Good advice.I also pointed out why it's good to have lessons in the rain. So when you do get prime days, you have the skills and mileage to make the most of it.
Yes when I was instructing getting kids back from the Spurs area was always a nightmare. When they redeveloped Burnt Hut there was talk about a second lift from Spurs to Baldy, it would be fantastic but it will be behind the 2 big lift priorities which is replacing BB1 and relocating Wombat to Grimus and replacing Wombat with a detachable 6 seater. I also reckon Summit/Howqua will be re-thought before the Spurs idea as well.Well today was prime. What a day to give the kids their first real taste of Buller, and their first real spring skiing experience. The kids have been to Buller before but mainly for tobogganing and snowplay. My son had skied the magic carpet but that was it.
So anyway, a 5:30 am wake-up with a 6 am planned departure was a bit optimistic, we ended up leaving at about 6:40 am so we were running late. By the time we got the kids' gear from Mansfield Buller Sports and took the Northside Express it was 10:30 am before we had first turns down Burnt Hut Spur. My son hit his strides quickly and was enjoying his first full day with poles. My daughter got upset after three turns "I can't do this! I want to go home"...which turned to smiles after the end of the first run.
After three runs my son needed to go the toilet. It turned out that Spurs was shut. The nearest toilet was the Tirol Hut. It turns out that attempted to traverse across from Spurs to Shakey Knees for young beginner skiers isn't easy when they don't groom the track. We ended up skiing the top half of Tirol and then cutting across through the trees (because the bottom half of Tirol was grass). This involved some old fashioned bushwacking through the trees, some tears, removal of skis and almost falling into a creek. Luckily we survived and ended up skiing down the lower half of Shakey Knees. By this point I had a full rebellion on my hands from both kids "I want to go home! I hate Mt Buller! etc.". I said that's fine, I'll put you into day care** and I'll ski myself. After we got to Tirol I fed them and that seemed to calm them down.
Across to Bourke St which was an absolute disaster in terms of traffic so we took the Abom Express and headed over to Family Run. The kids loved it and we did about three laps before heading into Koflers for their first ever on-mountain lunch. My daughter told one of the (very nice) guys serving in the kitchen "This is a very nice cafeteria" which pleased him so much he got my daughter to repeat it to the owner.
Then a run of Summit just to show the kids the top of the mountain and the great views. Another run of Family Run followed and then I thought we'd finish up with Wombat. My daughter was whinging at this point that her legs were sore (too much wide-legged snowplough in the backseat) but she managed to finish it without too much drama. Then a ski back via Bourke St to the shuttle bus back to Horse Hill.
Having never skied Buller with beginner skiers before, a couple of things stand out.
1) Burnt Hut Spur is a great beginner space, but access to/from it is appalling. There was no cut/groomed trail to / from Spurs. So the kids just kept sliding down the fall-line across the slush into Tirol.
2) Bourke St, even mid-week at the end of September is a nightmare. It's even less useful than Slalom Gully.
3) The flat aspects of the Buller 'hump' require a lot of towing of little ones.
I think that Buller and Hotham are both pretty bad places to learn to ski. Big D at Hotham is better than anything Buller has to offer IMO (i.e. a nice wide open space, relatively sheltered and very accessible for beginners).
Buller's advantage over Hotham is much better 'easy blues' (e.g. Family Run, Summit, LBS/Wombat).
**I now realise that day care only applies to kids under 3 and it's finished for the season anyway.
Nice to go back for the first time since 2010. As the kids get older I think that regular day-trips with them could be on the menu.
Hi Carveman,Yes when I was instructing getting kids back from the Spurs area was always a nightmare. When they redeveloped Burnt Hut there was talk about a second lift from Spurs to Baldy, it would be fantastic but it will be behind the 2 big lift priorities which is replacing BB1 and relocating Wombat to Grimus and replacing Wombat with a detachable 6 seater. I also reckon Summit/Howqua will be re-thought before the Spurs idea as well.
Is that serious? Every time I am on Wombat, people complain about how long it is. I am glad that BSL is replacing it with a six pack detachable. Grimus also definitely needs a replacement with it's noisy bottom station and Boggy Creek having to be dismantled for the Dam.Yes when I was instructing getting kids back from the Spurs area was always a nightmare. When they redeveloped Burnt Hut there was talk about a second lift from Spurs to Baldy, it would be fantastic but it will be behind the 2 big lift priorities which is replacing BB1 and relocating Wombat to Grimus and replacing Wombat with a detachable 6 seater. I also reckon Summit/Howqua will be re-thought before the Spurs idea as well.
Think so. BB1 is getting very expensive to maintain as it was essentially a prototype so there are no parts.Hi Carveman,
What's the plan to replace BB1? Is it with a 6 seater chair?
It's the word around the campfire.Is that serious? Every time I am on Wombat, people complain about how long it is. I am glad that BSL is replacing it with a six pack detachable. Grimus also definitely needs a replacement with it's noisy bottom station and Boggy Creek having to be dismantled for the Dam.
Buller fantastic yesterday except for some lack of grooming, cutting costs ?
Not much of it this year.
No grooming the 3 midweek days I went up which is a first.
Not good enough
yepHi Carveman,
What's the plan to replace BB1? Is it with a 6 seater chair?
Thanks for the info Carveman! Do you know when this could be a possibility? Within three years?
That's great! Is the wombat replacement planned to be done soon or is that still a while away?I've heard they want to do it this summer. As mentioned, BB1 was the world's first detachable quad, and it's essentially a prototype. When BB2 was ripped out it was as much for parts to keep BB1 going, but it's getting very costly to maintain.
6 seater means a 50% increase in capacity which is great, I think the snow factory will be incorporated in to the new top station.
I've heard they want to do it this summer. As mentioned, BB1 was the world's first detachable quad, and it's essentially a prototype. When BB2 was ripped out it was as much for parts to keep BB1 going, but it's getting very costly to maintain.
6 seater means a 50% increase in capacity which is great, I think the snow factory will be incorporated in to the new top station.
Ideally this summer yes. There's only one other chair in the world the same model as BB I believe in Quebec. Not incorporating snow factory at this stage.
Zero issues.What is the day parking situation like during the current school holidays but mid week?
I’m thinking of a day trip during the week next week. Is it as crazy as recent weekends?
We got into the back of Horse Hill car park at 10 am last Tuesday. Still plenty of room in the upper section.What is the day parking situation like during the current school holidays but mid week?
I’m thinking of a day trip during the week next week. Is it as crazy as recent weekends?