How hard are the Buller chutes? Never been to Buller before but thinking about heading there this weekend to ski them depending on the weather and if the forecasted snow comes.

I’ve been interested in skiing the chutes since I saw a blog on them a few years ago but I’m unsure what they’ll be like difficulty wise considering I’ve never laid eyes on them in person.

For reference I’ve skied all the Hotham double blacks and spent a few days skiing the Niseko back country last Jan.

I think I’m more than capable but I’d like to hear from people who’ve skied them as I can only gauge the difficulty based on photos and videos I’ve seen.

Picking up snowboarding this year, live in Melbourne so closest mountain (besides Baw Baw) is Buller. Have been down a few times this season, keen to head down a couple times in September and more next season. Also looking to travel to Japan in February / March.

Wondering if a season pass to Buller is worth it? What about adding an IKON Base Pass if I'm going to Niseko? Or if a different season pass, e.g. Epic Pass is better? Still a beginner, I think Buller has lots of runs, but will I get bored of it?

https://youtu.be/nIDTJH4WQlo?si=Ck4PKmw70syvfgJF

A 2021 interview with Peter Crawford. He passed away June 2024 and aside from Stickers and Zoo Carts he improved Mt Hotham in many ways. I’d always planned on posting this... took a bit of time.

Is there any hostel accom in Jindy anymore. Looks like SMB shut in covid and never reopened 😔.

https://youtu.be/0tfWfsEsuqI?si=2P6ePb83pBns06Ch

https://youtu.be/mzn6m8kWlX8?si=LeT5K6-1PL2P4k_w

Youngsters think this season was special, I can tell you about 2 of my earliest seasons 1991 and 1993 where at times during the seasons we had over 3.5 metres, clearly they had the same in the 80's looking at these photos. The mountain was run by locals at that time, not people flying in from all over Australia and the world, and because of this extending the season was not a big deal, as the staff were happy for the extra work and there were no issues like interstate people booking their tickets home months prior leaving the resort undermanned as is the case in the past couple of decades. The season would often be extended as long as early October a few times that I recall.

I want to share an honest review on Thredbo Ski Accommodation and their associated business names (Jindabyne Ski Accommodation, Ski In Ski Out).

Hopefully this is welcome here? There's next to no other reviews for the business, and I wish I had read something like this prior.

positive

• the property we stayed in was beautiful, and the owner went to a huge amount of trouble to make it comfortable and considered
• good comms coming into check-in

negative

• the no-touch check-in is great, but requires you to upload documents in a very out of date way. feels unecessary and unsafe
• for all the trouble the landlord has gone to, the agency goes to very little:
• no reserve toilet paper, 2 small sachets of dish liquid, no dishwasher tablets - basically no basics at all that the last guest didn't leave there
• all the handsoap containers were already empty
• there was no comms on suggesting any of the above should be brought by the guests
• dirty towels and bedding were missed by the cleaners in the warddrobe. when we pointed it out, they were quick to respond, but did nothing about it
• overall cleanliness of the house was very poor

Am I being entitled? Maybe.

We spent a tonne of money on this, and the minor cost to them to supply toilet paper and other items (bought in bulk) is tiny compared to us buying it at the local grocer with exorbitant prices. It meant we couldn't check-in and get stuck into the holiday we'd all been looking forward to all year.

I'm also empathetic to how hard it must be to manage cleaners in a place like this, but they could have cared to come and provide a few extra towels, at least, when we pointed it out.

Such a shame that they can't get it running and carry it on through to the slopes.

im looking for a shuttle service from outer suburbs in melbourne to mt buller with maximum time to be in the snow for a ski trip. please let me know if there are any recommendations. thank you.

I just saw Buller still has lift passes available into the first week of October. That’s probably pushing it a little, but can anyone speak to the conditions in Mt Buller for mid-late September? Worth going still?

