​

So you want to get onto the mountain and have some fun.  Skiing, Snowboarding and mountaineering are great fun for all ages and families.  The season lasts for 16 weeks in total, starting in June and ending in October (this period takes in 2 school holidays).

​

This is a helpful guide to the costs involved in coming to the mountain for skiing and snowboarding.  

​

​

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST - STARTING OUT

​

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST - MORE FREQUENT TO THE MOUNTAIN (AKA I'M HOOKED)

​

​

​

​

​

STARTING OUT - HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

​

There are 3 primary costs 

1. Accomodation

2. Equipment Hire

3. Mountain Lift Passes

​

For a NEW STARTER the costs can be high in the first instance, but once you are committed you can start pre-purchasing annual costs which will bring the costs down considerably.  You can also purchase your own clothing to bring this cost down even further.

​

ACCOMODATION

We recommend you stay at a Club like Graduates thats great value for money, you meet new people in a social environment and everyone is really happy to help and give advice.

​

To start your mountain adventure Graduates offer an Associate Membership that provides a reduced membership fee for the season at $50 for per family or $25 for individuals.  Once you are an associate member there is a cost per person per-night.  Why is Graduates different from other clubs?  Our onsite custodians do all the cooking so you can focus on enjoying the mountain and having downtime with your family and friends.  All meals (breakfast & dinner) are included in the nightly rate.

​

Lets do the Math for a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children under 12) per night

​

Associate Membership fee $50 (one off)

Adult rate x 2 $170

Child rate x 2 = $90

​

TOTAL PER NIGHT $260

​

​

EQUIPMENT HIRE

We recommend you rent equipment down the mountain (you can stop and collect on your way to Graduates.  Why?  When you hire on the mountain the queues are long and you miss out on ski / boarding time.  The equipment is heavily used and normally wet from the previous days rental.

There are many hire shops off the mountain that are cheaper and easier to access.  Another bonus, you get to wear your equipment (jackets and gloves etc) on arrival and walk comfortably from the carpark to the ski field.  The alternative is to wait in the hire queues outside in freezing cold.

​

​

Lets do the Math for a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children under 12) per day

​

Ski or Snowboard Hire - Adults x 2 = $60

Ski or Snowboard Hire - Child x 2 = $50

​

Clothing - full works - Adults x 2 = $60

Clothing - full works - Child x 2 = $60

​

Safety Helmets x 4 = $26

​

TOTAL PER DAY = $260

​

If you hire equipment for additional consecutive day it's $170 for the second day.

​

​

MOUNTAIN LIFT PASSES

We recommend you buy your lift passes online and collect when you arrive up the mountain.  There are many self service ticket machines that you simply type in your booking number and it prints out your lift passes (very much like going to the movies).   If you don't, again you queue with the masses in the cold.

​

Lets do the Math for a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children under 12) per day

​

Lift Pass Beginner Adult x 2 = $190

Lift Pass Beginner Child x 2 = $150

​

TOTAL PER DAY $340

​

​

​

COST SUMMARY PER DAY - STARTING OUT

​

ACCOMODATION = $260

EQUIPMENT HIRE = $260

MOUNTAIN LIFT PASSES = $340

​

TOTAL - $560 PER DAY

​

(Cost for additional days if consecutive - $430)  thats $130 less

​

TOTAL FOR 2 CONSECUTIVE DAYS FOR A FAMILY OF 4 - $990

​

​

​

​

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST - MORE FREQUENT TO THE MOUNTAIN?

So you had an EPIC season last year and planning on going at least 4 weekends (8 days) out of the 16 weeks next season.  This is the point you should start buying you own clothing, ski/snowboard equipment, lift season pass and a Graduates club membership to bring the costs down.  Yes some upfront costs but the benefits are great.

​

​

CLOTHING

WHAT TO PURCHASE ADULT

• Helmet

• Gloves

• Jacket

• Pants

• Neck protection

• Goggles

• Thermals

​

WHAT TO PURCHASE KIDS

Kids grow fast and the thought of buying kids clothing seems crazy.  There is a strong market for second hand ski / snowboarding clothing for children.  Either purchase second hand or purchase new with the idea you will sell at the end of the season.

​

• Helmet

• Gloves

• Jacket

• Pants

• Neck protection

• Goggles

• Thermals

​

​

SKIS AND SNOWBOARDS

At this stage we wouldn't recommend you purchase Skis or Snowboard equipment.  The cost is very high and when you rent the equipment is generally really good, its well serviced and is good value for money. To buy an average snowboard with bindings is about $900- boots are $400 - Total $1300.   Say the board lasts for 3 seasons and you are up the mountain 8 days per season.  24 days over 3 seasons.  24 / $1300 = $54 per day - don't forget about waxing and servicing

​

If you hire a performance board for 8 days per season it works out to be $27 per day

​

At the end of the second season, check how many times you have been up the mountain over the two seasons then decide if investing in a snowboard or skis is worth it.

​

​

LIFT PASS

At the end of each season, early bird lift passes are sold and if you are indeed committing to go up 4-6 weeks this is a good investment.  To break even for an adult early bird annual pass you need to go at least two  times that season.

​

Early Bird prices at the end of the 2019 season

Adult Season Pass x 2 = $898

Child Season Pass x 2 = $500

​

TOTAL FOR SEASON PASSES - $1398

​

Cost without season passes for 8 days (2 days x 4 weekends) - $506 + 304 x 4 

​

​

GRADUATES CLUB MEMBERSHIP

​

​

​