SnowStash

05/30/2026

Coronet Peak has opened for the 2026 ski season on 29 May, making it the first major ski resort to come online in the Southern Hemisphere this year. The early start is powered by the resort's Snow Factory snowmaking system, with limited terrain and beginner-focused operations running through to 12 June before full mountain hours begin.

Coronet Peak opens 29 May 2026 with Snow Factory-powered early season ops. Full mountain from 13 June.

05/29/2026

Japan is about to get its first private ski resort.

THE CLUB TOGARI opens at Togari Onsen near Nozawa Onsen in December 2026, offering members-only access to a dedicated ski zone, a private clubhouse, and ski-in ski-out real estate. Initial memberships are priced at JPY 20,400,000 (around $128,000 USD), capped at 400 members. It's a significant departure from the affordable, accessible skiing Japan has long been known for.

THE CLUB TOGARI opens in Nagano in December 2026 - Asia's first private ski resort with capped membership and ski-in ski-out villas.

05/20/2026

Epic Pass is expanding its Austrian coverage for 2026-27, adding Zillertal Arena, Hochzillertal-Hochfügen, and Spieljoch to its existing Mayrhofen and Hintertux Glacier partnerships. The Zillertal Valley additions bring 339 miles of runs and 118 lifts to the pass. Here's what Australian skiers need to know about the region and what the expansion means for trip planning.

Epic Pass adds three Zillertal Valley ski areas for 2026-27, bringing its Austrian coverage to five resorts with 5 days access at each.

05/18/2026

Banff Sunshine is closing out its 2025-26 season on a high note, with the upper mountain surpassing 10 metres of cumulative snowfall as of May 16. The total of 1,021 centimetres makes it the snowiest season at the resort in over a decade - well above its typical annual average of around 600 centimetres. The season wraps up on Monday May 18 with the annual Slush Cup.

Banff Sunshine hits 1,021cm of cumulative snowfall for 2025-26 - its snowiest season in over a decade - as the resort closes May 18.

05/18/2026

Here's Exactly Which Victorian Ski Resort You Should Book This Winter

After six years skiing both, here's where I land. Choose Falls Creek if you're a beginner or bringing beginners - the learning infrastructure is Victoria's strongest and nothing else is close. Go there for reliable intermediate terrain without having to hunt for it, a mixed-ability group that needs something for everyone, or a car-free walkable village with proper ski-in ski-out access. Choose Hotham if you're an intermediate rider who wants to be pushed, you've done Falls Creek and you're ready for more variety and challenge, or you're an advanced rider chasing Victoria's best in-bounds steep terrain. The higher village elevation and stronger snowfall stats don't hurt either. Choose both if you're on the Epic Pass and have the time. Stay in Bright where accommodation is cheaper and pick your resort each day based on conditions. That's the move that makes the most sense for anyone skiing more than a few days this season.

05/17/2026

Falls Creek's Car-Free Village Is The Best Ski Village Setup In Victoria

Falls Creek's village is its strongest competitive advantage over any other Victorian resort. Car-free, compact, ski-in ski-out - you walk out of accommodation and the mountain is right there. The Village Bowl sits at the heart of things, served by Summit Quad and Eagle Express Chair. When I compare it to European resorts I've skied, the village functionality holds up. Not the scale of Kitzbühel or Saalbach, but the access philosophy is the same. The resort also hosts the Kangaroo Hoppet on 65km of cross-country trails across the Bogong High Plains. Hotham's village is functional but not compact - you're relying on shuttles more than your legs. The trade-off is the upside-down format: step out of your accommodation and ski down to the lifts. For accommodation on or near the ridge, the morning routine of clicking in and dropping into your first run is hard to beat. Dinner Plain, 11km west, is worth considering if you want a quieter base with a more traditional village feel.

05/16/2026

Both Are 4.5 Hours From Melbourne - But One Road Is A Serious Commitment

Both resorts sit roughly 4.5 hours from Melbourne, but the experience of getting there is very different. Falls Creek is 350km north-east via the Kiewa Valley through Mount Beauty, 30km from the resort. You can drive to the village base with ample parking - day trippers walk straight to the lifts. Overnight guests park separately and take an oversnow vehicle transfer, which keeps the village car-free. Snow chains are required between Mount Beauty and the resort when conditions call for it. Hotham is 226km north-east via the Great Alpine Road through Harrietville - your last services stop before the climb. That road in winter conditions demands full concentration. Snow chains are a legal requirement during the declared snow season, and they're enforced - ladder chains, spider chains, and snow socks are not permitted. Proper chains or you're turning around. Falls Creek has the more intuitive access. Hotham's road earns the mountain.

05/15/2026

$186 To $233 A Day At Both Resorts - But There's A Smarter Way To Buy

Pricing is identical across both resorts - adults pay between $186 and $233 depending on timing, with a 3-day pass around $622. Same rates, same structure, neither is cheap. That's just Victorian resort skiing. The smarter conversation is the Epic Pass. Both Falls Creek and Hotham sit on the Epic Australia arrangement alongside Perisher - one pass covers all three resorts for the season, plus international access to Whistler Blackcomb, Vail, Hakuba, and Park City. The full Epic Australia Pass runs around $999 if you buy early. At $186 a day walk-up, it pays for itself after five or six visits. There's also a 4-Day Epic Australia Pass at $629 if a full season feels like too much commitment. The natural progression for a lot of Victorian skiers is learning at Falls Creek then moving up to Hotham - having both on one pass makes that an easy decision.

05/14/2026

Finland's Levi ski resort has wrapped its 2025/26 winter with record visitor numbers - 599,000 skiers across 220 days - and is immediately ploughing €19.5 million back into the mountain. A new chairlift, upgraded beginner terrain, and a revamped restaurant headline the biggest investment program in the resort's history. Next season opens October 2.

Levi wraps a record 2025/26 season with 599,000 visitors and launches its biggest-ever €19.5M investment program.

05/13/2026

Hotham's Advanced Terrain Is The Best In Victoria - And It's Not A Conversation

If you're chasing steep terrain in Victoria, this decision is already made for you. Falls Creek has 23% advanced terrain including The Maze off the International Poma - a north-facing area with technical in-bounds runs like Widow Maker. Honest assessment: it's more technical than steep. After skiing legitimate steep terrain internationally, it's not going to test an experienced rider all that much. The Poma itself has been running for over 50 years and requires some commitment to ride, which is part of the appeal. Hotham has 25% advanced and 15% expert terrain with Heavenly Valley as the centrepiece - seventeen advanced trails across moguls, steeps, and technical tree runs. The Wall of Death under Village Chair and the Extreme Zone off Gotcha are the real test pieces. Modest by global standards, but the strongest lift-served advanced terrain in Victoria.