Trip Report Ski Tube 2021

[rocketboy]

As President for Life for the Skitube Appreciation Society I thought I'd kick off a new thread for 2021.

At this stage the Skitube is still slated to start Fri June 11 ahead of the LWE.

However, given PV is open from tomorrow - and snow is expected mid next week. I suspect we will see a repeat of 2019 with an early start to Skitube operations announced in coming days.

Given no announcements so far - one can assume overnight parking will be allowed at PV this weekend and until Skitube starts - but hopefully same the problem they had in 2019 - ie snow falls - means they'll get the Skitube rolling either Tues or Wed next week.

Keep an eye on the skitube page here for updates
https://www.perisher.com.au/plan-your-trip/new-to-perisher/skitube

 

[danski_li]

Would be nice to use skitube this weekend…

 

[MGS1968]

Just out of curiosity, what were the 2020 or even 2019 1 day skitube prices, without lift tickets? Thanks.

 

[snowgum]

As President for Life for the Skitube Appreciation Society I thought I'd kick off a new thread for 2021.

At this stage the Skitube is still slated to start Fri June 11 ahead of the LWE.

However, given PV is open from tomorrow - and snow is expected mid next week. I suspect we will see a repeat of 2019 with an early start to Skitube operations announced in coming days.

Given no announcements so far - one can assume overnight parking will be allowed at PV this weekend and until Skitube starts - but hopefully same the problem they had in 2019 - ie snow falls - means they'll get the Skitube rolling either Tues or Wed next week.

Keep an eye on the skitube page here for updates
https://www.perisher.com.au/plan-your-trip/new-to-perisher/skitube

Hi RB, can I please ask you or any lurkers a question?

I’m heading to CPass
Sunday 5 Sept (so not a peak period) but since I’ll have gear for a week, I can’t head up the ST before the 11:30am service.

Do you as to when the BF ST car park typically fills to max cap on September Sundays please?

The obvious problem is that we may have to arrive early (8am?) for a guaranteed space only to have to kill 3Hrs+ around the terminal.

I also wondered if Lake Crackenback resort et al provided some overspill parking or even offered an easy walk-in destination for coffee etc... from BF?

Cheers for any ideas.

With Perisher offering no O/N options, I note Charlotte isn’t the easiest one-week destination. But will be worth the trouble once installed in the village.

 

[skichic]

Hi RB, can I please ask you or any lurkers a question?

I’m heading to CPass
Sunday 5 Sept (so not a peak period) but since I’ll have gear for a week, I can’t head up the ST before the 11:30am service.

Do you as to when the BF ST car park typically fills to max cap on September Sundays please?

The obvious problem is that we may have to arrive early (8am?) for a guaranteed space only to have to kill 3Hrs+ around the terminal.

I also wondered if Lake Crackenback resort et al provided some overspill parking or even offered an easy walk-in destination for coffee etc... from BF?

Cheers for any ideas.

With Perisher offering no O/N options, I note Charlotte isn’t the easiest one-week destination. But will be worth the trouble once installed in the village.

Carpark won’t be full. Likely by September they won’t enforce the peak time thing either. Could always drop passengers and gear up at P then one person drive back to tube.

 

[Telemark Phat]

Hi RB, can I please ask you or any lurkers a question?

I’m heading to CPass
Sunday 5 Sept (so not a peak period) but since I’ll have gear for a week, I can’t head up the ST before the 11:30am service.

Do you as to when the BF ST car park typically fills to max cap on September Sundays please?

The obvious problem is that we may have to arrive early (8am?) for a guaranteed space only to have to kill 3Hrs+ around the terminal.

I also wondered if Lake Crackenback resort et al provided some overspill parking or even offered an easy walk-in destination for coffee etc... from BF?

Cheers for any ideas.

With Perisher offering no O/N options, I note Charlotte isn’t the easiest one-week destination. But will be worth the trouble once installed in the village.

You can't take luggage on the Skitube between 6:30am and 11:00am. You might want to try and get on an earlier or later oversnow.

 

[Jonathan_P]

Hi RB, can I please ask you or any lurkers a question?

I’m heading to CPass
Sunday 5 Sept (so not a peak period) but since I’ll have gear for a week, I can’t head up the ST before the 11:30am service.

Do you as to when the BF ST car park typically fills to max cap on September Sundays please?

The obvious problem is that we may have to arrive early (8am?) for a guaranteed space only to have to kill 3Hrs+ around the terminal.

I also wondered if Lake Crackenback resort et al provided some overspill parking or even offered an easy walk-in destination for coffee etc... from BF?

Cheers for any ideas.

