The author skied this Mt Buller run, which is really called "Cut 73" and lived to write about it. Source: NewsComAu
SOMETIMES you don't know as much as you think. It's true in life as it is in travel.
I've skied for 30 years and always thought Aussie skiing was all about Thredbo and Perisher in New South Wales and Hotham in Victoria.
But there's one rather significant place I'd foolishly left out of my calculations: Mt Buller. I skied Buller for the first time a couple of weeks ago and it's a place I intend to vest again and again. Here are 12 reasons why.
1. It's not actually that crowded
This is a Mt Buller run called Dam Run, one of the most popular blue runs on the north side of the mountain. On a recent Monday afternoon, it wasn't exactly chockers. Source: NewsComAu
Buller is three hours from Melbourne, which means it's the only major Aussie resort within day-trip range of a major city. So sure, it gets a little hectic up there on weekends, especially on the main beginner run which is called "Bourke St" for good reason.
But Buller has 22 lifts, the majority of them chairlifts. Crowds really spread out on this mountain. I never waited longer than five minutes in any lift line on the weekend. By Monday, it was like I had the place to myself. If you can sneak a few days off work to visit Buller midweek this August or September, do it.
2. It's really beautiful
The really horrible view looking west from Mt Buller to the farmland near Mansfield Source: NewsComAu
Most Aussie resorts are situated on the slopes of an undulating plateau. Buller is a standalone peak with farmland to the west and forested wilderness on the other sides. The views of green, snowless valleys and distant snowy peaks on just about every chairlift ride are incredible. An American ski coach once described this as the most beautiful place he'd ever visited in his years travelling the globe. He wasn't kidding.
3. No, but it's really REALLY beautiful
Nature's slalom poles on the lower slopes of Mt Buller, Victoria. Source: NewsComAu
It's not just the dramatic backdrops that make this place so spectacular. No two ski landscapes are the same at Buller. From the wide open treeless slopes up high to the narrow lower trails which wind down through the tall mountain ash and woolybutts (don't laugh, that's a real tree name), this is a mountain as enticing to nature lovers as it is to adrenaline junkies.
4. The mountain has options
That's "Bourke St" in the middle. To the right are the sunny northern slopes. To the left are the southern slopes, which usually hold their snow well into September. In the background is the summit at 1805m above sea level. Source: NewsComAu
Here's the really cool thing about Buller. There are lifts on the north, south, eastern and western flanks of the mountain. If the snow's a little icy on the south side, head to the sunnier north side. If the north side snow becomes too slushy, head back to the south side again. When the snow's as good as it is this year, you really can't lose.
5. The steep stuff is really, REALLY steep
Moments after the author snapped this pic, he skied like a god all the way to the bottom. In his dreams. Source: NewsComAu
Are you sick of ski resorts signposting intermediate runs as "black" (advanced) runs? At Buller, a black run is a real black run. In fact, half of the runs labelled black should probably be double black. The steep bits of this place are proper steep.
6. But the cruisy stuff is niiiiice and cruuuuisy
Just be sure to watch out for that chairlift shed, kids. Source: NewsComAu
I took my wife and kids to Buller. The kids are lower intermediates and we buzzed around all day having a great time. Try Family Run and Shaky Knees. Give Standard and Wombat a go when you're feeling a little more adventurous. Apart from Thredbo, Buller has easily the longest runs in Australia.
7. There is shelter in a blizzard
Not a skier in sight. This run was a haven in a blizzard for Ant and his family. Source: NewsComAu
Buller gets fog and wind. This is an unavoidable fact of any ski resort. Up high can be a little sketchy when the cloud and wind roll in, but the beauty of this place is there's always somewhere you can go to avoid it. There's a great little chairlift called Lydia's (named after Olympic aerial skiing champion Lydia Lassila). We'd skied there on a blowy, foggy afternoon and there was barely anyone else on the slope despite the run being nicely sheltered.
8. The food is great
If lunch at the snow doesn't give you a cholesterol overdose, you're not doing it right. Source: Supplied
There are several on-mountain cafés at Buller. One of them, Koflers, serves Melbourne-quality coffee. They also do great hot dogs, nachos (above) and these amazing baked things called "apricot moguls". If you go to Buller after reading this, please bring half a dozen back for me. Cheers.
Being a village in the snow, Buller also has loads of great dinner options. We had dinner at the Black Cockatoo, which fortunately did not offer said squawking parrot on the menu. What it did serve was fantastic modern Australian cuisine in elegant, yet casual surrounds. Nice.
9. There's other stuff to do
You can't actually ride horses through the centre of the village at Mt Buller, but there is other stuff to do apart from skiing. Source: Supplied
Buller has a climbing gym, dedicated tobogganing zones, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and a bunch of other activities for the non-skiers and boarders. Some resorts are all about the skiing, and only the skiing (or snowboarding) but Buller gets that not everybody who visits the snow is into that.
10. There's a range of accommodation
It's all nice and close to the slopes, too. Source: Supplied
We stayed in some really fancy apartments called Huski for two nights, which I'd highly recommend, but Buller also has loads of well-priced lodge-style accommodation. We also stayed a night at Ajax, where they feed you dinner and breakfast as part of the package. We'd never insult you by telling you a snow holiday is the cheapest form of getaway, but you don't have to break the budget to stay right on the snow at Mt Buller. And remember, staying on the snow (without driving up each day) is something you can't do at the major New Zealand skifields.
11. It's easy to get to
The author snapped this moody picture from the car about halfway up the hill. No Officer, he wasn't driving at the time. Source: NewsComAu
As mentioned, Buller can be done in a day from Melbourne. But whether you come for a day or a week, the important thing to know is that the road's pretty good. It's a little windy as you near the village, and you may need to fit chains, but there are far worse roads in the Australian snowfields.
And by the way, if the whole snow chains thing scares you, drop into Buller Sports in the nearby feeder town of Mansfield. The staff there have these big dirty coats that they don before lying down in the mud beside your car and showing you how to put chains on. With their assistance, you'll be an instant expert.
12. Snow, snow everywhere
That enough snow for ya? Source: NewsComAu
Buller doesn't always get as much snow as some of our other major resorts, but this year that's not an issue. This reporter covered the Winter Olympics in Russia earlier this year, and Mt Buller currently has loads more snow than the mountains above Sochi had during the Games. With snow set to start falling again today, conditions should be great at Buller until at least mid-September. Just don't tell anyone, OK? Let's keep all that beautiful snow for ourselves.
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