Aus or NZ for Sth Hemi Winter

Had a chat with a mate today about what we will be doing next July/August after splitting the last few winters between both sides of the Tasman.

He’s from NSW and I’m based out of Melbourne so NZ made sense to us as it was an equal length flight for both of us and we would meet up in Queenstown and go from there.

This coming year though, he’s thinking about the Epic Pass which gives access to some great resorts overseas and, as a result, he will probably want to use as much of his pass at Perisher as possible - fair point but then we then started questioning whether we would go to NZ at all this time around or just double down on the Aussie winter instead.

Thinking about maybe spending a joint week in Jindabyne and heading out to Perisher and/or Thredbo (for some variety).  I’ll grab some time at Hotham/Falls throughout the other weekends.

The access cost to stay at the Lake Jindy Hotel would be ~$2000 to split a room for the week, $1000 each.  When comparing against NZ, the accomm is typically free for us (mates’ houses) but then there’s airfares and car hire.  Although the NZ lift passes are cheap as chups.

It probably works out even in the end.  So this was a generic discussion point for folks on here, are you planning on using an Epic Pass or similar?  Or are you not buying into the whole loyalty pass thing and splitting your time up with a NZ trip?

And how do you think the Aus & NZ slopes compare?  I’m probably still going to grab a sly trip across the ditch if I can tag one onto the end of a working week.

I’ve never bought a season pass, and unless I was based near/at the resort for the entire season, I probably never will!!!!!

I’m also the type of person that would never buy an onsite caravan either!!!!!

Commitment issues, I don’t know????? I’ve been married for 30 years!!!!!

NZ, while I’ve never boarded there, is spectacular for scenery!!!!! Is the riding better than here????? Pure observation tells me they’re very similar!!!!! Unless that is, you’re going Heli Boarding!!!!!

Shop around for cheap accomodation up in Thredbo and stay on mountain!!!!! So much better than Jindy (and I’ll cop a shite load for this), and such a better mountain to ride!!!!!

All my personal opinion, but I’ll stand by my assumptions!!!!!

The main difference between Australia and NZ is we have trees they don’t. NZ does have some good back country easily accessed from the lifts at the known resorts like Remarkables and Treble Cone, if you get bad weather in NZ you can’t escape it. I have heli boarded at Mt Aspring which was good however still does not compare to a day in Japan. Another option for NZ is to hit the club fields like Mt Olympus and Broken River which offer great terrain and little crowds, jump onto Powderhounds to get the run down.
As for Australia Perisher offers a huge variety and great tree boarding and great side country, Thredbo has longer runs and has good side country unfortunately gets a bit of a crowd and good tree boarding. However the gem in my view is
Mt Hotham that place blows Perisher and Thredbo away and I ride Perisher these days and used to ride Thredbo for 20 years.
As Mizu suggested try staying in Thredbo not sure where cheap accom is however worth looking into.

It’s definitely all personal preference.

Honestly I’ve ridden at Thredbo, Perisher, Falls and Hotham as well as 2 trips across the ditch and they have pros and cons.

Thredbo is great in the morning but due to the way it faces is normally icy as shit after lunch. If you’re going to head there, get there for first lifts.

Perisher is huge but short. Be prepared to spend a good amount of time in lift lines and on chairs. Has some cool slack country and good runs but you kind of need to know how to get around.

Falls is similar to Perisher but hasn’t got nearly the same problems with line ups. Has some awesome tree runs and some decent slack country if you want to go looking. It’s my favourite Aus mountain.

Hotham is a weird one. It has some awesome gnarly terrain but if there is no snow, its not that crash hot. The lines were not bad but the lift system confused me. There were 3 lifts on the main run and all the runs converged at the end making it feel more packed than it actually was.

NZ. It’s awesome, Queenstown is rad and there is plenty to do. But driving up the mountain or catching the bus can be a hassle and no trees make it prone to wind and white outs. Honestly I’d only be heading back over if there was a good crew to go with and I didn’t have a pass for another resort.

And I say all of this, sitting in my awesome place in Fernie with snow just outside.

It’s certainly a different experience travelling and snowboarding in New Zealand. I think the main thing to consider is what sort of experience you want to have? New Zealand is worth visiting for sure. It’s a beautiful country, the mountains are unique, and you’ll probably have an epic time. New Zealand to me feels more like travelling/adventure.

That said, you can’t ignore the convenience and benefits of snowboarding in Australia on the Epic Pass.

My suggestion is have a think about what sort of overall experience you want to have and base your decision on that. Best of luck working it all out. Let us know what you decide.