With Perisher offering no O/N options, I note Charlotte isn’t the easiest one-week destination. But will be worth the trouble once installed in the village.

Done September on snow trips around similar time, car park overnight section generally fine, on Sunday it will be the change over

 

[snowgum]

Carpark won’t be full. Likely by September they won’t enforce the peak time thing either. Could always drop passengers and gear up at P then one person drive back to tube.

Thanks skichic2, not a bad idea if we want to head up earlier than 11!

 

[NightSky]

There are 2 car park sections, one for day trippers, one for overnighters. Never seen the over nighters car park full. Pull up and unload in front, move the car into car park.

 

[teleroo]

Just out of curiosity, what were the 2020 or even 2019 1 day skitube prices, without lift tickets? Thanks.

$60 return or thereabouts adult

 

[boardx]

Hi everyone, quick question on the ski tube. Is it cheaper to purchase as an add on at the same time you purchase lift tickets, compared to buying it later or even on the day?

 

[MGS1968]

Hi everyone, quick question on the ski tube. Is it cheaper to purchase as an add on at the same time you purchase lift tickets, compared to buying it later or even on the day?

Good question, I'd like to know this too as we're not too sure our car, lowered BMW, will be able to use chains, due to very tight clearance. If we hold off, check on the 1st day at a snowchain hire place, and we can't do so, be nice to know we could just upgrade our tix to include skitube at the same low price.

 

[nezumi]

Hi everyone, quick question on the ski tube. Is it cheaper to purchase as an add on at the same time you purchase lift tickets, compared to buying it later or even on the day?

Massively cheaper buying it as an add-on.

I can't see on-the-day prices being lower than online now, and your options at present are a same-day return for $68 (on a Monday) versus a 5 day return add-on to a 5 day lift pass for $118.

 

[Townsend]

The Larder at Lake Crackenback is a good walk in cafe/restaurant.

 

[snowgum]

The Larder at Lake Crackenback is a good walk in cafe/restaurant.

Cheers Townsend.
Is it vaguely walkable from O/N car park at B Flat? A km or so?

Assume more time effective to drive to cafe then park in O/N for tube? Since O/N isnt under the space cap constraints?

cheers?

 

[skichic]

15 minute walk @snowgum

 

[snowgum]

15 minute walk @snowgum

Cool thanks - could drive or walk? Nice to walk to kill an hour if need be.

might even do lunch (luggage free) then we can go (almost) directly to OS at P.

Very civilised!

 

[skichic]

Cool thanks - could drive or walk? Nice to walk to kill an hour if need be.

might even do lunch (luggage free) then we can go (almost) directly to OS at P.

Very civilised!

You can walk that way. But the gate is locked for driving. You’d need to go back out onto the road and back in.

 

[snowgum]

You can walk that way. But the gate is locked for driving. You’d need to go back out onto the road and back in.

Appreciated SC2!

 

[BrindiCruiser]

How have the crowds been on the skitube today and yesterday. Seems like absolute nightmare on the roads to the resort. I have season pass with skitube addons for the family and trying to decide whether to come up tomorrow.

Also it is a bit unclear to me whether the skitube is out of action, or whether there is a reduced timetable or any impact at all from the a reported fire that I have read about. Any news to share?

 

[LUNate]

Skitube is the way to go- running to standard timetable, afaik they had trains running 30 minutes after the "fire" (brakes dragging)

Arrived at 0740 this morning and walked straight on, not too crowded.

 

[GlenH]

I noticed Perisher seems to be running the Skitube every 25 minutes in 'peak' periods again all season this year, like last year (during COVID), rather than the more typical 20 minute peak frequency they always used to have.

Any idea why this is?

Things might get interesting when the season gets busy!

 

[Hanz Onyawaif]

Channel 7 just reported about a fire on the ski tube today. No injuries reported.

 

[GlenH]

Channel 7 just reported about a fire on the ski tube today. No injuries reported.

That wasn't the incident on Saturday (?) when passengers were evacuated from the station after a burning smell found to be the train's brakes.

 

[robbo mcs]

That wasn't the incident on Saturday (?) when passengers were evacuated from the station after a burning smell found to be the train's brakes.

Yes, it looked like the saturday event. For some reason they decided to run it today

 

[NathanF]

Yes, it looked like the saturday event. For some reason they decided to run it today

Who knows, tomorrow they might run a story of a chair coming off the rope at the premium resort. I know it's off topic, but were the findings/WHS report or something similar ever made public?

 

[GlenH]

A bit of trivia for you, the SkiTube timetable page currently has calendar dates available until 4 November but timetables only until 4 October. I think someone has programed the wrong month for the service to end.

