Mt. Hotham has great snow and is often referred to as the powder capital of Australia. It is a great weekend getaway destination for thrill-seekers based in Melbourne, looking for an awesome time up on the slopes.
Hotham is unique as it is situated on the top of the mountain instead of the bottom like many other ski resorts. This is beneficial because you get to spend the night on the mountain and hit the slopes or access the lifts directly from your accommodation. Mt Hotham offers a huge variety of runs for all levels as well as a challenging ski park that includes jumps and rails.
The resort has a great terrain park to the right of the Summit quad chairlift. Located high up the mountain, it is Australia’s highest terrain park and has some of the best snow in Victoria. The snow quality remains high well into the spring season.
Hotham Ski Field is estimated to be open
Between the dates of 10th June to 1st October, for the 2023 season.
Ski life Services at Hotham open as early as 8:30 AM and the last to close is at 4:00 PM.
The Victorian ski field has 605 acres of skiable terrain when it gets total snow cover. The terrain rises up a vertical of 395 meters, with the highest point being 1,845 meters and the lowest being 1,450 meters.
The resort has ample runs for beginners. However, the terrain tends to favor strong intermediates and expert skiers and snowboarders.
There are 30 kilometers of slopes available for powder shredding. The slopes are classified as follows:
The resort has the highest proportion of black trails and off-piste terrain in Australia. In particular, the Heavenly Valley has a wide range of steep gullies loved by advanced snow sports lovers. Advanced skiers and snowboarders also enjoy tree skiing in the One Tree Hill area.
Expert snow lovers flock to the resort’s Extreme Zone which has adrenaline-spiking tree skiing and cliffs.
The 30 kilometers of pistes at Mt. Hotham are accessible via 13 lifts. These lifts have a capacity of ferrying 24,000 people up the mountain per hour.
The named lifts include:
The lift system is not the most modern, but it helps thrill-seekers scale the 395-meter incline.
During harsh weather, some of the lifts have to go on wind-hold. However, a few of these are positioned away from the prevailing winds and remain operational during foul weather.
Mt Hotham makes it easy to get a day or a season pass. All you need to do is visit their website here to order your pass online. If you’re already on-site, you can visit their friendly staff at the basecamp to pick up your ski pass for accessing the lifts.
Do note, however, that if you buy your pass online, you’ll still need to get a physical pass for accessing resort services such as lifts.
Hotham and Falls Creek partnered to create the Hero Pass. This pass offers unlimited, all-season access to both resorts, including access to discounted services and other perks. You can also upgrade the Hero Pass to the Epic Australia Pass. This gives you unlimited access to ski resorts in the North and Southern Hemispheres such as Whistler Blackcomb, Park City, Hakuba, and Heavenly, including Vail-owned resorts.
Curious to know what the snow conditions are like today at Mt Hotham Ski Resort?
Check out the following live webcam feed to see live footage on the slopes.
Another Mount Hotham snow cam from further away.
Hotham Ski Field has the highest snowfall compared to all of the ski fields in Victoria. It receives an average seasonal snowfall of about three meters.
The resort is situated in a unique alpine region and most of its pistes face a less sunny side. This allows it to catch and hold some snow storms longer. This, in turn, leads to more powder falls than all of its sister Victorian resorts.
The best month to ski or snowboard at Hotham is August. During this month, the resort receives some of the best snowfall, peaking at 4 meters and a depth of about 1.5 meters.
If you’re lucky, you may encounter snowstorms that provide single-day snow dumps of up to 50 centimeters of powder. If the storms hang around, they can lead to snow depths of up to one meter, providing powder refills for early birds who hop on the Heavenly Chair lift.
To compensate for low snow covers, the resort has an innovative snowmaking system that covers most of the slopes. Hotham Ski Resort has also invested in an exceptional team of snow groomers who keep the runs in great condition.
The resort's current snow conditions are shown on the following weather map. It displays the depth and density of the snow at Hotham, as well as the expected forecast for the week.
Hotham Weather Forecast
The Hotham Alpine Resort is situated on a high-altitude location (about 1,750 meters above sea level). This gives visitors an incredible view of the mountains. The resort’s village is high above the snowline and spread out along the ridge on the Great Alpine Road.
Hotham has a great selection of accommodation options if you plan to stay overnight. You’ll also find free buses that provide access to the different accommodation facilities and ski areas.
The Central part of the Hotham Ski Area has facilities that offer ski-in/ski-out access on large chalets. The accommodation facilities cater to different budgets and requirements. You’ll also find excellent facilities for individuals, groups, and families.
