Will all the wingers about prices stop and think about how expensive their flights around the world are!!!!
Perisher has such a varied terrain, stacks of lifts and if you avoid the main areas,and or plan your day, small waiting times.
Sure tickets are not cheap but I get value for money each and every day on the snow.
Early season obviously has less snow than August {just look at the snow depth graphs}.
Start taking overseas trips and get buses or drive to the slopes each day instead of just going outside the door of your accommodation.
Suck it up and enjoy what we have!!
Well, I see Perisher has raised its prices for lift tickets again this year. $112 a day. Perisher obviously wants to turn skiing and snowboarding into a sport for the rich. I have been snowboarding at Perisher for 6 years now and when I first went tickets were $89, not cheap but not excessive. Apart from adding more snow guns nothing has changed in terms of infrastructure to justify this excessive rise in price. Same chairs that stop every time you get on them and spew toxic fumes while you're waiting to board them. I love snowboarding but I think I'm going to buy a new steamer and go do more surfing this winter and take a trip to Chile or New Zealand. It's just not worth it anymore and I know a heap of my friends feel the same way. Poor effort Perisher and the rest of the Aussie snow resorts are not much better.
How many people here know Australia had the worlds first Alpine Ski Club?... “The Holmenkollen Ski Museum confirmed in 2006 that the first two ski clubs in the world were formed by Norwegians in 1861, both in Australia and Norway”. Wikipedia.
On reading the comments above I noticed this - generally the Australians bag Perisher out but skiers/boarders from overseas are pleasantly surprised. It is all about expectation. If you ski Australia because you need your adrenaline fix, you will enjoy it. If you understand that we have a fickle short winter, you will enjoy it. If you would like to continue to learn and hone your skills for those overseas trips, you will enjoy it. If you want to compare it to the rest of the world, you will not enjoy it and will find fault.
Perisher might not be the greatest resort in comparison to other world resorts, but I say this... if you can ski Australia you can cope skiing anywhere else. It can be hard packed, icy and slushy at times and requires precision and skill to ski here competently. If you can carve it up here, you can ski anywhere in the world.
Our snow groomers are also well respected overseas, we have to "farm" the snow and "build" a significant amount of the runs here as opposed to just grooming the snow elsewhere.
Skiing in Australia in unique. You cannot compare it to OS resorts, we just don't have the same climate. If you just love to ski/board you will enjoy it no matter where you go.
Just back from skiing three days at Perisher. All blue bird days.
All but a few lifts were open and the snow coverage was very good. This was the first time I had skied this area, and I was impressed with the lift access and the staff. I am not sure what people are expecting when skiing Australian resorts but I must say Perisher was well worth a visit. There has not been much snow of late, but all open runs had full cover and most were groomed. Lift queues were minimal which was surprising as there was such a great cover of snow with blue bird conditions.
Access on to the hill was very easy from Jindabyne though one always has to pay the National park fee. Lift prices are expensive, but that is the price and with all the snow making I can understand that it cost more than some areas that have more natural snow.
Certainly a good resort for those that are beginners to intermediate skiers. There looked like there was a lot of back country skiing available and more advance skiers could find a challenge if they know where to look. The half pipe and terrain parks looked as good as any I have seen. Not my thing but I can see why Australia produces some good free stlye skiers/boarders.
Overall, a great few days, and if you like skiing/boarding and are in Australia, why would'nt you have a look. For me back to Europe in December and more skiing.
After being at Perisher last week, I'd like to congratulate the lifties for raising their previously poor standard. Whoever is briefing you guys has certainly got you to lift your game and it shows: the crowds are more respondant and it makes a big difference. So well done guys, I'm proud of you... MS
Had five days at Perisher last week and no doubt the natural snow could be better, but thanks to the extra $ spent @ Perisher the man-made snow was great. With more snow arriving next week it will be great to get all the lifts and runs open and I will be back then, hopefully to an extended resort. Also booked Whistler in Feb next year and can't wait to go back for our third trip. MS
I have to say that I'm very disappointed with skiing in general in Australia. Yes, we're lucky to be skiing at all, but like so many of you, I'm not sure how the likes of Perisher justify the lift prices when not even half the resort is skiable. The staff leave a lot to be desired and it's a great shame that management aren't more selective or stricter with their staff.
Hi Guys and Gals, I live in Perth and have been watching intently on the webcams and foxtel. Mother nature knows what she is doing and surely the weak years are part of a healthy cycle. I am a half glass full type and I book my Perisher holiday well in advance of any idea about the snow conditions. I am just so grateful to know that when I finally arrive in Perisher that there will be some sort of snow. It's great about the intense work from the snowmakers and the grooming staff are contributing. It is a short season in Australia anyway but if you live on the east coast you don't have a massive airfare to go to Canada or USA for example. On average I usually get great snow at Perisher but, I won't be able to have access to Guthega this year. However, I am blown away by the half million++ cubic metres of snow by the Perisher team and have not lost my money or my holiday. Get real people because when Perisher does pump I would not want to be anywhere else and I have skied in Europe and Canada.
I know Perisher can't help the weather conditions & lack of natural snow falls, but it's a bit rude when you pay top dollars to board/ski there when the only runs are open are man-made snow runs with massive line ups & they still charge full price for the lift tickets when only half the runs are open! I have been there for the last 4 seasons with my young family & have had some good times & skiing thanks mainly to Barakee lodge & their great staff & management. We had a nightmare experience at Lodge 21 (Smiggins). But I am sick of getting ripped off at Perisher. Next year I will be spending my money overseas.
I have skied Perisher for the last 8 years and had fun every year. I have to agree with the comments about management. I questioned them about the price difference between first time lift & lesson ticket & the non first timer lift & lesson ticket which is more expensive. Basically, after a lot of emailing back & forward I was told that the first timer lift ticket had a discount & the non first timer lift ticket didn't & that was just the way it is. No further explanation & the way the email ended was abrupt and just plain rude. True we have a short season but still I think return customers should be able to get some sort of discount on their lift tickets for their loyalty.