Stop press: Thredbo reducing lift passes

Update 2pm: Thredbo have just told us they will be announcing new reduced rates for the remainder of the season effective tomorrow 9/9/20.

They are saying it will be 30% off current rates, which gives $111.30 for all remaining days available.

For those who have purchased at the previous rates you get a MyMoney credit –

As a result of the reduced terrain on offer as we near the end of our season, we’re offering a discount of 30% off the rate you paid for your pass/es (applicable for 9 September – 5 October 2020). You don’t need to do anything to have the credit applied – we will calculate the credit amount and apply it to your profile as MyMoney credit.

From tomorrow Supertrail and High Noon close for the season.

Last week we showed the current situation at Thredbo, following warm temperatures and several weeks of greatly reduced snowmaking capacity.

We asked resort management if, in the light of deteriorating conditions, they would be reducing lift pass rates for the remainder of the season.

The answer was, “We are most certainly aware of the need to consider the cost versus quality of experience when terrain offerings start to diminish and plans are on foot in this regard. Indeed, if and when we start to lose terrain we will be reducing the price of our lift passes.” 

This afternoon they have updated that, “The warm winds over the past 24hrs has definitely affected our cover and we are now making the necessary changes.”

Which is great – as we said, it comes down to your definition of “reduced terrain”. And whether people are prepared to pay the full $159 rate if it is offered to them.

We would call this reduced terrain. A tiny strip of muddy snow to get back to the Gunbarrel Chair? A not-so-super Supertrail.

The chairs are not running due to high winds today. If that happens when you have already purchased your pass this is treated as a weather event that is not refundable. One lifetime Thredbo skier and lodge member there with his family a couple of Sundays ago told us he was told he would only be offered a credit for future use. Considering he had had no choice but to lock in his family’s lift pass in the pre-purchase system he was less than impressed – obviously with no lifts running he would not have purchased tickets on the day. Thredbo do alert all skiers for the day re the credit policy via SMS, as happened today –

Thredbo | Wind hold update! Due to today’s wind hold, you are eligible to MyMoney credit. If you choose not to ride, Guest Services will apply a 100% MyMoney credit for the cost of your lift pass. If you choose to ride, Guest Services will apply: 1 scan: 75%, 2 scans: 50%, 3 scans: 25%, 4 scans+: 0%. You do not need to call or visit Guest Services to have the credit applied – it will be applied automatically at 4.30pm. Thanks for your patience.

Thredbo lift pass availability and costs

For the keen and those with money to burn, this is the availability for the rest of the month.

Things are cooling down a bit from Thursday night, and the neighbours at Perisher expect to be making snow to top things up. A bit of natural snow up high early next week is also forecast.

Lower down it’s not looking good.

Anyway, these are the available dates for Thredbo passes, rates are being revised later today they tell us; this was from 11am this morning.

Thredbo lift pass availability is here

Plenty of lift pass options available at Perisher

If you are locked into accommodation already booked, and/or are still thinking about coming up, Perisher have plenty of availabilty for passes.

A quick check in their system for this Friday and the weekend gave us these options: $152 x 1 day, $235 x 2 days (vs $318 for 2 days at Thredbo) $349 x 3 days (vs $468 vs 3 days at Thredbo).

You may find different combinations of days and rates depending how far ahead you book etc.

Back when Thredbo announced they were cancelling season passes we made the point the difference in lift costs between NSW skiing’s big two resorts had never been bigger in our memory, going back nearly 40 years of actively skiing both.

For Perisher options check their link here