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Latest in Hotham
Mount Hotham to Close for the 2026 Season on Sunday, September 6
We knew when the Bird Bath Pond Skim showed up on Hotham's Instagram that the season was on its way out. It's been a rough one - I only managed two days on snow all year, at Falls Creek - and now Baw Baw, Selwyn and Hotham have all called it, possibly the worst Australian season I've seen in a decade. Hotham's last day of lift operations is Sunday, 6 September, with a Retro Day, Father's Day après and closing sales before the lifts stop turning for good.
Michael Fulton
Australia's Snow Drought Breaks as Storm "Buries" the Ski Resorts
Two days ago, webcams across Australia's ski resorts were showing bare, grassy slopes. Now they're buried in white. A cold snap has dumped fresh snow from the Snowies to the Victorian high country overnight, with Thredbo copping 24cm, Perisher 20cm and Hotham reporting a storm total of 30cm. Blizzard conditions, sub-zero temps and howling winds have made for a proper winter morning - and snowmaking crews are making the most of it while the cold sticks around. Here's how each resort fared.
Michael Fulton
Snowless in July: Australia's Historic Dry Start Gets Trolled by Japan
Australia's 2026 ski season has hit a grim milestone - Spencers Creek read zero centimetres entering July, matching the second-worst start in 72 years of records. A Japanese resort seized the moment, posting webcam shots of brown Aussie slopes to spruik its own snow. El Nino is the likely culprit, but 72 years of data says panic is premature - a storm packing up to 40cm was forecast to hit from Thursday. Here's what's actually going on, and what history says happens next.
Michael Fulton
The Snow Arrived. Mt Buller Stole the Show. Opening Weekend Is On.
We called the snow event. We didn't call Mt Buller leading the pack with 25cm. Falls Creek is sitting on 15cm and still falling, Hotham at 15cm, Thredbo at 13cm overnight. Snowguns are firing across the board and Opening Weekend is Saturday. The 2026 Australian season is starting in serious shape.
Michael Fulton
Snow Arrives Just in Time: Australian Alps Forecast Ahead of Kings Birthday Opening Weekend 2026
The 2026 Australian ski season opens on Kings Birthday weekend - 6 to 8 June - and the timing couldn't be better. A natural snowfall event is tracking across the Alps right now, with Perisher forecast to pick up 43.3cm and Thredbo 35.6cm over the next 10 days. Cooler temperatures from the start of June will also get the snow guns running. Not a blockbuster opening - but a genuinely solid one. Here's the full breakdown.
Michael Fulton
Mt Hotham's Best Intermediate Runs: Complete Guide to Victoria's Premier Slopes
Mt Hotham offers Australia's finest intermediate terrain, with runs like Bushwacker and the Milky Way combination providing the perfect balance of challenge and reward. This comprehensive guide ranks the top 5 intermediate runs that make Hotham superior to other Victorian resorts for progressing riders.
Michael Fulton
The Definitive Guide to Mt Hotham's Top 5 Intermediate Runs
Discover the five best intermediate runs at Mt Hotham that offer challenging terrain, alpine views, and the perfect progression for blue-level skiers and snowboarders. From the popular Sun Run to the remote Bushwacker, this comprehensive guide reveals why Hotham leads Australia for intermediate terrain.
Michael Fulton
Australian Ski Resorts Open for 2025 Season with Fresh Snowfall
Australia's major ski resorts have officially opened for the 2025 season following a winter storm that delivered fresh snow across the Australian Alps. Falls Creek, Mount Hotham, Perisher, Thredbo, and Mount Buller are all operating with beginner terrain available, whilst forecasts predict over 50 centimetres of additional snow throughout the opening weekend, promising excellent conditions for skiers and riders.
Michael Fulton
Major Investments Boost Australian Ski Resorts for 2025 Season
Australian ski resorts are gearing up for the 2025 season with significant upgrades, including new chairlifts, enhanced snowmaking capabilities, and innovative terrain features.
Michael Fulton
Mount Hotham Lift Tickets Now on Sale for 2025 Winter Season
Mount Hotham has officially launched ticket sales for the 2025 winter season. With prices starting from A$177 for adults, skiers and riders can now secure their Mt Hotham lift tickets online at competitive rates. Early booking discounts of up to 40% are available for those planning ahead, with multi-day passes offering the best value for longer stays.
