With the trans Tasman bubble now official from April 19, now’s the time to jump on The Mountain Collective season pass and get the best of both worlds.
This is your way of making up for all the ski and board days that might’ve been lost through COVID by hitting up both Australia and New Zealand with the one pass.
You’ll tick off the best terrain, longest runs and biggest vertical at Thredbo and Mt Buller, then do it all again in New Zealand at Coronet Peak and The Remarkables, all in the same season.
With two days to use at every Mountain Collective resort plus one extra third day for the resort of your choosing, you’ll have the chance to explore every resort on offer; plus you can opt for more, with 50% off further lift tickets, and up to 25% off lodging.
Here’s our guide to making the most of the Mountain Collective pass and what there is to love about each destination; plus the international resorts across Europe, North America and Japan when it’s safe to travel again.
Thredbo, Australia
Kick off the good times in Thredbo, which offers up Australia’s highest lifted point at 2037m, along with the country’s longest runs – the longest of which takes you all the way from the top to the bottom and is almost 6km. Enjoy 13 lifts accessing 50 trails along with 77 inches of annual snowfall.
But people really love Thredbo for the village vibes. The European-style village at the base of the resort offers up 30 different bars and restaurants, with the après often in full swing early on.
Plus the best on-mountain destinations, like Kareela Hutte for pretzels and fondue; boozy hot chocolates at Eagles Nest, Australia’s highest restaurant; and Merritt’s Mountain House for buckets of beers.
Mt Buller, Australia
Just three hours from Melbourne, it’s easy to see why Mt Buller attracts so many to its slopes every season. With over 300 hectares to explore, with 80 trails accessed by 22 lifts and 95 annual inches of snowfall, it happens to be the largest lifting network in Victoria. Plus everything from beginner runs through to some of the best bumps and steeps in Australia.
Pair all of that with state-of-the-art snowmaking and a wide range of amenities, including an alpine spa, Olympic training facilities, movie cinema, supermarket and snow play parks – two days here, plus a third should you choose to use it here, will keep you busy.
Coronet Peak, New Zealand
Coronet Peak is just 20 minutes from Queenstown, everyone’s favourite resort town for adventure activities. On the mountain, you’ll find the most incredible views, awesome terrain and incredible back bowls to challenge the most discerning skiers and riders; plus modern lifts, extensive snowmaking and world-class grooming.
One of Coronet’s perks is that they offer up night skiing on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays throughout the winter, complete with seriously good tunes and so much fun to be had. You’ll see everyone from freestylers in the terrain park to families loving the beginners area here.
The Remarkables, New Zealand
While in Queenstown, you’ve also got two days to enjoy the Remarkables, right across the valley from Cardrona. A 40-minute drive from town, the mountain is famous for a huge range of epic off-piste terrain filled with pow, chutes and natural rock drops; plus no less than seven terrain parks.
But don’t be intimidated, because the Remarks are as friendly and relaxed as they come. With sunny slopes and many friendly faces to find along the way, your two days of choice here will be more than enjoyable.
International destinations galore
Should travel open up for the 2021/2022 season, you’ve also got another twenty of the world’s best resorts at your command.
That includes Aspen Snowmass, Mammoth, Jackson Hole, Niseko, Chamonix, Sun Peaks and Revelstoke, to name just a few. So even if some destinations open and others don’t – there’s enough international love to go around and make the most of your pass.
How much
The Mountain Collective pass will set you back just US$499 for adults (approx. AUD$650 at time of writing), US$399 for teens (AUD$520) and US$199 for kids (AUD$260).
If you can tick off the full 47 days at 23 different resorts, the pass comes down to costing just AUD$13 a day.
