12 June 2023
If this weekend didn’t make the V8 feel special, we don’t know what will. There was an outpouring of love and support for Perisher’s Village Eight Express chair, with some rumours even suggesting that we were purposely keeping her out of the limelight 😯
Before we dive into explaining why we were unable to operate any other lifts, we’d like to shout out the real MVP this weekend: Skier Conveyor #3 ✨👏
Snow match for rain and warm weather
Simply put, we could not operate the V8 or Mitchell T-Bar this weekend due to a lack of snow.
The rain and warm weather Perisher experienced in the lead-up to Opening Weekend created an imperfect storm, melting most of the snow on the ground. To complicate things further, the cold air that lingered after the last snowfall was predominately at the bottom of Front Valley (known as cold air drainage) which reduced our ability to make any significant snow at the top.
You can learn more about snow making at Perisher here.
Safety is paramount at Perisher
With a lack of snow comes a concern for safety. Both guest and staff safety is imperative at Perisher, meaning we will never operate a lift or terrain that does not comply with our safety standards.Thin snow cover exposes hazards such as water bars and drainage lines which pose a significant risk to the safety of both guests and staff.
Lots of eager riders + little snow = thin cover
We are so stoked to have seen so many keen skiers and boarders join us this Opening Weekend. The Village Eight chairlift is capable of transporting several thousand guests per hour. Thousands of guests riding already thin snow cover can only end one way...grass. That’s not fun for anyone.
Naturally, with thin snow cover also comes little groom-able terrain. The thin cover on the upper half of Front Valley has not been deep enough to operate a grooming machine without churning up dirt. Given it’s so early in the season, there is also currently no stockpiles of snow for us to use to patch up bare areas once they’ve become skied out.
Good news! There's snow on the way ❄
While the conditions on Opening Weekend were not ideal, the week ahead brings cold temperatures and fresh snow to Perisher. With 111 days left in the season, there’s still plenty of time for Mother Nature to deliver us fresh snow and for you to revel in the joys that come with it.
We can’t wait to see you at Perisher this winter. Start planning your trip now. Book your stay today and receive 5 nights for the price of 4 at The Station.
