Question What does Ben Lomond need?

[Ben Lomond Brad]

Apart from another couple of hundred meters of vertical and more snow, what are the things that would make the Ben Lomond ski area a more enjoyable place and provide a better snow experience for all users?

Please keep comments positive and do not dwell on the past.

Your ideas could help Ben Lomond move forward.

 

[cold wombat]

Heli skiing?

 

[kiter]

One would think snowmaking would be on the list . Do the ave night time temps and humidity in winter warrant it and is there water available . Is there a market that will pay for it?

 

[Ben Lomond Brad]

We already have two fan guns however water is currently limited.
Temps and humidity are variable, but good snow has been made in the past.

 

[Squidly]

Two things, more summer grooming and more under cover shelter.

 

[Dos]

Is there actually a real market for the resort?

 

[Angus_McCrory]

Is there actually a real market for the resort?

Launceston.

 

[Ben Lomond Brad]

It is the closest ski are to any airport (other the the Hotham airport) in Australia, and closest to any capital city. You can be skiing within 1.15 of collecting your luggage or just under 3 hours from Hobart.
The biggest challenge is that there are a number of operators trying to promote the mountain, but not a single management board/team/group promoting the place as a whole.

Launceston is approx 1 hour away from the slopes. The whole if Tas is in fact it's market, and could even be pushed to Melb if the snow could be guaranteed.

There is endless potential for it to be developed as a 'terrain park' type mountain while still providing open slopes

 

[BenLomond Iceman]

the Ben is generally the only viable commercial downhill ski option in tassie.. you would not travel here specifically from interstate unless you were on holidays here anyhow.. it can have great snow . being only 1 hr from launceston & with easy access it is a good option for tassie skiers.. its market is local skiers and families & tourists looking for a snow experience .

 

[VSG]

What is the potential for ski runs and lifting at the arrows... ?

 

[VSG]

Current resort area.

 

[Ben Lomond Brad]

Guaranteeing snow out there is the issue. Hamilton Crags side is lots of rock, as are most of the other areas. Little Hell is known as a great spot when snow is good, but access is difficult and return for cost would be minimal.

Lack of mains power and working within a national park causes many issues, but with $$$ and desire these can be overcome.

 

[BenLomond Iceman]

i think the removal of village poma and re aligning fannys t bar from where village loads now to the bottom of fannys t bar cliff which is proposed whoud be about a good an option available using the current terrain .. it would open up much more skiable terrain

this would open up all the slope as village poma would not be there as well as opening up more slope on the fannys slopes because of the realignment of that tow ...

 

[VSG]

Just needed to see the bigger picture. The Ben massif looks really cool from the south, from memory. On my way from Elephant Pass to Lonny, some years back.

 

[BenLomond Iceman]

True. The ben look majestic on a clear day from a distance with a big dump of snow on her !

 

[bigdamo]

Cooma airport is one hour from Perisher with regular flights from Sydney in Winter. Ideas for Ben apart from summer grooming. Terrain park, half pipe and XC trails which could give you access to abit of back country skiing. half pipe will probably be out due to costs.

 

[Angus_McCrory]

And no one flies into Cooma, unlike Launceston.

 

[Dos]

Cooma airport is one hour from Perisher with regular flights from Sydney in Winter. Ideas for Ben apart from summer grooming. Terrain park, half pipe and XC trails which could give you access to abit of back country skiing. half pipe will probably be out due to costs.

No airline flying into Cooma. Brindabella went bust and no one else picked up the route. I don't believe it's really profitable.

 

[Billybonker]

To be honest, all we need is lifts that operate when there is snow. We don't need every excuse when the sky is blue and there is lots of sun. If we start there than Ben Lomond will be stepping forward.

 

[Billybonker]

That means most lifts on the weekend. I hope things do go forward on the Ben otherwise it will be a early grave.

 

[bigdamo]

XC trails?

 

[VSG]

Go the Ben!

 

[oze]

i think the removal of village poma and re aligning fannys t bar from where village loads now to the bottom of fannys t bar cliff which is proposed whoud be about a good an option available using the current terrain .. it would open up much more skiable terrain

this would open up all the slope as village poma would not be there as well as opening up more slope on the fannys slopes because of the realignment of that tow ...

This sounds like a good idea but every year I've been visiting Lomond the major issue is lift reliability and if you live down south then lack of info on lift status is just as much of a problem. When you can't get a decent indication of lift status until an hour before the lifts open and then you've got a 3 hour drive ahead of you then half the day is gone by the time your on the snow. You may call this dwelling on the past but the reality is that you have to look at the past to improve for the future. It's great that investments have been made in snow guns but it seems that it may have been better spent in upgrading the tows.

 

[Ben Lomond Brad]

This sounds like a good idea but every year I've been visiting Lomond the major issue is lift reliability and if you live down south then lack of info on lift status is just as much of a problem. When you can't get a decent indication of lift status until an hour before the lifts open and then you've got a 3 hour drive ahead of you then half the day is gone by the time your on the snow. You may call this dwelling on the past but the reality is that you have to look at the past to improve for the future. It's great that investments have been made in snow guns but it seems that it may have been better spent in upgrading the tows.

