Australian ski resorts can no longer hide the fact there isn’t any natural snow, no matter how many tight camera shots of man made snow they post on social media.
If I was a resort marketer in Australia right now, I’d throw a black carpet over the snow cams and go to lunch. A long lunch. Perhaps even a season long lunch. Though we seriously hope the latter won’t be necessary and one storm is all it will take and those marketers won’t have time for lunch till October.
I received this photo from a guest at Thredbo this week and it made me weep into my pillow.
But it’s nothing compared to what the snow cams have been capturing at all the resorts around Australia as everyone’s in the same boat. The snow pack simply hasn’t been lower in June than it has been this year and it’s the lowest it has been up high above 1800 metres since the 1950s.
Meanwhile the resorts are remaining positive, despite the clearly dire conditions being posted across social media by guests. What else can they do? You can’t just pack up and go home as Californian resorts know too well and at least the bars around town will be raking it in.
If you’re a beginner skier or snowboarder you won’t know any different anyway as the beginner areas are filled with man made snow. Even intermediate skiers on High Noon at Thredbo are praising the conditions. Why? Because there’s no ice and it is super groomed and if you like to ski the groomers then you’re fine, more than fine.
So it’s hats off to the snow makers and groomers who are pretty much keeping the resorts alive so far this season and keeping some hair on the heads of the media teams who are no doubt pulling it out by the clump load.
The truth is these conditions are just begging for the first resort to do a truly hilarious snow report that would then go viral globally. We all remember the Mt Buller report that mimicked the Braveheart Mel Gibson speech. But it would appear the marketers dare not speak of El Nino or have their camera crews take any wide shots. Understandable.
You know you’re in trouble when a resort’s social media is boasting of snow flurries in the horizon. Flurries? Really? I want blizzards but beggars can’t be choosers and we all want the same thing. I’ll take what I can get and any day in the mountains is better than no day in the mountains.
If you want the weather low down you can read all the snow reports from Snowcast, Snowatch, Jane’s Weather and Snow Forecast and decide for yourselves. But they all agree that El Nino is having it’s wicked way with us and it’s just not pretty. Unlike this time last year which was more than pretty, it was stunning, powder perfection, face shots with every turn. But we must not look back, we must continue to look forward.
There is hope, there’s always hope, never, ever, ever give up hope. Snow is in the forecast for this weekend and next week. In fact it’s supposed to fall from the sky across the two weeks from July 5. It only takes one decent storm to turn everything around.
I for one am dancing and praying and sacrificing my skis to the bon fire to Ullr as I’m heading to the Victorian alps this Sunday and will be reporting back from the spa.
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Feature image by Dominic Ebenbichler
