
Mt Buller is Victoria's most popular ski resort and the most accessible major alpine resort in Australia, sitting approximately 235km north-east of Melbourne and reachable in around three hours — closer to an international airport than any other large resort in the country. The mountain covers 300 hectares of skiable terrain across 76 runs between 1,375m and 1,805m, split across two distinct aspects: a south-facing shady side and a north-facing sunny side that together provide varied conditions throughout the day. Skiing has taken place on the mountain since 1924, making it one of the longest continuously operating ski areas in Australia.
The terrain breakdown is 45% intermediate, 35% advanced and 20% beginner — well suited to a resort that draws heavily from Melbourne's day-trip and weekend market. At the advanced end, runs including The Chamois and Federation offer genuine challenges, while three terrain parks cater to different freestyle levels. The alpine village sits at the heart of the mountain with ski-in ski-out accommodation, more than 30 dining and bar options, and the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia — the national high-performance snow sports training centre — located on the mountain.
Mt Buller is the largest ski area in Victoria, covering about 300 hectares with 76 runs between 1,375 and 1,805 metres, a vertical of 430 metres. Its profile is 20% beginner, 45% intermediate and 35% advanced, with no expert-rated terrain. That advanced share is higher than many resorts of this size, and it gives the mountain a sporty character. Fourteen chairlifts of various types serve the slopes, supported by T-bars and surface lifts, so the whole mountain is easy to cover. The village sits high on the ridge, with runs descending on several sides, and the terrain feels varied from top to bottom.
Bourke Street is the main green thoroughfare from the summit area back towards the village, served by the Bourke Street Express six-seat chair. Chamois and Federation are the best-known advanced runs, steep and often bumped, while the Cresta Run provides more of the same for strong skiers. Boggy Creek and the lower slopes suit newer skiers and families. Intermediates fill the middle of the mountain with long, groomed cruising. Mt Buller suits confident intermediates and advanced skiers who want a sustained, technical day, and families can still find a gentle area to learn. Experts will want something steeper, but few will feel short-changed.
The 2026 season at Mt Buller runs from 6 June to 4 October, a four-month window that aligns with the Victorian alpine season calendar. Average annual snowfall reaches 2 metres, and the resort's snowmaking system covers approximately 78 hectares — around 26% of the total skiable area — providing early-season and low-snow-year insurance across the key corridors including Bourke Street and Burnt Hut Spur. The snowmaking system is capable of operating in above-zero daytime temperatures, extending its effective window compared to systems at higher-altitude resorts.
Mt Buller sits on the south-western edge of the Victorian Alps, which makes it more exposed to cold airmasses moving up from the Southern Ocean than resorts further north-east. This positioning contributes to some of the lowest recorded maximum temperatures in regional Victoria — a useful buffer during warm spells that affect other resorts. The Ikon Pass and Mountain Collective both include Mt Buller, connecting the resort with Thredbo, Mammoth, Niseko, Coronet Peak and a broader global network.
Mt Buller is located in Victoria's Alpine National Park, 47km east of the town of Mansfield and approximately 235km north-east of Melbourne via the Maroondah Highway and Mount Buller Road. The 16km sealed access road from Mirimbah climbs steadily to the village with an average gradient of 6.2%, and all vehicles are required to carry and fit wheel chains when directed. A resort entry fee applies to all vehicles, which includes parking. The drive from Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport takes around three hours under normal conditions.
Coach transfers from Melbourne operate throughout the season via V/Line services connecting with Mansfield Mount Buller Buslines, and various private transfer operators run direct services from the city. Mansfield, 47km below the resort, provides a range of accommodation and services as an alternative base for visitors seeking lower-cost options. Adjacent Mt Stirling — managed by the same resort authority — offers cross-country skiing and snowshoeing accessed from the same road, with no resort entry fee required for those visiting Mt Stirling on foot.
Hotels and lodges near Mt Buller, powered by Stay22.

Vermont's season is slow to take shape. Stratton is tentatively targeting 18 November and Sugarbush 21 November, while Pico has Friday 11 December on the calendar. Killington never sets a date and opens when the snowmaking allows, and Vail Resorts has yet to name days for Stowe, Okemo and Mount Snow. The forecasts disagree about snow, and the main El Niño worry for the Green Mountains is warmth.

Less than four months out from the Crans-Montana 2027 World Championships, the man running the organising committee has stepped down. Claude-Alain Schmidhalter resigned as Swiss-Ski vice president and OC president after being indicted over a business dispute unrelated to skiing. He denies the allegations and faces court on October 27. Interim leaders are in place for the February 1-14 event.

Kelly Canyon had a rough 2025-26, and the Idaho resort has spent the summer making sure it doesn’t repeat. Snowmaking now reaches the top of Goldrush, the terrain park is doubling in size with a stereo system, lights and a snack shack, and the car park is getting bigger. Grooming is stepping up too. Target opening is December 4, conditions permitting.

Winter was meant to be winding down in Chile. Then Valle Nevado took 108 cm in 48 hours in early October, and the resort has pushed its closing date out to November 8 - its latest in 38 years of operation. That makes 143 days of skiing since opening day on June 19, with 690 cm banked for the season. Only part of the mountain is running while the storm settles, so check the mountain report before you plan a trip.

The Alps look a lot more like winter today, for a day or so. A cold front is moving west to east, dropping up to 35 cm on high glaciers and peaks, with snow levels falling to around 1,500-1,800 m at times. Don’t plan a trip around it: mid-elevation snow will be thin and wet, every area is closed bar a limited Sölden glacier opening tomorrow, and warmer weather returns by Monday.

Mammoth Mountain is first up in California, targeting Friday 13 November after a dusting of September snow. Heavenly and Northstar follow on 20 November, Palisades Tahoe on Wednesday 25 November and Sugar Bowl on 27 November, with Kirkwood on 4 December and June Mountain on 19 December. Plenty of smaller areas have no date yet. A super El Niño favours the Sierra, but a warmer storm track is the catch.

Arapahoe Basin, Keystone and Winter Park are all chasing an October start, though none has a firm date yet. The first dated openers are Breckenridge and Copper on Friday 6 November, then Vail on 13 November, with most of the rest bunched around US Thanksgiving. Hesperus did not open at all last season. A super El Niño offers hope but no guarantee, and forecasters say the southern mountains have the better odds.

Dolomiti Superski is spending around €100 million across its 12 areas before winter. Kronplatz gets a new 10-passenger gondola with a middle station, 3 Zinnen gets Helmissimo, and Val di Fassa swaps a chairlift for a gondola above Col Valvacin. New water-storage basins and upgraded snowmaking follow, and construction has started on the San Martino to Passo Rolle link. A peak adult day pass is €89.
More Mt Buller intelligence: snow report, lift system, webcams, resort overview.