If you see a Melbourne to Mt Buller bus tour flogging a super cheap Mt Buller package without a lift pass, here’s the scam:

They’ll bus you to Buller, dump you in the village, then tell you to ride the free village shuttle to the top of the beginner slope, ski down, and repeat. Congratulations you’ll spend more time waiting and be refused a ride on the bus. If you had a lift pass you could have simply rode the chairlift.

Why this sucks for everyone: • You get stuck on one slope while everyone else explores the actual mountain. • You’ll be refused access to the bus once they realise what your dodgy tour operator has done. • The “tour” companies are scamming you and tricking you into the full ski experience when it’s anything but a money making scam for them. If you genuinely want to ski Buller for the first time find a reputable tour operator that provides you with a lesson and lift pass as part of the package.

Name and shame in the comments. People need to know who’s running these rip-off runs.

Hi. We are party of 4 Adults + 1 toddler (1.5years old) heading to Mt Buller for 2 days on 25th-26th August.

First time visit. No ski exp. 2 of us going for ski and lessons Other 2 staying with toddler no ski but snow play etc..

Questions: 1. For those skiing, best to get the official First timer ski lessons (2hrs) + Limited XS Beginner's Slopes (3 areas i think) - full day pass? OR just get the 2 Day Full Day Pass with separate lessons?

1. If those not skiing with toddler can we go up and watch / play snow? Will need yo get lift passes as well

2. Are the Sleddogs w Huskies worth it? Maybe we r going just for meet and greet session.

3. Any other activities for 1.5 year old apart from snow play/ tobaggan - too small of age i think etc..?

4. Forecast expecting additional snow fall this weekend hopefully coverage on 25th is ok plus just ended interschool comp. Cheers.

NOTE: I likely need some insight from people who are familiar with Falls Creek and Charlotte Pass or understands terrain pitch differences better than I do!

I am a beginner skier who usually goes to Falls Creek. I am trying to learn parallel turns at the moment and am finding it a little frustrating and scary given how it feels like you're slightly out of control and pick up speed at the start of a turn.

I practice on Drovers Dream at Falls and find the top section quite daunting in terms of steepness, to the point i fumble through it riddled with anxiety, only motivated by the fact that i'll be through it in a few turns / 25 metres.

We have booked a trip to Charlotte Pass in two weeks.

I've just found out through a website which measures terrain and it implies that the overall pitch of the only wide green runs at Charlotte pass (grade 18) are double that of Drovers Dream (grade 9), with sections that would technically be blue run steepness (Grade = 27) and the steepest section of Drovers being grade 17.

This obviously concerns me, if i can barely get through a tiny section of a grade 15-17, i don't know how i could confidently and successfully get down an entire run that is double the steepness overall and on par with the steep section I struggle with on Drovers plus some much steeper parts throughout.

With that knowledge and the fact that their green trail (equivalent to Wombats Ramble at Falls Creek) requires a 10 minute walk to the nearest lift (one at the base is broken)... I'm considering cancelling our upcoming trip to Charlotte Pass.

Can somebody please either confirm or reassure me that the Charlotte Pass's wide green runs (Home Run, Waterfall and Little Josh) are that much steeper than Drovers Dream at Falls Creek?

Thanks in advance

Hi there, my family and I will be staying in Jindabyne this weekend. The goal of the trip is for my grandparents to experience the snow as they have never seen snow before. We probably won't be doing any skii-ing/snowboarding. I also have my little cousins with me (aged 6-10), and was wondering where people would recommend to go to just play in the snow - a place that is accessible for the older folk but where the kids can just build a snowman and play around? Big plus if the scenery is nice? We will have a FWD. Thank you!!!

