Words: Jock Morrissey

Australia is often left out of the limelight when it comes to powder recognition. We all know that our terrain parks rank highly on the world stage, but what about our powder and freeriding terrain? Well, relatively speaking, we're beat if you compare seasonal snowfall statistics to powder juggernauts such as Japan and Canada. With that being said, the Australian Alpine region is home to some exceptional terrain. Perisher is Australia's largest resort and boasts a whopping 1,245 hectares of rideable terrain. With a summit elevation of 2,054 metres and a lift capacity of 53,990 riders lifted per hour, there's certainly no shortage of options on a powder day. Below we've compiled a comprehensive guide to our top five spots to ride on a powder day.

Perisher's expansive terrain stretches across seven mountain peaks

LEICHHARDT

Banked slalom ruts? Rock drops? Tree gaps? Leichhardt ticks a lot of boxes. Some of the most memorable days I've ever spent snowboarding have been ripping in and around the Leichhardt area. When the T-bar was operating, you could lap this run rapidly, which made for some high-octane shredding. Perisher recently added a new quad chair, making it even more accessible to the public. Get there quick and early; when the snow is deep, Leichhardt is quite often the number one choice for regular resort rats.

Jesse Kennedy narrowly threads the needle through a Leichhardt tree gap. Photo: Jock Morrissey

SOUTHERN SIDE OF MT. PERISHER

Between Eyre T-Bar and the southern boundary fence on Mt. Perisher, you can find some amazing terrain. Since this zone is quite exposed with next to no protection, the whole face is home to countless wind lips and deep snowdrifts. Throughout the top section, you’ll find a plethora of rock drops and side hits. The only drawback to this area is the exposure; If there’s even the slightest amount of wind or snow, you’ll undoubtedly feel it. Being on the boundary of the resort, you can expect to ride this area from midday onwards and still find plenty of freshies.