Hotham to open freestyle and terrain park zone

SNOWSPORTS at Mount Hotham are set to be even bigger next year, with the resort announcing plans for the Big D ski area to become a dedicated progression-focused freestyle and terrain park zone, with buildings repurposed to expand indoor facilities and services. The announcement also revealed the Kids Snowsports School will be moved from the Big D to Hotham Central, and surface lifts to be relocated. Hotham’s Terrain Park supervisor Briony Johnson said terrain parks are ever popular with skiers and snowboarders. “Not only are they a great place to learn skills in a controlled environment but they also create a social hub for riders,” she said. “We are looking forward to putting our creativity to the test and creating fun and exciting lines for skiers and riders of all abilities. “Big D terrain will evolve into a dedicated progression-focused freestyle and terrain park to include a variety of jump and rail lines, a permanent mogul course and a mini boarder X course. “It will also become home to night freestyle events, with night skiing and boarding also remaining at the Big D, offering both terrain park features as well as a regular ski run option. “We are so excited to bring this new offering to life at Hotham." Tina Burford, Hotham’s vice president and general manager, said the development will create "something unique to Australia that will really appeal to Hotham guests and families, who we know are progression focused and always up for adventure". “We thank our staff and stakeholders for coming on this journey with us and helping us to provide leadership and innovation in the Australian snow industry. “These changes will allow for exciting new opportunities for the Big D building, which will be developed over the next few years, for both staff and guest use, as well as space for development programs and camps. “It will be an exciting multiyear journey to fully develop and recognise the potential for this space.” Currently located at Big D, the Kids Snowsports School will be relocating to Hotham Central with Mighty Mites (three to six-year-olds) meeting indoors downstairs at Hotham Central and Kids Club (seve to 14-year-olds) meeting on snow at the back of Hotham Central. Hotham Snowsports School senior manager Chris Lewczynski said centralising the snowsports offering will improve the guest experience. “Based on both guest and staff feedback around the challenges of Big D being separate to the rest of the resort, we are bringing both adult and children’s snowsports together at Hotham Central to create a seamless experience for guests,” he said. “Centralising the snowsports offering will improve the guest experience by reducing the amount of bus trips required, increasing the time on snow for both children in lessons and parents heading out on the slopes, while increasing safety by removing the need for kids in lessons to frequently travel on a bus with their instructors or reach the carpets mid-mountain on the Big D.” To support this change, a number of surface lifts will be relocated over the next two years and a new indoor space will be created in Hotham Central for Hotham’s youngest learners. For the 2025 season, the Bunderool Carpet will be used exclusively for kids lessons and the Pup’s Playground carpet lift will be moved as an additional lift for the Kids Snowsports School. The Summit Trainer Poma will be removed and replaced with Harry’s, the longer Big D carpet, to better support Hotham’s adult learners. Future plans include the potential to relocate the current Summit Trainer lift to the skiers right of the Sun Run, to provide an intermediate run option when upper lifts are wind affected.

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