It’s 3.00am and you want the party to go forever, you go in search of party goodies, a goon bag, a cooking sherry, some after dinner liquer chocolates, whatever you can get, just to keep the feeling alive.
Only you can’t, you’re on the downward slope clinging on. Only the die hard party goers remain and the hot singles have coupled up and fled into the night, leaving at the peak of the party so it will always be the best party ever.
Not for those left behind, squeezing the last drop out of the goon bag, cutting it open with scissors to lick it dry. That’s today, the last weekend of this topsy turvy winter season in Australia.
Sunday is the final lift accessed day in Oz at Perisher while Cardrona remains open until October 20 and Ruapehu will then be the only resort still open for the rest of the month and into November across the ditch.
This is it folks, the sun is up, the lights are bright, put on your shades, it’s time to go home.
But first…
The 2019 season that was in GIFs
The sale of Falls Creek and Hotham to Vail Resorts finalised just in time, then Buller, the only big commercial resort left in Australia not tied to Vail or Alterra, went and joined the Mountain Collective, then thirteen days later joins the Ikon Pass.
The 2019 season started well, with tons of snow (remember that 80cm early storm) and cries of a record breaking season ahead. So Buller announced they were opening early, then Perisher announced they were opening earlier.
Then Selwyn quietly opened and beat them all.
Then we all went skiing/boarding, loving ourselves sick in the winter conditions.
Meanwhile in New Zealand…
Then Buller missed the bus (if you know, you know).
Perisher missed the power (August 4).
And a “gust of wind” hit Thredbo.
Big enough to knock a chairlift off a cable and the skier on the chair with it.
Across the ditch Cardrona announced the intention to purchase Treble Cone for $7 million and everyone wished they’d thought of it first.
In Australia we met *Jarrod for the first time, or did we?
Mt Hutt announced a car pool day to save on fuel emissions of drivers heading to the ski field, it co-incided with a powder day and this happened.
Hotham had an avalanche.
These boys claimed a first descent in Australia’s backcountry that divided the internet.
Then everyone realised you could actually ski steep as hell couloirs in Tasmania.
The Alpine Way to Perisher and Thredbo and the roads to Falls and Hotham closed, then closed again as cars fought to get in after blizzards dumped snow.
And everyone acted surprised because, you know, peak season, school holidays and snow.
Some Aussie (and NZ) resorts extended the season. Then a dust storm came in.
And eventually the season ended.
And we all packed up our bags and went home after yet another rocking season.
The End.
Except Ruapehu, it will take all summer to melt that 3 metre plus base. They’ll be skiing at Christmas. Mark. My. Words.