Michael Fulton
Warm Winter Forecast Threatens Australian Ski Season...Again
The Bureau of Meteorology predicts one of Australia's warmest winters on record, potentially impacting the upcoming ski season. With temperatures expected to be 1.5°C above average, ski resorts may face challenges in maintaining snow cover.
Michael Fulton
Latest News
More from the SnowStash desk
Aspen Snowmass Marks 80th Anniversary With $3.75 Throwback Lift Tickets
Aspen Snowmass turns 80 this December, and it's marking the milestone with $3.75 lift tickets on the anniversary itself - the original 1946 price. A discounted long weekend, $19.46 dining specials, lodging deals up to 46 percent off, and a season of anniversary programming round out the celebration across all four mountains.
17 Sept 2026
Doppelmayr Group Posts 9.1% Revenue Growth in 2025/26, Passing 1.3 Billion Euros
Doppelmayr closed its 2025/26 business year with revenue up 9.1 percent to 1.3 billion euros, driven by projects including the Big Sky Explorer Gondola, Deer Valley's Mayflower East Village Gondola, and the first TRI-Line installation at Hoch-Ybrig. Headcount grew too, with the ropeway manufacturer now employing almost 4,000 people worldwide.
16 Sept 2026
Hintertux Glacier Replaces 40-Year-Old Gondola to Tuxer Fernerhaus
Hintertux Glacier is retiring its 40-year-old gondola to the Tuxer Fernerhaus. The replacement carries 10 people per cabin instead of four, with seat heating and nearly 40 percent more hourly capacity. Doppelmayr's new line opens at the end of October 2026, right as the glacier's high-altitude terrain becomes accessible again for the new season.
16 Sept 2026
FIS Weighs Holding World Championships in Almost Every Winter, Starting 2032
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation is looking at a major shake-up to its title events calendar. From 2032, World Championships could run not just in odd-numbered years but in every non-Olympic winter too, effectively putting a global title event on the calendar almost every season. The FIS Council has approved the concept following a feasibility study, though an accelerated rollout as early as 2028 is also under consideration.
4 Sept 2026
Mount Buller Becomes Latest Australian Resort to Call Time Early on 2026
Mount Buller closes out its 2026 season this Sunday, joining Falls Creek, Hotham and Charlotte Pass in a cluster of closures landing almost simultaneously and roughly a month ahead of schedule. The culprit is stark: Spencers Creek's benchmark snow depth hit 31.2cm on 3 September, just 18% of the 73-year average and an all-time low for this point in the season. Six of Victoria and NSW's best-known resorts will have shut their lifts early within a span of about two and a half weeks.
4 Sept 2026
Tremblant to Add New Timber Summit Ski Sector for 2027/28 Season
Tremblant has confirmed a major expansion of its Quebec ski area, with a new Timber Summit sector adding 62 acres of terrain, eight trails and a high-speed quad chairlift for winter 2027/28. It's part of a CAD 42.5 million investment that also includes a new beginner learning zone at Versant Soleil opening this coming season. The project has grown considerably since it was first announced back in 2020, when it carried a far smaller budget and an opening date that never eventuated.
2 Sept 2026
Mount Hotham to Close for the 2026 Season on Sunday, September 6
We knew when the Bird Bath Pond Skim showed up on Hotham's Instagram that the season was on its way out. It's been a rough one - I only managed two days on snow all year, at Falls Creek - and now Baw Baw, Selwyn and Hotham have all called it, possibly the worst Australian season I've seen in a decade. Hotham's last day of lift operations is Sunday, 6 September, with a Retro Day, Father's Day après and closing sales before the lifts stop turning for good.
1 Sept 2026
Thredbo to Replace Ageing Gunbarrel Quad With New Six-Seat Chairlift for 2028
Thredbo Alpine Resort has confirmed plans to replace its 37-year-old Gunbarrel quad chairlift with a new six-seat Doppelmayr D-Line, targeting winter 2028. The AUD 35 million project will keep travel time roughly the same but lift capacity from 2,800 to 3,000 skiers per hour. It's part of a broader investment push that also includes doubled snowmaking capacity at Friday Flat for 2027, with the ageing Kosciuszko Express now flagged as the resort's next major lift replacement after Gunbarrel.
31 Aug 2026