SA to the snow

[pauljygrant]

Just about to set off on our 2nd annual ski trip in the Basestation.
Last year, skied at Hotham, Falls and Thredbo, staying at Bright and Jindabyne.
This year, the plan is to ski Falls, staying at Mt Beauty, then up to Jindabyne and skiing both Thredbo and Perisher.
One night stopover at Halls Gap on way to Mt Beauty, and stopping at Hay on way home.
Any recommendations whether to route via Bendigo or Melbourne - about 80km and 1/2 hour difference based on RAA Route Planner?
Anyone else heading to the snow over the next 3 weeks?

 

[Johnanbev]

Just about to set off on our 2nd annual ski trip in the Basestation.
Last year, skied at Hotham, Falls and Thredbo, staying at Bright and Jindabyne.
This year, the plan is to ski Falls, staying at Mt Beauty, then up to Jindabyne and skiing both Thredbo and Perisher.
One night stopover at Halls Gap on way to Mt Beauty, and stopping at Hay on way home.
Any recommendations whether to route via Bendigo or Melbourne - about 80km and 1/2 hour difference based on RAA Route Planner?
Anyone else heading to the snow over the next 3 weeks?

Hi @pauljygrant Take the Bendigo route, more senic and you don't need the agravation of the traffic in Melbourne

 

[Crusty181]

Just about to set off on our 2nd annual ski trip in the Basestation.
Last year, skied at Hotham, Falls and Thredbo, staying at Bright and Jindabyne.
This year, the plan is to ski Falls, staying at Mt Beauty, then up to Jindabyne and skiing both Thredbo and Perisher.
One night stopover at Halls Gap on way to Mt Beauty, and stopping at Hay on way home.
Any recommendations whether to route via Bendigo or Melbourne - about 80km and 1/2 hour difference based on RAA Route Planner?
Anyone else heading to the snow over the next 3 weeks?

Now here's someone who can give me the good oil on caravaning to the ski fields. We're keen skiers, but we generally rent a house if we don't stay on the mountain (Its rare we stay on the mountain for the obvious reasons) Ive often thought about taking the van up but have some (read many) reservations in the areas of warmth and more importable drying.

The diesel heater (we discovered last weekend) with minus 2 outside, manages to top out at around 18deg. We could get a few extra deg by using the storm cover and blocking the roof hatches, so I think that would be fine .... but how the hell do you dry gear effectvely.

In the rental house we convert the laundry into the commercial drycleaners, blocking door gaps, setting up broom handle racks, twin 2000w blow heaters, and turning the laundry into a drying room. I dont have enough faith in Jayco's construction to set up a high heat and high humid environment inside the van for a week. I could see it de-laminating, or warping my walls. I know Jindabyne has a drying room, but not to sure about alpine Vic

 

[pauljygrant]

Just checked into Mt Beauty Holiday Park this afternoon (about 30km before Falls Creek) and it looks a lovely little park. Reasonably busy and plenty campers happy for a chat - and most with camp fires roaring.
They have a dedicated drying room for ski gear together with the usual camp kitchens, lounge, amenities etc.
I usually try to take photos of campsites I visit and post them on WikiCamps and will do so with a glowing review of this place.

 

[sierramason]

Just to answer some of your questions..

We are keen snowboarders so we done 5 nights at Bright and drove to Hotham 3 of those days. A massive Money saver staying in Bright compared to staying on the mountain. Now with the warmth issues the diesel heater and Rugging up at night with thermals and doonas will do the job.

Now the way we dryed our gear and it worked well was.
We hired an ensuite site and used the ensuite as a dry room. We only used one 2000w heater and that also done the job.

Now here's someone who can give me the good oil on caravaning to the ski fields. We're keen skiers, but we generally rent a house if we don't stay on the mountain (Its rare we stay on the mountain for the obvious reasons) Ive often thought about taking the van up but have some (read many) reservations in the areas of warmth and more importable drying.

The diesel heater (we discovered last weekend) with minus 2 outside, manages to top out at around 18deg. We could get a few extra deg by using the storm cover and blocking the roof hatches, so I think that would be fine .... but how the hell do you dry gear effectvely.

In the rental house we convert the laundry into the commercial drycleaners, blocking door gaps, setting up broom handle racks, twin 2000w blow heaters, and turning the laundry into a drying room. I dont have enough faith in Jayco's construction to set up a high heat and high humid environment inside the van for a week. I could see it de-laminating, or warping my walls. I know Jindabyne has a drying room, but not to sure about alpine Vic

to answer

 

[sierramason]

for some reason it won't let me load the ensuite/dry room set up

 

[Graeme Yost]

We fitted a 4KW heater to our 18.58.2 , we sell them so it was trial to see how well it kept the van warm , we camped out in TASSIE highlands with minus temps outside the heater has 6 settings when used on power mode P01 to P07 , it took 15 minutes to reach 20 degrees with one bed end open and maintained that temp at its lowest setting P01 worked a treat so in the snow even in -5 it would heat the van up exceptionally well

 

[Crusty181]

for some reason it won't let me load the ensuite/dry room set up

Do any of the Bright C/parks have drying rooms?, seems odd My Beauty does and Bright doesn't.

We generally hire a house at either Mt Beauty or Bright so we're kind of locked into one snow field per trip, although we have ventured over Tawonga Gap in earlier years. If the c/park facilities at the various snow fields cater for skiers (who cares about snow boarders. Ha) seems like a great opportunity to economically move around and enjoy a few snow fields

Does you diesel heater struggle a bit with the alpine cold in the 17fter? What type of unit is it?

 

[pauljygrant]

Drying room at Mt Beauty

 

[pauljygrant]

My drying room - hanging space under the kids beds.
Not including ours, 3 other Basestations at this camp at Jindabyne- never seen so many other similar vans in one place.