Even more snowmaking…
Another busy summer on the ground for the Thredbo Mountain Team with the installation of stage three in the automation of Thredbo’s already mega snowmaking system. Thredbo now boasts a whopping 65 hectares of snowmaking, covering trails for all levels. This year $1.5 million was spent on adding snowmaking to the World Cup run that runs parallel to the mighty Supertrail. This enhancement will also see improved coverage of the run-out of Little Beauty and True Blue.
The three stage automation process has seen close to $6 million invested and the results of this upgrade are staggering, close to triple the amount of snow can now be produced over pre-automated days.
Thredbo's snowmaking system produced:
2005 Pre-automated (before the upgrade) - 180,000 m3
2006 Stage 1 automation - 330,000 m3
2007 Stage 2 automation - 430,000 m3
2008 Stage 3 automation - anticipated production 480,000 - 500,000 m3
Come season 2008, Thredbo's system will have the ability to have 155 guns on-line at any one time, that is double the amount from pre automated days.
Thredbo now has snowmaking on runs for every level of snow rider, so even when Mother Nature hits the snooze button you can still enjoy good snow riding conditions.
New $500,000 snow groomer
Thredbo added a new snow groomer to the family and the resort now boasts the most modern and technologically advanced fleet in Australia. Coming in at $500,000 the new Kassbohrer 600 winch cat, is more efficient and user friendly. It is packed full of features that make it a dream to operate. It has touch screen operations and all the functions are on one joystick, but the best part is, it uses the latest technology in emission control, so this machine is very green. What this means to skiers and boarders is more super smooth tracks of corduroy in more places.
Discounted lift prices
In line with previous years Thredbo is offering discounted lift tickets in June. No matter how much snow or how many lifts are open, the multi day tickets are discounted. New for winter 2008 Thredbo is offering those same rates in springtime. So from September 15th you get a price rewind to June pricing, for example a two day adult lift pass is just $129.
New webcams
You can now check out even more areas around the resort with the installation of three new web cams making a total of eight resort cameras. You can now view:
Friday Flat
Cruiser
Basin
Central Spur
Village Square
Bottom of Kosciuszko Express
Mountain view from village
Property news
Another good year for Thredbo property sales. In the calendar year to December 2007, close to $27 million worth of real estate changed hands, ranging from new luxury apartments to older style dwellings.
The 50 year head lease is now signed and the conversion to Torrens Title has been successfully achieved bringing Thredbo into line with the property system widely used throughout NSW. Kosciuszko Thredbo is now turning its attention to planning for significant reinvestment in the village and mountain infrastructure that will cement Thredbo’s position as the number one year round alpine resort.
Accommodation
Work is underway on redeveloping an old Thredbo favourite, New Kirk Lodge. They plan to build nine new apartments on the existing site, ready for winter 2009.
The River Inn at Friday Flat has new owners, with Matt and Kellie Goodall from Oz Snow Adventures taking over the reigns of the 130 bed lodge from April 2008. They have been bringing riders to Thredbo for over eight years and combined with their other property, Snowy Valley in Jindabyne, it will make them one of the largest owned snow accommodation businesses in the Snowy Mountains.
Club lodges Golden Eagle and Kiama have also undertaken extensions, alterations and refurbishment.
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