries I found a medical paper on reported injuries from this type of dry snow and it found most injuries were upper body with thumbs being most injured due to getting caught in the matting (but that paper seemed quite old so that problem may have been amended). Maybe they didn't wear gloves cause it was so warm. ha. thats exactly what I did on teh old dry slope at narrabeen decades ago. Broke it in 3 places :D tho driving home (being a manual) wasnt much fun at all... :( )

[spaz]

Ahh Narrabeen! First time I ever saw/tried skis, did one slide on the slope and headed for the BMX track. I didn't like skiing-it seemed stupid. How wrong I was, nothing like real snowskiing down a real mountain!

Snowflex has been talked about a bit over at Boardworld, one of the members has been to a park a few times, they water it with a chemical to keep it slippery - you do get a bit wet, gloves are recommended and a spray jacket.

[BlueHue]

Can't help but think a dry slope done properly in or near a major city like Sydney/Melbourne would do very well particularly with jibbers if a decent terrain park was set up.

[The Frog]

Anyone got any money?

[Polaris]

Originally posted by The Frog:
Anyone got any money? I'll let you know after this weeks lotto ;)