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Will Perisher become a year round resort with MTB?
The following video was posted today on Youtube .. go to 8:14 for the key question. (unfortunately time links don't work here).
Imagine the trails that could be built from the main Quad down Pretty Valley and Happy Valley, plus linking existing fire trails/access roads could create some seriously long XC epics. If you google earth the fire trails that run from Smiggins to Blue Cow you will notice that they go on for many miles going right through the mountains toward Khancoban, probably a couple of days ride.
Perisher opening up would be awesome IMO.
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Vail Resorts buying Perisher is the best thing to happen for Oz skiers & mountain bikers. For those that have been to a real ski resort, like Vail or Whistler, you will then realise how backwards our ski industry is, from our villages, right through to our eateries & service! I would bet money on Vail introducing mountain biking to Perisher, coz they are a resort company that would not be wanting to take a backwards step to Thredbo or Mt Buller. So hopefully if Perisher introduces mtb'ing, we'll all get behind them, & Thredbo too! The Snowy region is beautiful all year round.
I was in Buller over Xmas and New Year and ended up sharing a beer with some of the resort management over NYE. We were discussing the great new trails and the impact it would have on traffic to the mountain.
One guy made a really interesting point:
They only really have a 10 week long ski season down there. So its a 10 vs 42 ratio.
Why isn't it consider an outdoor adventure park with 10 weeks of skiing, rather than the balance being the other way?
I tihnk the resorts are starting to realise the potential of what they have, and Thredbo and buller and now Perisher mean its exciting times ahead....
The biggest problem is to convince National Sparks and Wildfires that they should actually allow people to enter and have fun in National parks, once we are over that major hurdle the rest should be easy!
National Parks will aways be a hurdle for both skiers/snowboarders & mountain bikers, you can't cut a tree down without there being a 100 page study being requested by NPWS. The Buller issue is slightly different, because it is only 1.5hrs from Melbourne, a huge bonus. As far as mtb'ing being as big as skiing, that will never happen in NSW. The number of skiers & snowboaders using both Perisher & Thredbo in 10 weeks will always out number mtb'ers in 52 weeks down there. Introducing mtb'ing will turn Perisher into a year round resort, just like Thredbo, & this is an exciting time for Perisher. All this can only happen with numbers, that means people going down when it gets offered, if we support it, the resorts will build it!
Also a big congrats to Thredbo for offering lift access all year round, & a 365 lift pass too.
I've spoken to a number of people involved in the Snowy MTB scene (I probably shouldn't out them but they are key stakeholders) and they've all spread the same message that in fact its the NWPS not the local MTB scene driving the new extension of the Thredbo Valley Track from Lake Crackenback to the Gaden Trout Hatchery.
The consistent message is that the NWPS are very pro MTB in the snowy. They've even opened up the walking only "Bullocks Track" to MTBers (something I personally don't agree with because its too tight to be a shared track and there are already 2 other options to get over that hill)
World Wide ski seasons are shrinking and they are turning to MTBing to ensure the local businesses can work 12 months of the year. Considering our ski season is over before it's started its a no brainer for the NPWS to promote MTBing because a significant slice of their total revenue is generated out of the Kosciuszko National Park as it is.
I was in the snowy this Easter and it was CRAZY .. So many people .. so many people riding bikes! The day I rode the Thredbo Chair they had 3 induction groups in the one day and the instructor told me it's standard now. That's so exciting! 3 years ago it wasn't guaranteed that they would run one every day.
I'd read somewhere that European resorts are now making more money from Summer than Winter. My first reaction was "MTB Propoganda"however on reflection it started to make sense. 1-2 lifts as opposed to all lifts. A handful of operational staff over a cast of thousands. From the sounds of it the Thredbo MTB shop/instructor staff do all the trail maintenance so they are essentially grooming the runs for free - no million dollar grooming machines powered by diesel. Sure the turn over wouldn't compete with Winter but maybe the other 6-8 months of the year is far more profitable.
Whistler Bike Park is opening 2 weeks early due to poor late seasons snow
http://youtu.be/YQ9GO-V1fIE