Thredbo the good news: Merritts Gondola opening Saturday!

Thredbo’s new Merritts Gondola opens Saturday – officially for the dignitaries. Subject to conditions Monday the 22nd will be public opening day subject to snow/weather conditions allowing sufficient terrain to open.

In any normal season that would be hands down the biggest local ski resort news in an Australian winter. Not often we get a dedicated ski gondola .. not ever before actually.

So huge shout out to Thredbo for making the investment and delivering it on time despite COVID-19.

The brand new Doppelmayr 8 seater cabin gondola which will cut ride time from the Village to Merritts to just 6 minutes.

That will make it way easier for intermediates and families heading out of the village, and should take a lot of pressure of the Kosciuszko Express in the process.

For better skiers it makes the Gondy + Cruiser Chair a start option too. Or a pow day whip out first to Stanleys option? Time will tell on that score.

There’s a mid-station near the bottom of High Noon too, allowing a scoot around there instead of schussing all the way on the flat bit back to the Gunbarrel Chair.

Automated snowmaking has been installed on the shady Dream Run from Merritts down into High Noon so you can do short laps – or under it when the snow allows, impressing a larger crowd.

Doppelmayr technicians also took the opportunity to fix the top of High Noon where wind gusts have flipped chairs just before the top station.

So all up it’s a massive investment that may have to wait for COVID-19 capacity restrictions to be eased for the full benefits to be realised, but it’s one for the long term. And for all seasons – summer bikers will love it.