Snowsport businesses are concerned for their bottom lines as cost-of-living pressures stop people heading to ski resorts.
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The ski fields opened with many brown slopes over the long weekend, but it's the economic situation that has businesses most worried.
The owner of Belconnen Ski 'n' Board, Steve Chait, said it had seen a "substantial decrease" in sales this season.
"We've got a lot less people coming in the store; we're more than 20 per cent down on our trade for May and June," he said.
"We've made a bit of an adjustment, but we didn't make enough of an adjustment based on the economic downturn at the moment."
Skiers priced out of Aussie slopes
Mr Chait was concerned price increases in the mountains discouraged people from hitting the slopes.
Prices for accommodation have skyrocketed on the slopes since COVID, with inflation also pushing up the price of ski passes, equipment rental and food and drink.
Tourist operator Ian Lu worried a trip to the snow fields was becoming out of reach for many.
He runs the SKIBUS shuttle service between Canberra and the Snowy Mountains during the ski season.
He said sluggish bookings for his buses concerned him more than the lack of snow.
"We don't have as many bookings as last year and and we can't even compare to 2022, which was a phenomenal year," he said.
"As a shuttle, we rely on the number of passengers on board. If we don't meet the minimum passenger number in the bus, we will lose money.
"My concern is, 'How many people are actually going to the snow this year'?"
Mr Lu also believed the increasing cost of snowsports in Australia was pushing people to ski overseas, rather than at home.
It's a view shared by Mr Chait, who saw an excellent summer of trade for skiers and snowboarders headed to the northern hemisphere.
"I suspect that people are changing their attitudes on our winters because it's been too expensive, and so they're finding a better-value product overseas and choosing to take that option," he said.
More people have chosen to head to Japan, Canada and New Zealand over the last 20 years, Mr Chait said, as Australian skiing became more expensive.
Operators still optimistic in the mountains
On the slopes, however, things are looking a lot whiter than they did on the opening weekend.
One of the hotels Australian Community Media spoke to in Thredbo said staff were feeling positive about the season, despite the slow start.
Most of its rooms were fully booked on weekends, with more space during the week. The village's hotels were hoping for a better season than last year, a spokesperson said.
A spokesperson for ski resort Perisher said while the start of the season had little snow, they were optimistic for the next few months.
The resort received more than 25cm of snow in the second week of June.
"Slow starts are not an indicator for what the season may hold," a spokesperson said.
"We will be making snow at every opportunity to provide more options as soon as we can."
Lucy Arundell
Lucy is a reporter for the Canberra Times. Originally from the Central West, she has a passion for local and rural news. Email her at lucy.arundell@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
Lucy is a reporter for the Canberra Times. Originally from the Central West, she has a passion for local and rural news. Email her at lucy.arundell@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