Good points, I personally really enjoyed Falls this past winter during the weekend at the end of the school holidays where it bucketed down.  Some really great runs off Scotty’s to the left and right.

TJ, I agree with your point re Perisher and lining up for a while, although there are some great areas. 

Thredbo is the one I’ve never ridden and would be keen to give it a crack this year.  Sounds like some longer runs.

And yeah, will most likely head back to Wanaka for a week or so - guess I’m splitting my time again this year.  I agree with what everyone has said, two completely different experiences and for that reason I’m going to mix it up again.

If you decide on popping back to NZ, and you’ve already done the Queenstown/Wanaka thing, I’d be hitting up the Canterbury club fields for a totally new experience, and some true adventure. Mt Olympus is my favourite field for some off-piste (no grooming anyway hah) action. Relatively small area, but the quality and variety of terrain packed into it is insane. Natural hits everywhere, and if you’re up for a hike ‘Little Alaska’ lives up to it’s name. The top lodge accommodation is wicked, very good value, good food, and on mountain hot tub. Arrive in the morning, ride all day, spend the night, ride the next day, then head towards the other clubbies in the Selwyen area. Stay a night in Springfield and then ride Porters if you want a day without rope tows and some groomers, then carry on to Arthurs Pass and use that as a base for another 3 days or so to hit the surrounding fields there. Craigeburn and Temple Basin are a must, tack on any others that interest you. Best part is if you hit a powder day, you’ll have fresh lines literally all day. They’re hard work to get to, and if you’re not used to them hard work to ride the rope tows, but your efforts are definitely rewarded.

Picking up on this thread again (seems like a lifetime ago, ha) just booked in our flights over to Wellington (Beervana) and back via Queenstown. 10-22 Aug. Taking Phedder’s advice though and flying from Wellington to Christchurch, grabbing a 4WD and going to hit up some of the club fields - rope tows here we come

Mt Olympus looks epic, will probably then head over to Ohau/Roundhill at Tekapo followed by a day or so lapping Cardrona and then out of Queenstown home. 10 days all up on the Sth Island. If conditions permit, probably go a day of heli as well.

Regarding Oz, looking at Falls during the June/Jul school hols (probably the last weekend) and Jindy for the end of July.

Oh and the Shred of course!

Bring on winter!!

Beervana followed by Snowboarding, you know how to plan a holiday!

Sounds like an awesome itinerary, you’ll definitely need that 4wd for the Mt Olympus access road hah. If you do come up Roundhill pop into the Rentals and see me, I’ll be the only kiwi in there hah. You’ll have to anyway to grab a rope tow harness, we’ve got the longest and steepest in the world so when the snow’s really on there’s nowhere better to be for a long and steep open face powder run! If you need an active rest day from riding, the hooker valley hike in the Mt Cook park is stunningly beautiful and relatively mellow, perfect way to kill half a day between Roundhill/Tekapo and Ohau/Twizel.

Yeah I’ve been eyeing off Roundhill for about a year now - we didn’t make it across last August.  Largest vertical drop in ANZ on that bowl, let’s hope it dumps down just before I get there!  You guys are starting to get some snow now, looks like a good winter ahead!

Well my wife has booked in a meditation retreat with her girlfriend in Indo for the week following our NZ trip - so this means I’m of course extending my trip by another week

So I now have Beervana on the 12th, then flying down to Queenstown on the 13th, flying back to Melbourne on the 29th.

The schedule has now been blown wide open, looks like I’ll probably head across to Christchurch during that final week and fly home from there, doing Roundhill & Ohau on the way.  This is going to be interesting!

Sounds like a great trip Hughman!
Lot of diversity and freedom.
I found NZ to be beautiful.  Being in QT during school holidays though - busy af.  Crazy busy.

Extended trip means extended stoke

If you hit a powder day there’s not many places in NZ I’d rather be than our rope tow (maybe Mt Olympus)

My beloved rentals office after the latest dump:

aaaaaand picturesque the day after. That entire left face is what the rope tow accesses

Looking dry the next few weeks though, hopefully we get a top up before we open 2nd July!

Damn that’s looking good.  NZ definitely has the (usual) leg up on Aus for this early in the season.

Comparing Perisher with Cardrona today

It’s so busy at Cardy though, and it doesn’t have the steeps of Front Valley!

/end sarcasm

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Meanwhile here at Falls, we are only open for sight seeing… :(

Yeah I was in Bright for opening weekend didn’t bother with heading up either of the hills due to lack of snow - wasn’t expecting any to be honest, was in town to hit up the MTB trails and drink beer!

Hoping to head to Falls in the school holidays with my daughter, should be some decent snow by then!