Factoring in both current conditions and terrain options, which resort is more worth it at the moment? Looking at early next week, maybe Monday or Tuesday

I'm a snowboarder (heard both mountains have traverses to avoid so shouldn't make a huge difference), not going to bother with park for this trip, usually just try to find fun side hits and the occasional drop to hit or glades to explore, but also pretty happy just carving and buttering around if off piste is looking pretty grim. Coming from 6 back to back Canadian seasons and I know we're heading into the tail end of the season here, so I'm not expecting anything crazy, just trying to have a fun cruisey day!

Currently leaning towards Thredbo, mostly based on pricing, but wanted to hear some opinions

Thinking of potentially coming down to Jindy from Sydney in the late arvo next week, so would most likely be arriving around 10pm, should I be concerned about lots of wildlife on the road down toward and past Cooma? Is it common to have close calls with hitting kangaroos or should it be alright?

Thanks

**EDIT: thank you all for the advice!

I live in Jindabyne and hear this often "misquoted" myth. The national parks advice is below, as is the web link so you can do your own validation.

Do not get ripped off by service stations who tell you otherwise, or Karens on Web forums for that matter.

The reason for this is you are (largely) driving in a valley, the altitude profile of which I have posted for you below, but in summary, two of the higher points are 1291m and 1351m (Thredbo). The natural snowline in AUS is more like 1700m (Perisher Carpark) these days.
You are unlikely to ever drive on snow on the road Jindabyne to Thredbo, it is a once or twice a year thing in a good year.

Couple of caveats.
1) While you can't be fined for not carrying chains to Thredbo, there are times (see above for frequency) that police could direct you to put chains on, you would probably know this and hire in Jindy anyway.
2) You shouldn't (technically) drive the 1 or 2 km beyond Thredbo without chains to Dead Horse Gap to look at the amazing views down to Victoria.
3) If you don't have chains in a 2WD, you can't just change your mind and head to Perisher.

QUOTE: see link below.
Do I need snow chains in Kosciuszko National Park?
All 2WD vehicles will need to carry snow chains between the June long weekend and the October long weekend on the following roads:

• Kosciuszko Road from the park boundary at Thredbo River.
• Alpine Way between Thredbo and Tom Groggin.
• Island Bend/Guthega Road for its full length.
• Snow chains are also recommended on Alpine Way between Jindabyne and Thredbo, and on Snowy Mountains Highway.

Driving safely in the snow | NSW National Parks

hey so me and my bf went up to falls last year but we went on like the one weekend where the lifts were shut due to a storm lmao so we have credit. We wanna do a daytrip with our credit but we have a few questions first. 1. I have my own board but my bf does not, could we use his credit to pay for rentals? 2. Can I use two credits to pay for one lift pass? Since one days worth of credit doesn’t cover a midweek life pass (that is wild btw) We just wanna double check cos I’ve reached out but haven’t heard back

I want to go up to the web cam stake at Perisher and get my photo taken, where on earth is it and how do I get there? Is it difficult to get to?

As per the title - I've been up a few times to Falls/Hoth in the past month and the extreme zones/hard black zones have been listed as closed on the app, and many have had "run closed" signs at the top.

However, talking with friends, they've been doing the runs and have come across plenty others who have been smashing the runs without issue. And before this past week, said the conditions were great.

I guess I am struggling to figure out whats a deterrent for idiots vs whats real - particularly when you go down Wombats at Falls, and there's signs on every little side hit saying "snowmobiles only" when its very obviously not going to be used for snowmobiles. It's set a precedent in my mind that the signs are just to stop idiots - though I'm more inclined to believe the signage at Hotham.

I can comfortably do DBD's overseas, I board well within my skill level. As a habitual rule-follower I have no idea if there's just some unspoken rule that no one has passed down to me or whether these are legitimate closures. I appreciate that as of right now, they are closed for poor coverage, but I'm looking back on the past month with this post.

Hey all,

I thought I would try this snow-loving community as my last resort before my family spend an arm and a leg on passes they can’t afford to visit me due to some unfortunate circumstances.

Does anyone have any bring a friend epic passes that won’t be getting used?

Happy to chuck some money your way :)