Mt Hotham Alpine Resort

An all-season vacation getaway, Mt. Hotham offers the best of both worlds, or seasons to be exact. Summer in the mountain means biking, horseback riding, bush walking, fly fishing and touring. Although it's an excellent summer escape, the mountain is more renowned for its winter slopes.

Mt. Hotham has long been considered as the powder capital of the Land Down Under. This ski haven boasts of having the highest annual snowfall among the resorts in Victoria. Aside from this, the mountain offers prime spots for snow activities like skiing, snowboarding, biathlon and pipe riding. In fact, the 320 hectare-worth of diverse ski terrain in Mt. Hotham has served as training grounds for some of the world's most famous alpine athletes. Some of those who have skied down the slopes of Mt. Hotham include big-mountain skiing champion Andrea Binning and Olympic bi-athlete Cameron Morton. As if these names are not proof enough of the mountain's quality, other snow sports members of Australia's national team frequent these slopes.

Location

Part of the famous Great Dividing Range, Mt. Hotham is the most accessible mountain resort from Australia's major cities. With its exact coordinates pegged at 36°59'S, 147°08'E, this alpine destination surely hits the spot for urban dwellers who want the tranquil surroundings of a mountain range. Situated some 357 kilometres away from the northeastern side of Melbourne, this ski resort is only a measly 4.5-hour drive. On the other hand, Sydney residents can get to the mountain after a scenic 9 hour drive along a stretch of 746 kilometres. Those from Adelaide can enjoy a longer 997 kilometre drive. As daunting as these figures might seem, the beautiful sights along the mountainside are certainly worth the drive.

Getting There

Being near to major cities is certainly an advantage for Mt. Hotham. One such advantage is having a variety of transportation options. Interested parties can reach the resort through the following ways:

Drive - The Great Alpine Road, Hume Highway, and Albury-Wodonga are the oft-used thoroughfares to reach the mountain. Stopovers can be made in Yackandandah and Myrtleford or Harrietville.

Coach - Sans any driving stress, Mt. Hotham can be reached by riding a coach. The Snowball Express can reach the ski resort within less than 6 hours of cozy coach traveling. The Snowball Express coach also has everyday tour offers for those who will be coming from Myrtleforand and Bright. Tourists from Omeo can also take charter buses and cabs of O'Connell's Bus Service that would take them to Mt. Hotham.

Air Travel - Mt. Hotham is the only alpine that has its own airport. It is only 10 kilometres away from the village and 20 kilometers away from the alpine. Flying from Sydney, through Mascot Airport, will take about 80 minutes while flights coming in from Melbourne only take them around 45 minutes. As Mt. Hotham has always been visited by tourists, especially during winter, flights that will come from Sydney may count to as much as nine per week while there are two flights coming from Melbourne per week. Upon arriving at the Mt. Hotham Airport, tourists will be transferred to their alpine accommodations by coaches.

Altitude

Mt. Hotham's summit has an altitude of 1,861 metres above sea level while its village seats on the top part of the alpine at a height of 1,750 metres. This makes the Hotham village the highest of its kind in Victoria, and second only to Charlotte Pass in Australia. Visitors can experience the majesty of the mountain by taking a ride in one of 13 lifts are available on Mt. Hotham. These lifts transport up to 24,485 persons every hour. The topmost point on the mountain that the tourists can actually reach through the lifts is at 1,845 meters.

Skiing Area

With its highest point of lift elevation, Mt. Hotham sure offers a long down slope for ski and snow boarding enthusiasts and a magnificent alpine view that is definitely a must-see scene for the tourists. With a total skiing area measuring around 320 hectares, every skier or snowboarder -- big or small -- can definitely find his place in the slopes. Mt. Hotham had been, for the longest time, regarded as a serious skier's paradise. This is certainly true with tree-lined ski slopes stretching to 35 kilometres. For the record, Hotham's longest ski track is an exhilarating 2.5 kilometre run. Aside from the slopes, other areas in the resort are reserved for different snow activities.

Terrain mix – beginners/advanced

For the ski and snowboarding enthusiasts, Mt. Hotham has terrains that can cater to different levels of skiing abilities. Tree-lined slopes aside, twenty percent of the alpine's terrain is suitable for beginners to ski in like bunny hills and gently sloping grounds. Intermediate skiers will delight in about forty percent of the total ski area, while expert skiers can have the rest.

Freestyle snowboarders and skiers can also strut their stuff in two of the mountain resort's terrain parks. Expert-level skiers can ski down Australia's only "double black" runs in Mt. Hotham since it is the only mountain resort in the country that has these slopes.

Accommodation

The range of activity and scenery in Mt Hotham may be experienced fully by taking the time to stay at the resort. For this demand, Hotham Holidays offers booking services that can help tourists select the best accommodation for their discerning taste and budget. There are almost 5,000 beds available in the 180 properties within the village and the mountain. Among the properties available for tourists' stay are shared dorms, houses, apartments, chalets, lodges, motel-style rooms and exclusive penthouses.

Aside from accommodations, the resort's cuisine is also part of the pleasures that can be expected from Mt. Hotham. To satisfy this necessity, more than 20 food establishments in the alpine offer their outstanding services to cater to individual appetites. Amongst the establishments are restaurants, cafes, supermarkets, and bars. For some tourists, vacation does not always mean taking early rest after a day's activities and in Mt. Hotham, they can continue the enjoyment even after the sun set because bars feature live bands and dance parties at nights.

Facilities

Aside from the abundance of slopes, sights, and services, the resort also offers a number of amenities which can make vacations in this mountain getaway a truly satisfying experience:

• Skiing lessons and tutorials for children and adults
• Daycare services
• Service teams around the park
• Spa treatments and massages

These are only some of the usual things that can be experienced within Mt Hotham and there are lots more that will sure gratify its visitors. With its great variety of activities, from sports to parties, Mt Hotham is certainly not only for sports buffs, but for everyone who know the value of pleasure as well.