Mount Hotham Alpine Resort
Mary's Slide ski run
Mary's Slide ski run
LocationVictoria, Australia
MountainMount Higginbotham, Mount Hotham, Mount Loch
Nearest major cityMelbourne
Coordinates36°59′S 147°8′E / 36.983°S 147.133°E / -36.983; 147.133
StatusOperating
OwnerVail Resorts
Vertical395 metres (1,296 ft)
Top elevation1,845 metres (6,053 ft) AHD [1]
Base elevation1,450 metres (4,760 ft) AHD [1]
Skiable area320 hectares (790 acres)[1]
Runs72
Longest runSpargo's,
2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi)[1]
Lift system14 lifts[1]
Lift capacity24,485 passengers/hr[1]
Terrain parks4 (snow dependent)[1]
Snowfall300 centimetres (120 in)[1]
SnowmakingYes, 25 hectares (62 acres)[1]
Night skiingYes, Wednesday & Saturday[1]
Websitewww.mthotham.com.au
The ski fields of Mount Hotham from Mount Higginbotham (left) across to Mount Lcccoch (right) and beyond.
Mount Hotham's Village Chair in the summer.

Mount Hotham Alpine Resort is an Australian alpine resort, is located in the Alpine region of Victoria. Set on the slopes of Mount Hotham, the ski resort comprises an alpine village, situated at an altitude of 1,750 metres (5,740 ft) AHD, making it the second highest resort village in Australia after Charlotte Pass village, in New South Wales.

The alpine resort operations are located within an unincorporated area (statutory authority) of Victoria surrounded by the locality of Hotham Heights in the Alpine Shire. Road access to the resort is via the Great Alpine Road. It is located approximately 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) west of Dinner Plain and 31 kilometres (19 mi) south of Bright.[2] Hotham Alpine Resort is located approximately 226 kilometres (140 mi) northeast of Melbourne.

Mount Hotham is host to a number of historic sites, namely the Zirky's Mount Hotham Hotel, Snake Gully and Arlberg Chalet.

Ownership and operation

The land of the resort is operated by Alpine Resorts Victoria, the statutory authority, and the skifields and lift infrastructure are operated by Vail Resorts (leaseholder), who purchased the Mount Hotham Skiing Company from Merlin Entertainments.[3] Vail Resorts' operating company is Mount Hotham Skiing Company (MHSC), that was granted a lease from the Government of Victoria via the Mt Hotham Resort Management Board.[4] A subsidiary company of MHSC operates the Mount Hotham Airport.

Visiting in Winter

During the declared snow season (usually from the Queen's Birthday long weekend in June till the first weekend in October), it is a legal requirement to carry diamond pattern wheel chains and fit them if directed. There are penalties for not doing so. The steep and exposed portions of the Great Alpine Road between Harrietville and Hotham Heights means that in some conditions, vehicles (particularly two wheel drive vehicles) are not able to travel safely without these wheel chains.

Visitors also need to purchase a Resort Entry permit to enter the resort during winter. The resort entry fee contributes to essential services for guests around the mountain, including ski patrol, the free village buses, snow clearing of car parks in the village, waste management and environmental initiatives.

Winter sports

Most of the skiing and snowboarding is based on one side of a large valley, and the area connects to the Bogong High Plains. Hotham features 320 hectares (790 acres) of ski area including 35 kilometres (22 mi) of tree-lined cross-country trails and a network of fourteen lifts. The longest run at Hotham is 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi). The resort features an abundance of runs for skiers and boarders of all standards from beginners (20%) to intermediates (40%) and advanced (40%). The resort is home to one of Australia's most difficult runs, the steep Mary's Slide. It is also home to Australia's only biathlon range.

Lifts

As of 2023 winter, the following ski lifts are in operation:

Lift nameLengthElevationSkiers
(per hour)
Big D Quad Chair396 m (1,299 ft)64 m (210 ft)2,400
Blue Ribbon Triple Chair710 m (2,330 ft)271 m (889 ft)1,600
Drift T-Bar370 m (1,210 ft)88 m (289 ft)1,285
Gotcha Quad Chair472 m (1,549 ft)140 m (460 ft)2,400
Heavenly Valley Quad Chair845 m (2,772 ft)314 m (1,030 ft)2,400
Keogh's Quad Chair383 m (1,257 ft)128 m (420 ft)2,400
Orchard Quad Chair573 m (1,880 ft)154 m (505 ft)2,400
Roadrunner Quad Chair671 m (2,201 ft)153 m (502 ft)2,400
Summit Quad Chair595 m (1,952 ft)98 m (322 ft)2,400
Summit Trainer Poma132 m (433 ft)22 m (72 ft)500
Village Quad Chair800 m (2,600 ft)275 m (902 ft)2,400
Pup's Playground Magic Carpet17 m (56 ft)
Harry's Hideaway Magic Carpet50 m (160 ft)
Cobungra Platter (Dinner Plain)

A list of all 30 lifts that have operated at Hotham over the years is at the Australian Ski Lift Directory.

