Difference between revisions of "Charlotte Pass"

Revision as of 02:06, 12 September 2006

Charlotte Pass Village
Resort Summary
Resort Name	Charlotte Pass
Location	{{{location}}}
Resort Altitude	1760m
Winter Season	June - October
Terrain	Overall: 50ha Beginner: 40% Intermediate: 50% Advanced: 10%
Lift System	5 (1 chair / 4 tow)
Highest Lift	1954m
Lowest Lift	1765m
Vertical	189m
Longest Run	500m
Avg Snowfall
Terrain Parks	no
Snow Sports	downhill skiing, boarding, snow shoeing, cross country, telemark, skidoos
Facilities	bars (3), restaurant (1), child care, supermarket, ski hire, ski school
Nearest Town	Jindabyne (40km)
Lift Pass
Adult 5 Day	$
Adult 1 Day	$90
Child 5 Day	$
Child 1 Day	$60

Overview 

Charlotte Pass is unique for a number of reasons, it is the only snowbound resort in Australia. To get to the ski resort you have to use the oversnow transport from Perisher Valley since that is the only way in! Charlotte Pass also owns the record for the lowest temperature ever recorded in Australia, a chilly temperature of -23 degrees Celsius.

Location

• View Location Map
  
• ski.com.au Driving Map (PDF 327KB)

Pros

Charlotte Pass is a great place to ski as it isn't overcrowded and because it has the most snow usually in Australia. It has wonderful food (delicious at brekkie) and the lifties are cool. The ski school, has a wide range of people from Canada, USA, england, and of course the aussies. The Chalet has exceptional staff, service, food, and accomidation.

Cons

• Charlotte Pass doesn't have an extensive terrain park and could be a little mundane for the skiier looking for huge thrills and speed. Being a family resort, it is better suited to family adventures than pro skiers.

• Runs are quite short, although as lift lines are non-existent this is not a real problem.

• There is not much variety and, after a week, you have skied or boarded every run lots and lots and lots of times.

Contacts

Phone: 02 6457 5247

Fax: 02 6457 5362

Postal: PO Box 24 Perisher Valley, NSW 2630

Planning

Getting There

The only way to get to Charlotte Pass in winter is by oversnow transport from Perisher. The oversnow shuttle leaves from the main Perisher Centre and costs about $35 each way but this is often packaged into your accommodation.

Shuttles to Charlottes start at 8:35am Monday to Thursday with only 2 in the morning and 3 in the afternoon. Friday - Saturdays they start at 7:45am and run non stop until the last shuttle to Charlottes at 6:15pm.

Summer time offers a nice drive to Charlottes on a bitumen road.

Accommodation

On Mountain

The Kosciusko Chalet offers excellent accommodation and food, and may other facilities to entertain the family and look after you on your holiday.

The Kosciusko Chalet

• Accommodation

Off Mountain

Jindabyne is about the only option here and day trip up via the Skitube and then catch the oversnow transport up for the day.

Charlotte Pass also offers day trips from Perisher. They include transport, lift tickets and lunch.

Lift Tickets

Daily Lift Tickets are available starting from $90 per adult and $60 per child. Season passes are also available at earlybird rates for the early bird.

Ski School

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Equipment Hire

Ski and snowboard hire is available on mountain, but clothing hire needs to be done elsewhere.

Resort Facilities

Getting Around

The village is small, and there is no problem walking from place to place.

All accommodation is at the bottom of a bowl and is ski in/out.

Parking

As there is no road access to the resort during winter, there is no parking. There is also no overnight parking at Perisher. Parking is available at the bottom of the Skitube at Bullocks Flat. From Perisher, guests need to catch the over snow transport to Charlotte Pass.

Activities

Hiking 

Walks out to Blue Lake or along the main range.

Downhill Skiing 

Excellent family resort with a safe bowl that can be monitored from back at your lodge. Crowds are small so things rarely mogul up and the skiing is for beginners through to stronger intermediates. Kangaroo Ridge and Guthries can hold freshies for 48 hours after a storm if you go looking.

Cross Country Skiing 

Charlottes has a thriving cross country commiunity. It is ideally suite for access to the main range across the Snowy, or via the Summit Road up to Kosciuszko.

Dining

There are only 2 commercial lodges at Charlottes so unless you are staying in a club lodge and doing your own food your options are the Chalet or Stillwell lodge. Both do dinner and lunch (as well as breakfast for guests). Accommodation at either includes meals.

Bars & Entertainment

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Ride Guide

Beginner Areas

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Groomed Runs

There is at least one groomed run of all lifts and due to the lower traffic it is usually groomed a bit softer than the main resorts which makes for great carving early. Kangaroo Ridge chair offers the longest groomers and has a range of standards off it. There is something for everyone but the dare devils may have to search a bit harder than they are used to and even be required to do some boot packing.

Off Piste

The main off piste areas are to the wide right and left of the resort. Guthries offers quite a bit of off piste skiing and with some hiking even a small chute or two. There is some great tree skiing out this way as well. The other side of the resort of Kangaroo Ridge head wide skiers right and off behind the lodges and ski down through the trees for a great off piste experience.

Out of Bounds

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Cross Country

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Parks & Pipes

Charlottes don't do parks and pipes, natural hits are all you will find.

Bumps

Due to the lower skier numbers bumps are few and far between at Charlottes. The grooming is softer so they are easier to form but there really isn't the volume of people to build up any decent ones. Most (if any) occur in the middle run, skiers left off Pulpit T-bar.

Powder Zones

The main powder zones at Charlottes are wide off either end lift (Kangaroo Ridge or Guthries). Like all lifted powder areas if you want the powder next to the lift you have to be out early but as the day progresses you can steadily track out wider with each run and often pick up freshies for the entire day tracking just one run wider each time.

Sheltered Runs

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Snowplay

Being a snowbound village all winter there is no shortage of snow to play in however if you are looking for tobogganing then don't bother as it isn't catered for.

Other

Weather

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Geography

Charlotte Pass is Australia's highest resort with a base elevation of 1760m.

History

Charlotte Pass is Australia's first ski resort, established in the early 1900's.

Resources

• Public Ratings
• Picture Gallery
• Snow Report

Maps

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