At Hotham Ski Village, there are various facilities that include:
The Mount Hotham accommodation includes hotels, luxury apartments and few on-mountain chalets. You’ll find plenty of parking space available if you intend to stay overnight at the resort.
If you don’t wish to stay on the mountain, you can head down to Mount Beauty or Bright towns. Here, you’ll find more affordable and a wider range of accommodation options and services such as a petrol station, restaurants, bars and larger homes. You’ll also have access to the nearby Fall Creek Ski Resort for more skiing and snowboarding adventures.
Some great nearby recommendations are:
The Hotham Alpine Resort is situated on a high-altitude location (about 1,750 meters above sea level). This gives visitors an incredible view of the mountains. The resort’s village is high above the snowline and spread out along the ridge on the Great Alpine Road.
Hotham has a great selection of accommodation options if you plan to stay overnight. You’ll also find free buses that provide access to the different accommodation facilities and ski areas.
The Central part of the Hotham Ski Area has facilities that offer ski-in/ski-out access on large chalets. The accommodation facilities cater to different budgets and requirements. You’ll also find excellent facilities for individuals, groups, and families.
At Hotham Ski Village, there are various facilities that include:
The accommodation at Hotham Snow Resort includes hotels, luxury apartments and few on-mountain chalets. You’ll find plenty of parking space available if you intend to stay overnight at the resort.
If you don’t wish to stay on the mountain, you can head down to Mount Beauty or Bright towns. Here, you’ll find more affordable and a wider range of accommodation options and services such as a petrol station, restaurants, bars and larger homes. You’ll also have access to the nearby Fall Creek Ski Resort for more skiing and snowboarding adventures.
Some great nearby recommendations are:
Hotham is located in the Victorian alpine region, about 380 kilometers (a 4.5 -hour drive) northeast of Melbourne and 710 kilometers (a 7.5-hour drive) from Sydney. The resort is in the high region of Victoria that can be easily accessed by road. Its proximity to Melbourne makes it a perfect getaway destination for city dwellers.
The resort can be accessed via the great alpine road. If you’re just passing through Hotham, you don’t need to purchase a resort pass. However, if you’re visiting the resort for a ski getaway or intend to use overnight parking, a resort entry pass is required. If you’re staying for the night, you need to park your car in designated parking areas to allow space for snow-clearing machinery.
The resort is accessible through airports in both Victoria and New South Wales. You can ingress Hotham through either one of the following ways:
You’ll also find several charter companies that operate out of Hotham Airport. For example, QantasLink provides direct flights to Hotham Airport from Sydney and offers convenient links to and from other cities.
You can find out more here:
To get to the resort, you can rent a car or connect via shuttle buses. Many accommodation facilities offer transfer services from the airport to their premises via coaches. If you’re travelling as a group, a private transfer option is preferable.
The route from Harrietville to Mt. Hotham is one of the most challenging roads in Australia’s ski field roads. The Hotham Road rises the same elevation as the Charlotte Pass Ski Resort. However, the Charlotte Pass Road closes during the winter and is only accessible via oversnow/snowcat transport.
According to the Local Government regulations, all motorists are required to carry snow chains for their vehicles. When buying or renting snow chains, ensure that they fit your vehicle’s tires. Hotham employees are also available to assist in case you’re unsure how to fit the chains to your tires.
As with the other resort destinations, ensure the following before you leave:
You can find out more here.
Is located 4 hours northeast of Melbourne and is accessible via airports from airports in Sydney, Melbourne, Albury, and Sydney. You fly in directly to the resort via that Hotham Airport.
Hotham gets around 2 meters of snowfall a year (80 Inches) with an average of 20-25 fresh snowfall days a year. The resort has an array of snow-making machines that compensate for low seasonal snowfalls and also complement the natural snow.
Hotham is a big ski resort with 320 ha / 791 acres of Ski Area for the resort. It has various lift types for different skier/snowboarder levels to access different parts of the mountain and slopes.
Yes, there is ample parking space at Hotham ski area. However, to access the parking, you need to purchase the resort pass. You are also required to park at the designated space to so as not to obstruct snow management machines.
Yes, Hotham is the perfect place to learn Skiing or Snowboarding with a number of easy runs, gear rentals, and lessons available.
Both "Mt." is short for "Mount" which is short for mountain.
Yes. Victorian local government regulations require all vehicles traveling to the alpine regions to have snow chains. Before you rent or purchase snow chains, read your vehicle manufacturer’s instructions. In addition, ensure that the chains are a good fit for your tires. If you’ve never used snow chains before or are unsure how to fit them, the Hotham Ski Resort staff can help you.
To access the Hotham ski base, you must pass through the resort entry gate. If you have not pre-purchased your resort entry online, you can pay as you pass through the gate.