Climate

As with most of the Australian Alps, Mount Hotham's climate is, compared to the bulk of Australia, cold throughout the year; with particularly cold maximum temperatures, and Mount Hotham is one of very few areas in Australia that frequently records maximum temperatures below freezing. Mount Hotham is also one of the only places in Australia to have never recorded a temperature above 30 °C (86 °F); during the early 2009 southeastern Australia heat wave, whilst most of the state sweltered above 45 °C (113 °F), the mountain's peak temperature was a mild 28.1 °C (82.6 °F).[5]

Snowfall occurs frequently and heavily, and sub-freezing maximum temperatures can be recorded throughout the year—even in high summer. However, due to frequent winter cloud and the mountain's exposed position, a temperature below −10 °C (14 °F) has only once-occurred since records began in 1990.[6] Mount Hotham receives an average of 66.1 snowy days annually.[7] It is the coldest weather station on mainland Australia by maximum temperatures.

Owing to its short, cool summers and long, cold winters, Mount Hotham yields a Subpolar oceanic climate (Cfc) bordering on Tundra (ET).

Climate data for Mount Hotham (1990–2022); 1,849 m AMSL; 36.98° S, 147.13° E
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 28.2
(82.8)		 28.1
(82.6)		 24.4
(75.9)		 17.3
(63.1)		 19.8
(67.6)		 11.6
(52.9)		 8.7
(47.7)		 10.7
(51.3)		 13.7
(56.7)		 19.0
(66.2)		 23.6
(74.5)		 26.3
(79.3)		 28.2
(82.8)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 16.6
(61.9)		 15.8
(60.4)		 13.0
(55.4)		 8.5
(47.3)		 4.6
(40.3)		 1.4
(34.5)		 −0.1
(31.8)		 0.5
(32.9)		 3.6
(38.5)		 7.6
(45.7)		 11.3
(52.3)		 14.0
(57.2)		 8.1
(46.5)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 8.2
(46.8)		 7.9
(46.2)		 5.8
(42.4)		 2.7
(36.9)		 −0.1
(31.8)		 −2.4
(27.7)		 −3.7
(25.3)		 −3.5
(25.7)		 −1.6
(29.1)		 0.8
(33.4)		 3.7
(38.7)		 5.8
(42.4)		 2.0
(35.5)
Record low °C (°F) −3.7
(25.3)		 −3.8
(25.2)		 −3.6
(25.5)		 −8.2
(17.2)		 −7.4
(18.7)		 −9.1
(15.6)		 −8.8
(16.2)		 −10.4
(13.3)		 −9.2
(15.4)		 −8.4
(16.9)		 −7.0
(19.4)		 −5.4
(22.3)		 −10.4
(13.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 105.7
(4.16)		 99.7
(3.93)		 117.2
(4.61)		 103.4
(4.07)		 138.4
(5.45)		 124.0
(4.88)		 128.7
(5.07)		 120.5
(4.74)		 129.2
(5.09)		 139.7
(5.50)		 150.0
(5.91)		 123.2
(4.85)		 1,489.4
(58.64)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) 11.0 10.9 12.6 12.9 14.7 14.6 18.6 16.4 15.2 13.5 13.0 11.5 164.9
Average afternoon relative humidity (%) 63 65 67 76 82 89 89 88 84 76 69 64 76
Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology; Mount Hotham

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Stats & Facts". About Hotham. Mount Hotham Alpine Resort. 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  2. ↑ "Map of Mount Hotham Alpine Resort, VIC". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  3. ↑ "Vail Resorts Closes on Its Acquisition of Falls Creek and Hotham Ski Fields in Victoria, Australia | Vail Resorts Corporate". news.vailresorts.com. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  4. ↑ "Hotham Skiing Company". Mount Hotham Alpine Resort. 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  5. ↑ "Special Climate Statement 17" (PDF). Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
  6. ↑ "Mount Hotham". Climate statistics for Australian locations. Bureau of Meteorology. March 2013. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
  7. ↑ "Annual Snow Days (66.1)". australianweathernews.com. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
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