PERISHER BLUE / Australia: DEVELOPMENTS 2004
TOP TO BOTTOM SNOWMAKING ON THE RIDGE
The Ridge has long been a popular run in Perisher Blue, known for offering fantastic terrain variation and widely regarded as the best groomed open piste in the resort for advanced skiers and boarders. In fact the Swiss, Norwegian, German, Canadian, and Australian World Cup Ski Teams have trained on this seriously challenging terrain over the years, all of whom regarded the terrain as first class.
2004 sees an expansion of our snow making system to include the terrain on the Ridge now ensuring it will open earlier than usual. Expert skiers and boarders will also benefit with the lengthening of time that Excelerator will remain open. The new snow making system comprises 15 new snow guns, extra pipe work, and an Atlas Copco 6000 cfm air compressor worth $600,000.
Snowmaking on the Ridge is another in a string of key master plan improvements Perisher Blue continues to make across the resort and while planning began long ago this and the completion of the Village Eight Express on Front Valley in 2003 visualises a highly successful start.
iPod Super Pipe
Perisher Blue’s first ever Super Half Pipe will be operational for the 2004
season. Acquisition of a “Snow Turbo Half Pipe Grinder” (HPG) with specially
fitted mangan steel, bi-lateral blades to cut snow and ice and smooth finish the
walls for a perfectly shaped surface.
The iPod Super Pipe will have walls 4.5 metres high with a transition radius of about 5.2 metres. This is a much bigger transition area, making it a safer landing platform for everyday skier and boarder use and allows experts the opportunity to generate more speed to launch huge manoeuvres off the lip and above the pipe.
The HPG can also be used for the construction of international standard terrain parks. It can be adjusted to make great spines, banks, quarter pipes and berms for skier & boarder cross enthusiasts.
As a result, the iPod Super Pipe will enable a higher level of experience for everyone and allow competitions to be of international standard in a safer environment.
INCREASING TERRAIN PARKS
A Kids Mini Terrain Park is proposed for Mt Piper . Mini jumps and berms will
allow kids the chance to advance their air skills and tricks and also develop
their skills on the shorter, lower to the ground rails with the full feeling and
balance required to rail slide without being intimidated by the sight of
technically challenging adult versions.
The Experts Terrain Park known as the Slopestyle course and located within a fenced off section on Perisher’s Front Valley will return in 2004 offering big hits specially designed for competition use.
The Terrain Park at Blue Cow and the Rail Park at Leichhardt return in 2004 with a mixture of hits, berms and rails designed to challenge the more experienced skiers and boarders.
THE HOME OF AUSTRALIA’S FUTURE OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS
Perisher Blue has joined forces with the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia (OWIA)
to become the home resort for the Australian Olympic Snowboard half pipe program.
The Australian Olympic Half Pipe Snowboard Teams and the NSW Institute of Sports
as well as rising stars will now be able to train on world class facilities at
Perisher Blue.
In addition Perisher Blue also hosts the OWIA programs for the Mogul Skiing Olympic Teams. A new Freestyle Mogul Course will be implemented this season at the lower part of the Ridge Chair and will be home to the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia’s mogul team. It will also be a great place for bump lovers to test their ability on a world class course.
This mogul course and the new Super Pipe sets new standards placing Perisher Blue on the international stage as a destination for the world’s best snow riders and the leading training resort for our winter representative athletes. Who knows, we may even see Australia’s next gold medalist!
VILLAGE 8 EXPRESS
The biggest construction to happen in the Snowy Mountains in recent years is on
Perisher Blue’s Front Valley – The Village 8 Express. It is the only 8
seater chairlift in the Southern Hemisphere.
Taking just 1 minute and 50 seconds, the chair can lift up to 4,000 skiers and boarders per hour, dramatically improving the efficiency of lifting skiers and boarders up and off Front Valley which also means more time on the slopes. It’s a cinch to ride, simply slide onto the moving carpet, then the chair comes in behind you, whisks you to the top then you just slide off and head back down or venture off to Pretty Valley, or across to Centre Valley.
The chair, which also operates during night skiing and boarding, has Halogen lights mounted on top to light up the slopes. Plus snow guns attached to the towers so they are higher than previous guns therefore allowing the snow more time to fall to the ground resulting in better snow.
SNOW DECK PARK
Opening on selected days and purpose built especially for the newest form of
snow riding - snow decks will be constructed on Perisher Blue’s Front Valley.
Just like a skate board or a mini snow board without bindings each deck is
fitted with a leash to ensure no boards get away from their riders. The
dedicated park will allow enthusiasts to perform their tricks in a closed safe
environment.
AROUND THE RESORT
Mountain Operations has worked tirelessly on Summer Slope Grooming. Various
trails across the resort have been cleared of rocks and other obstacles, with
particular attention to rock removal in Blue Cow’s Ridge area for improved
trail access. Summer Slope Grooming makes for safer and more enjoyable terrain,
improving the skiing and boarding experience for guests.
Another 1 km of Snow Fencing will assist in the capture and retention of snow. Groomers are able to collect snow caught by the strategically placed fences and push it into areas that need additional cover, such as traverse tracks, lift load and unloads.
Perisher Blue’s already impressive Snow Grooming Fleet has been bolstered with the introduction of a new Bombardier MP275 grooming machine. Perisher Blue now has 20 snow groomers working in the resort making it the biggest fleet in Australia. The new addition will help to prepare over 100 designated trails in the resort for guests to enjoy. The MP275 is a very impressive machine known for its reliability and corduroy quality finishes.