Perisher Ski Resort
Perisher Ski Resort (known as Perisher Blue until 2009) is the largest ski resort in the Southern Hemisphere. Located in the Australian Snowy Mountains, the resort is an amalgamation of four villages (Perisher Valley, Smiggin Holes, Guthega, and Blue Cow) and their associated ski fields, covering approximately 12 square kilometres (5 sq mi), with the base elevation at 1,720 metres (5,640 ft) AHD, and the summit elevation of 2,054 metres (6,739 ft) at the top of Mount Perisher. 4.4 square kilometres (1.7 sq mi) of this area is covered by 240 snow guns, which are used to artificially supplement the natural snowfall. Perisher was acquired by Vail Resorts, United States on 30 March 2015 for a sum of approximately AU$177 million.
| Perisher | |
|---|---|
Mount Perisher at 2,054 m (6,739 ft) | |
| Location | Perisher Valley |
| Nearest major city | Canberra |
| Coordinates | 36.4°S 148.41°E |
| Top elevation | 2,054 metres (6,739 ft) |
| Base elevation | 1,720 metres (5,640 ft) |
| Skiable area | 1,245 hectares (3,080 acres) |
| Trails | 42% Beginner 45% Intermediate 12% Advanced |
| Longest run | ~4 kilometres (2.5 mi) (Top of Perisher Quad Express to Bottom of Blue Calf T-Bar) |
| Lift system | 48 lifts |
| Snowfall | 190 centimetres (75 in) (median) |
| Website | http://www.perisher.com.au |
The resort is accessible by road and by the Skitube from Jindabyne, Australia's only underground rack railway. The main skiing period is in July and August, with the official season running from the second weekend in June to the first weekend of October. Perisher consists of 48 lifts: The Village Eight Express, an eight-seater chairlift (built in 2003), two high-speed quad detachable chairlifts, five fixed-grip quad chairlifts, four double chairlifts, two triple chairlifts, eighteen T-Bars, two J-bars, eight ski carpets, and two rope tows. The run difficulty distribution is 42% beginner, 45% intermediate and 12% advanced.