First Black Run opens in Australia at Mt Hotham

Mt Hotham, Victoria’s highest resort, became Australia’s ski resort to have a black diamond run open for the 2017 winter season.

Opened on Saturday morning, Heavenly Valley and Snake Gully had benefitted from Mt Hotham’s ongoing investment in snowmaking capabilities that have allowed this remarkable feat in what has been an extremely dry season opening.

Since the commencement of snowmaking in early June, Mt Hotham has managed to produce 127,000 cubic metres of mountain made snow across the resort.

Commenting on the opening, Mt Hotham Skiing Company General Manager, Belinda Trembath stated “we are thrilled to be opening Heavenly Valley for skiing and boarding today.

“Mt Hotham’s black diamond run and Snake Gully are Hotham favourites and thanks to our extensive snowmaking system and talented mountain operations staff our guests will be able to enjoy these trails from today.”.

The opening of Heavenly Valley Quad also means that Mt Hotham now has over 50% of its lift infrastructure open - more than both Mt Buller and Falls Creek.

Looking further ahead there is snow forecast for early this week, with well-known meteorologist Jane Bunn calling for 58cm of snow for Mt Hotham over the next eight days.

Images: Early morning runs on Heavenly Valley (top) and  the season's first tracks on Heavenly Valley (below).

24th June 2017 - FIRST TIMERS INTRODUCED TO SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING AT MT HOTHAM 

12th June 2017 - RECORD BREAKING OPENING WEEKEND AT MOUNT HOTHAM 

8th June 2017 - VICTORIAN SKI RESORT FALLS CREEK READY FOR SEASON OPENING

1st June 2017 - SNOW FALLS PROMPT EARLY SEASON OPENING FOR PERISHER 

12th March 2017 - BELGRAVE GROUP WINS TENDER FOR MT HOTHAM LANDMARK SITE

23rd January 2017 - VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT TO REFORM MANAGEMENT OF VICTORIA’S ALPINE RESORTS 

10th January 2017 - CSIRO MODELLING PREDICTS CLIMATE CHANGE COULD SHRINK AUSTRALIA’S SKI SEASON BY 80 DAYS 

24th February 2016 - NEW BOARD WORKING TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR ALPINE RESORTS

Share your news. If you have industry news that you’d like us to include in Australasian Leisure Management, or if you have any ideas of new industry topics that you’d like us to focus on, then please just contact us at leisure@ausleisure.com.au with details. We rely on industry contributions, and remember, our content is not paid for advertorial.