 

[Waccaa]

Love the Skitube but the timetable change sux.
If you have luggage and want a full day's skiing on arrival you need to be on the 6:25am train. Otherwise write-off half your first day as far as skiing goes and catch the 11:25.
No idea why they changed for 8am being the last train with luggage in 2019. That made coming from Canberra a early but not an impossibly early start.
You would think they would want to may is easy for people staying at the resort.

 

[Donza]

Love the Skitube but the timetable change sux.
If you have luggage and want a full day's skiing on arrival you need to be on the 6:25am train. Otherwise write-off half your first day as far as skiing goes and catch the 11:25.
No idea why they changed for 8am being the last train with luggage in 2019. That made coming from Canberra a early but not an impossibly early start.
You would think they would want to may is easy for people staying at the resort.

Maybe cause its busy and social distancing applies?

 

[nezumi]

It looks like there's been a change to make the names of the skitube products clearer, but also an acompanying price increase - throughout the school holidays, and from Friday to Monday in July and August, the price of a single day skitube ticket has gone up to $99. Tuesday to Thursday outside of school holidays is still $59 - high, but not as bad.

 

[skichic]

Love the Skitube but the timetable change sux.
If you have luggage and want a full day's skiing on arrival you need to be on the 6:25am train. Otherwise write-off half your first day as far as skiing goes and catch the 11:25.
No idea why they changed for 8am being the last train with luggage in 2019. That made coming from Canberra a early but not an impossibly early start.
You would think they would want to may is easy for people staying at the resort.

Also used by people staying at Charlotte Pass.

 

[Balsta]

Maybe cause its busy and social distancing applies?

Lol, social distancing is non existent. Caught it today to Blue Cow from Perisher, it was packed. Zero social distancing and worse still only myself and about 4 others that I could see had the “recommended” face coverings.

 

[Donza]

Lol, social distancing is non existent. Caught it today to Blue Cow from Perisher, it was packed. Zero social distancing and worse still only myself and about 4 others that I could see had the “recommended” face coverings.

I know it is...
but the resort has to have that in their plans.

 

[Waccaa]

Maybe cause its busy and social distancing applies?

If social distancing applied then there would be more room for luggage.

 

[Waccaa]

If social distancing was being applied there would be more room for luggage.

 

[Telemark Phat]

If social distancing was being applied there would be more room for luggage.

All luggage should be burnt before arrival. Worked during the plague.

 

[WaistDeep]

Staying on mountain for Friday and Saturday night and just went to book ski tube. Same day return ticket for tomorrow is $39 for a pass holder, but the overnight return was $129!!! Why wouldn't I just purchase a same day return from each end of the ski tube if I have to?

What am I missing?

 

[Val Desire]

Staying on mountain for Friday and Saturday night and just went to book ski tube. Same day return ticket for tomorrow is $39 for a pass holder, but the overnight return was $129!!! Why wouldn't I just purchase a same day return from each end of the ski tube if I have to?

What am I missing?

Missing nothing. I did that last year ( bought two day passes) and worked fine.

 

[skifree]

All luggage should be burnt before arrival. Worked during the plague.

Which plague?

And if it’s an old plague you’d think we’d worked out how to keep what’s most important to us & not burn it by now.

 

[cornice11]

Staying on mountain for Friday and Saturday night and just went to book ski tube. Same day return ticket for tomorrow is $39 for a pass holder, but the overnight return was $129!!! Why wouldn't I just purchase a same day return from each end of the ski tube if I have to?

What am I missing?

some people aren't pass holders - CP guests.

 

[nezumi]

Staying on mountain for Friday and Saturday night and just went to book ski tube. Same day return ticket for tomorrow is $39 for a pass holder, but the overnight return was $129!!! Why wouldn't I just purchase a same day return from each end of the ski tube if I have to?

What am I missing?

For an Epic pass holder? Nothing, other than that if you use the Skitube more than 3 times in the season you are better off getting the unlimited use add-on when you buy your Epic Pass?

 

[GlenH]

Am just curious is the Ski Tube using one train or two on the section between Bullocks Flat and Perisher?

That is, when trains are running every 25 minutes in 'peak hours' do trains cross on the loop near the tunnel?

 

[Telemark Phat]

Am just curious is the Ski Tube using one train or two on the section between Bullocks Flat and Perisher?

That is, when trains are running every 25 minutes in 'peak hours' do trains cross on the loop near the tunnel?

Yes.

 

[skisax]

You can walk that way. But the gate is locked for driving. You’d need to go back out onto the road and back in.

The gate has been opened for one way traffic from Lake Crackenback. Must return via Alpine Way though.