I haven't been to Perisher Blue (as it was rebranded back then) via the Ski Tube @ Bullocks Flat(s) since I was a teen. Nor have I done a hardcore ski day trip from Sydney to Thredbo or Perisher Blue since I was a kid. In fact my audience have probably noticed that I don't even ski snowboard or snowshoe in any NSW ski "resort". If I want to see snow in Australia I usually travel interstate where it is cheaper and closer.
YES WE DO HAVE SNOW IN AUSTRALIA (AND LOTS OF IT) FROM LATE JUNE TO EARLY OCTOBER FOR THOSE WHO THOUGHT AUSTRALIA WAS ALL ABOUT SAND AND SURF ONLY!
The day trips from Sydney to Thredbo or Perisher depart at 1 am and return by 10.30 pm same day. Arriving at Bullocks Flats ski tube terminal around 7.30 am and departing back to Sydney at 4pm with a change of coaches at Jolimont Coach Terminal Canberra.
Two full buses to and from Perisher and Thredbo today but not 2 separate coaches for each destination as one would think as being logical.
TBC very tired. Will upload some photos first.
Welcome to Perisher Village
Hoards of skiiers invade Perisher Village Front Valley ski area before 10 am via the ski tube.
Rating: 5/10. I think this is a very honest rating for thr service I received. I do not recommend this service to anyone who would like to use this service during the winter for transfers to Thredbo or Perisher from Sydney. Snow Express - there certainly wasn't anything express about the service.
In the good old days you boarded the midnight coach on Friday Saturday or Sunday night from Eddy Ave Central for the hardcore ski day trip or more relaxed hardcore ski weekend from Sydney to Thredbo or Perisher direct stopping at The Big Merino in Goulburn or an alternative dinner stop along the way to the snow only. Now it is a change of coaches at Jolimont Coach Terminal in Canberra for 30 minutes each way. You either stayed on the same coach all the way or transferred onto another coach. It would be logical to have 1 or 2 coaches depending on how many people are going to the snow from Sydney direct from Sydney to Perisher or Thredbo. If people want to go to the snow from Canberra they should have their own separate coaches but no the coach has to stop and drop the few people off in Canberra and pick up passengers from Canberra going to Thredbo or Perisher. Then there are all the other stops Sydney Airport (both domestic and international) Cooma and Jindabyne. I will have to lodge a complaint to Murrays about my booking. I originally booked a day trip Sydney to Thredbo - return same day coach only for $135 which cost more then the return same day coach only Sydney to Perisher for $125. I was unable to book a backcountry snow shoeing tour at Thredbo therefore rang to change my destination from Thredbo to Perisher - same booking no date change. When I originally rang about changing it from a coach only same day return to a package I was advised by Murrays that I had to do so 48 hours before departure with a $20 amendment fee which was fair enough however when I rang to amend my booking from Thredbo to Perisher I was charged an additional $20!. I don't understand why as it was the same booking - same date same coach just a different drop off and pick up point, Perisher was the first drop off point followed by Thredbo. I should have not been charged an extra $20 but refunded $10 as it is $10 less to travel from Sydney to Perisher instead of Sydney to Thredbo! Not happy!!!!!!. On the coach no smoking no drinking of hot beverages or alcohol and no eating of hot foods. There is a toliet onboard at the back. No music or videos are allowed through speakers earphones only. Reading lights overhead to be used to a minimum and air conditioning vents have to remain partially open. Seat belts must be worn. One positive feature - onboard USB charging ports lit up with blue lights available at every seat. Thank goodness my phone was almost out of power although I do carry a charger with me. No onboard wifi as far as I could tell.
Both buses were full going to Perisher and Thredbo. A very uncomfortable day trip as you are asleep only to be woken up at Jolimont in Canberra with a stranger sitting in the seat next to you.
Arrived at Bullocks Flats and alight the bus making note of the number plate before heading off to collect my prebooked return same day ski tube sight seeing ticket which cost me $47. I made it in time for the next train to Perisher Village. I did not have time to take the train further up to Blue Cow or take the shuttle bus to Smiggins Hole that day - next time maybe.
The train runs every 20 minutes and is described as a "Swiss style alpine train" - not making any mention that it is possibly over 20 years old!!!! To get to Blue Cow you need to change trains at Perisher Village - there is no direct train on the ski tube from Bullocks Flat. If you have luggage good luck!!!!
