member discounts

AAC Falls Creek is a member of the Falls Creek Alpine Association which issues a discount card that is accepted by many Falls Creek restaurants and retailers. FCAA discount cards are available for members at the lodge (contact the lodge managers).

In addition to the on-mountain discounts, the FCAA discount card will also entitle members to a 10% discount at a warehouse outlet in Melbourne which sells jackets, pants, gloves, goggles and snowboards.

Bob's Golf & Ski Warehouse
5/2 Apollo Court
Blackburn Vic 3130
Ph: 03 9878 5264
Melways ref: 48 C10

current conditions

update from Falls Creek Ski Lifts

Despite cold temperatures, it is not getting cold enough for substantial snow making to occur, the next 48 hours does hold some opportunity though, we will see what happens. The art of making snow requires low humidity and cold temperatures and at the moment we have high humidity and overnight temperatures hovering around -1. Every night we have the system charged waiting for a window of opportunity. Although the natural snow fall is sporadic, every centimetre helps.

Where we are right now, assuming no major snowfall, or no major rainfall/hot weather: -

Cloud 9 beginners areas will be OK into mid next week, when we will reassess.

Towers - Main Street will be fine through to late next week, Highway 83 will be OK, into next week, particularly with a few extra centimetres each day.

Drovers - Will be ok until mid next week, when we will reassess.

Wombats - currently closed, due to limited cover on north facing areas particularly below the aqueduct. I have advised our slope maintenance team that if an extended snow making opportunity occurs during the day, if practical, we will try to add some extra snow guns and run them until a reasonable time.

Ski patrol assess the runs regularly during the day.

Eagle chair - conditions remain the same for utilising Eagle Chair, it is too difficult an unload, until we get a lot more snow the RMB is providing extra shuttles to keep Guests moving to the Falls Express area.

Ski Valet - we will continue to run the nightly ski valet service from junior workshop until Wombats and Broadway re-open. The media department are working to ensure we provide an accurate picture of the conditions.

This is as accurate a picture, as I can provide, for people to make decisions, I have walked all the areas this morning, and spoken to the relevant department managers. By way of this email, could I encourage stakeholders who have not been to Cloud 9 to go up and have a look around, so that they can advise potential guests first hand.

In summary, it's early in the season, please be assured we're carefully managing every inch of snow we have and have the snow making system is staffed and charged.

while we are waiting ...

While we are waiting for some more snow to invigorate the Australian winter season, in the northern hemisphere some alpine resorts are lucky enough to be able to offer some summer skiing and snowboarding on their glaciers. An interesting promotional concept from the French resort of Tignes is the annual Bikini Contest à Tignes. Nothing at all to to do with Falls Creek, but apparently this You Tube clip made last weekend at Tignes is reasonably popular.

Samedi 20 Juin 2009: Tignes lance la saison de ski dété avec un contest décalé et osé sur le glacier: le Bikini Contest. Accompagnés de filles sublimes et de garçons sexy, rendez vous sur le snowpark, pour les premiers sauts de lété, à skis ou en snowboard et en bikinis! Pas plus de 5°C au thermomètre, mais une ambiance très chaude pour fêter larrivée de lété.

free stuff 2009

• Free skiing and boarding for kids 5 years and under when accompanied by an adult.
• Free Kids' Helmet Rental for children 14 and under when renting skis or a board at Falls Creek Sports.
• Free Snowman building competitions every Wednesday and Saturday from 4.30pm in the alpine resort’s Village Bowl. A pile of snow is provided for young imaginative to sculpt a snowman, snow woman or a snow monster. They are free to create whatever they decide.
• Free Sunday afternoon Skiing (conditions apply). Any consecutive day ticket of 5 days or greater starting on a Monday may be collected and used from 1pm the Sunday prior. If the product includes rental from Falls Creek Sports, equipment may also be collected from 1pm subject to availability. Please note that the Sunday afternoon use is for lifts only, no lessons are included in the free half day.
• Free Pete the Snow Dragon Show every Wednesday and Saturday from 5pm. This is a must-see event for kids! The big blue celebrity Snow Dragon is a winner with the kids (and their parents). His family-friendly show is just one of a number of free activities in the alpine resort’s entertainment precinct.
• Free Snocce (on-snow Bocce) takes place on groomed Snocce courts at the same time as the Free Snowman building competitions and just before the Pete the Snow Dragon shows every Wednesday and Saturday.
• Free binding check. Ensure your bindings are correctly calibrated with a free binding check on our Speedtronic Torque Tester at Falls Creek Sports.
• The operator of the oversnow vehicles offer children under five years free travel.
• There’s Free Resort Entry (conditions apply) for Sunday arrival for skiers and boarders if they’ve booked a 5 night stay (or longer) midweek. They are allowed to enter the alpine resort free from 1pm for the day of arrival.

Source: FCRM 2009 Winter Media Kit, p.7-8.

H1N1 influenza

Advice from the Falls Creek Medical Centre:

The symptoms of Swine Flu are similar to 'ordinary' Flu with fever (38C+), shivers, runny nose, nasal congestion, sore throat, cough and general muscle aches. At present it appears that healthy individuals infected with Swine Flu experience relatively mild symptoms and recover quickly.

Influenza vaccination will not protect against Swine Flu or the common cold but will protect against other influenza infections expected this winter. A vaccine against Swine Flu may be available in the future.

We are obviously keen to avoid this contagion infecting the lodge. If you contract H1N1 influenza prior to the period of your booking, please contact the Booking Officer to discuss some options.

sunday in the sun @ falls creek

Snowfalls on Saturday, followed by blue skies on Sunday. Six lifts operating at very reduced prices have contributed to a great start to the season. Empty slopes and plenty of space available at the lodge. Some members even did a day trip from Melbourne.

There is still plenty of space in the lodge until the end of June. It provides a great opportunity to introduce future skiers and boarders to snowsports.

lifts to start turning next weekend

Reports of almost half a metre of snow falling since the Queen's Birthday Weekend, with more forecast this week (ski.com.au snow cam photo taken today). See the reports & forecasts links in the sidebar.

A limited number of ski lifts will be operating at discounted prices next weekend. Details here.