Investment in snow guns was done by both lift company and hire company with the hope that lessons and hire could happen with only Bass open

 

[xecute]

I think lift reliability is the main issue. It's either not enough snow, too much snow, ice on the cables, the wind is blowing, not enough customers, no staff, etc. If the lifts could run more often and longer, we will already be improving.

 

[chunky]

Make a really good terrain park?

 

[Richard]

Someone to update snow reports for 2014.

 

[Ben Lomond Brad]

@Richard I believe @BenLomondBezzer and @Bulldozer may be getting that sorted
We don't have very much snow yet

 

[eehan]

Invent a machine to extract more CO2 from the atmosphere than is being put in, and usher in a new era of Global cooling. Then delist the skiable areas from National Park status and hire a few bulldozers.

 

[The BLC Inc.]

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[petere]

Great Topic!, but I think the fact it is in a national park combined with its location and altitude will make any major changes impossible. I agree with Icemans post, I think we need to be honest and accept that its a great little mountain, get the lifts sorted if possible and take advantage when conditions permit. Any talk of it competing with mainland resorts is just pleasant day dreaming!

 

[S-man]

I would think stepping up the snow making would be the next priority after the above points, just hammer a couple areas that hold the snow best and aim to run a skeleton size area as efficiently and consistently as possible whilst awaiting the bigger dumps.
I do like what has been done at the ski school area, just need more of that and yes I know water supply is the problem issue.

 

[Ben Lomond Brad]

Increasing water storage @S-man is the only solution to better snow making.
Cleaning out the current dam, or even increasing its capacity would be a start, then who knows, even building a bigger dam further up the hill might also help. Particularly given the fact that the current dam was built as a temporary dam in the 60's..............................

 

[S-man]

Yep a good sized dam would be great, one big enough to hold some half decent sized trout and or salmon thus adding another attraction for the punters in the off season.

 

[Ben Lomond Brad]

getting trout into the Nat Park might be interesting, particularly given that there is no way of them getting up and down the ladder to breed, but I like the idea

 

[SnowBergMan]

Get someone to run around in a yeti suit...get some publicity. Then..they will come.

 

[Tasjez]

I know it is a national park, but surely one small part can be altered to allow some quality recreation skiing in the park, we only use a small part of the plateau.
1.Lobby the new liberal government./private sector to provide funding for a bull dozer, excavator , which with lots of summer grooming will reduce the amount of snow required to get the slopes open.
2. Increased, or new water storage for (increased) snow making so that at minimum front slopes have skiable snow from early July onwards. Regular snow reports with accurate conditions.
3.Reliable, open tows when there is snow
4.Increased day shelter.
That should just about cover it!

 

[S-man]

BLB I would of thought some trout would easily survive without having to spawn off the mt each season but yeah i guess parks would kick up over it, it would be Tassie's highest fishing destination.

Get someone to run around in a yeti suit...get some publicity. Then..they will come.

This may have already been done at Thredbo, a couple sightings just down the road apparently, not sure if this is what the kiddies at Friday Flat are too keen on though.

 

[Ben Lomond Brad]

Many of the trout in more inaccessible lakes through the Tassie wilderness have 'apparently' been dropped in from low flying aircraft.

I do know a good pilot ;-)

 

[SnowBergMan]

Yes the kiddies might be traumatised by a hungry wild carnivorous yeti.

 

[Aradica]

Well it's got nothing to do with the Ben Lomond Committee does it? It's all with the Government and National Parks so what if the Government/National Parks gave the mountain to the Committee then hopefully Ben Lomond Snow Sports and the Tow company merge to run the entire resort and they can do a lot of work on the runs in summer get them down to a nice mountain grass so even with 10cm of snow there would be a hell of a lot more skiable terrain. And yes upgrade the snow making and tows and get a tri chair to take people over the back with and replace one or two others with tri chairs. Then the mountain would be perfect.

 

[Chowder11]

What's the MTB scene like in Summer?
Could any of the lifts be compatible for MTB riders and develop the summer population?
Not sure about a dam for Fly Fishing. There is so much good FF already in Tassie, not sure if people would go out of their way just to fish a dam when there is so many amazing natural lakes and streams already.

 

[Ben Lomond Brad]

There are currently no MTB trails on the slopes, and given that all lifts are surface lifts, I doubt they'd be any good for being dragged up hill on a MTB.
There are a number of 'unmarked' trails in the foothills below Jacobs ladder, and there are a couple of service providers who run MTB tours from the village, down the ladder and then through the bush.
It is yet an undeveloped resource, but with the massive investment in MTB trails throughout tas, I'd say the development of BL as a MTB destination with designated trails both above and below Jacobs ladder may not be too far away.
Obviously there'll need to be consultation with PWS for trails inside the park boundary, but there are trails within Reserves maintained by PWS in Launceston, so the reality may not be too far away.
Once decent walking trails around the summit have been mapped, dual walk/MTB trails may not be that far away

 

[Chowder11]

That's good news, from my viewing of the MTB market in Aus, it seams to be steadily increasing as a sport, so would probably benefit BL to take advantage of that.