Once I reached Perisher Village Ski Tube Terminal, the first thing I do is find Aldo's Cafe the meeting place for the snowshoeing tour starting at 10 am.
Next is to find a locker to hire and dump anything I don't need from my backpack for the shoe shoeing tour into it to lighten my load. I do not recommending leaving anything on the coach as it is parked at Thredbo and you won't be able to access it until the end of the day. Locker hire cost $17 per day with a $10 deposit - located at Perisher Centre.
Next a toliet stop and then to find my tour guide from K7 Adventures. I find him but find out that I am the only one on the 4 hour snow shoeing tour as the other couple decided to head to Thredbo instead (which was not the better choice as the weather was not as good up there).
I advise my guide that I am recharging my phone and I was a little early but it is a relaxed start therefore I could start whenever I was ready.
Off we head out past the main Perisher Village area to a lodge (I think it was St Moritz Hotel on Porcupine Rd?) where we put on our snow shoes. Off we go.
I learnt a lot on my 4 hour snow shoeing tour - animal track identification - I saw lots of different animal tracks in the snow but no animals - mountain pigmy possums, kangaroos, wombats, possums and even foxes reside in the alpine backcountry along with brumbies - as in The Man From The Snowy River.
What not to do at the water tank - do not shelter from the wind there no matter how sheltered it looks - it is actually a virtual wind tunnel! I also learnt a little about making a snow cave or shelter and how the worst place to make a shelter is in between the granite rocks as they freeze during the winter and heat up during the summer so you can actually die from hypothermia or heat stroke - think being locked in a freezer or oven.
The vegetation is absolutely beautiful despite several dead trees burnt due to the fires that ravaged the area in the past. Their outer greyness with occasional black interiors showing. The live trees with layers of multicoured bark where the colours becoming more vibrant if you pour water over them. And just like the symbionic relationship of green angel hair like moss growing on the branches of the higher altitude trees around Whistler Blackcomb, there was a similar sight in the backcountry around Perisher. My tour guide advises me that in the Southern hemisphere it grows in the opposite direction to the Northern hemisphere - ie facing north in the Southern hemisphere to check he uses his smart phone and checks it with his compass app. - yep it is correct ! Also the view of the distant valley, Thredbo, Mount Kosciusko and the changing colours with a glimpse of Lake Jindabyne in the distant background. And then there was a place named Siberia - no not that Siberia!
There was heaps of snow - so deep in some places I actually got stuck . My snow shoes kept getting huge snowballs accumulating umder them making waking difficult.
Snowmen everywhere
The scenery with heaps of snow and I even saw Lake Jindabyne in the distance!
One of several granite tors standing high above my tour guide.
Are we there yet? Collapsing as soon as we stopped for a break!
More snow!
No real possums but mine was keen to explore the snow!
A couple had set up camp here a few nights ago. I am sitting in their makeshift kitchen area on their ice couch and ice bench they had created to cook and eat on. Further up the hill was a snow track leading to where they had pitched their tent(s)
Burnt trees and multicoloured bark on living trees
The water tank
Snowshoes - I won't tell the guys I purchased the Lowe Alpine hiking back pack from about how my snow shoes also match my purple backpack - I had no choice in the colour of my backpack - it was only available in purple purple and purple - it matches your puffer hoodie jacket they said! (and also my umbrella my bus buddy noticed!)
K7 Adventures Rating : 9/10. Excellent snow shoeing tour. Very quick response to my inquiries. Friendly staff and good customer service. Alternative activity to downhill skiing and snowboarding. No lift paas required only sight seeing return ski tube ticket. Recommended for those on a day trip to the snow who can't ski or snowboard or who do not want to. Maximise your time at the snow. Other activities offered by K7 Adventures mountaineering nordic skiing (classic and skate) and ice climbing as well as full and multiday snow shoeing tours. There are other companies that run snow shoeing tours but were too slow to redpond or not very helpful especially at Thredbo and on multiple occasions .
Apologies I have been having trouble uploading photos of the ski tube terminal and decades old Swiss style alpine train. Here they are.
Final word Perisher Blue is now owned along with Whistler Blackcomb by US giant ski resort Group Vail ie EPIC CARD
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