SNOW IT ALL
If you have been waiting for the temperatures to drop and snow to hit the ground before deciding on your winter ski holiday well, now is the time. Both Australia and New Zealand ski-fields have received significant snowfalls in the past week with talk of a metre bound for Treble Cone this weekend.
Yes, it is still early days. However, the next fortnight will determine if Australians will be skiing on the June long weekend or not and if recent satellite images are anything to go by I would say it is highly likely.
The pre-season early-bird lift deals have all finished but resorts on both sides of the ditch still have some good deals to make the most of your last-minute snow flush before the season begins.
The best deal remains the Perisher Freedom Pass with Epic Benefits which finishes on May 31. Buy a Perisher Freedom Pass for $749 the season and receive unlimited skiing at all Vail Resorts in the USA in 2015/2016 including Park City and The Canyons and 10 days at Beaver Creek and Vail.
Thredbo recently announced its partnership with The Mountain Collective alongside Jackson Hole, Aspen Snowmass, Whistler and seven other US resorts. Buy a Mountain Collective pass for $US379 and receive up to three days free skiing at Thredbo this season plus 50 per cent off all additional lift passes.
Buy a two-day Torah Bright Beginners Pack at Thredbo before May 29 and receive the third day free. Pack includes lift, lesson and rental from $223.
Falls Creek and Hotham offer 15 per cent off any lift passes if you buy online 14 days in advance. Then if you bundle lessons or rentals in that same transaction you will save another 15 per cent. Both resorts also have a two-day weekend pass throughout the season for $173 if you buy online 14 days in advance, tertiary students receive 50 per cent off the adult lift price every Monday and Friday, and kids aged five and under ski for free.
Ski or snowboard on any Thursday this season at Mount Buller and pay just $80 for a lift pass if you buy online. Tertiary students enjoy half-price tickets every Tuesday and Wednesday and if you buy any lift passes online more than seven days in advance you will save 10 per cent.
Across the Tasman if you ski at Cardrona and Treble Cone then it is worth investing in the Cardrona TC Flexi Pass. Pay for a three-day or five-day pass, ski on consecutive or non-consecutive days on either mountain for $NZ95 per day.
NZ Ski offers a three-day learn-to-ski package for $NZ619 available through Ski Max, Ski Express, Helloworld and other Australian travel agents. Price includes three-day lift passes, lessons, rental equipment, clothing and bus transport for Coronet, Remarkables and Mt Hutt.
Porters Ski Area near Christchurch offers free skiing for kids under 12 with every adult lift pass bought. The resort also offers two-for-one Mondays on every week of the season except school holidays.
There are 24 sleeps left till opening weekend and let's hope that Ullr the snow god is kind to Australia and New Zealand this year. In the meantime, keep an eye on your favourite resort's social media channels as intermittent specials are released throughout the season.
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See also:
What's hot this ski season
Snow hits the resorts as temperatures drop below freezing
