Researchers say “slowing down is good for your soul.” Clearly researchers didn’t say that, but I did.
It’s the foundation of Australia’s cute-as-a-nature-button ski resort, Charlotte Pass in the New South Wales Main Range. In a social media world of “hidden gems” and “undiscovered resorts” and “insert writing cliche here” it still surprises me that so few skiers and snowboarders down under have ever been or even know it exists.
Eighteen years, that’s how long it has been since I last climbed into an oversnow at Perisher to take the 40 minute ride to the snow hamlet everyone calls “Charlotte’s.” Little has changed (that’s a good thing) in the old school core ski village dotted with members ski clubs capped off with the famed turret of the Kosciuszko Chalet that takes pride of visual place upon arrival.
Exhaling is a way of life here. Exhale when you alight the oversnow into a village that has no cars, none, not even a car park. Exhale when you take the triple chair to the top of the ridge and lose yourself in the expansive view of the Main Range and the peak of Mt Kosciuszko. Exhale when you take your first turn on Australia’s highest resort with no-one around, no lift lines, just lifties who smile and offer a high five.
Charlotte Pass has quite the Australian snow history. The Chalet was built in 1930 but sadly burnt down and was rebuilt in its current form in 1939 and offers bed and full board with three course meals on the nightly. With a basement restaurant, deep red decor, heritage tiles, hand carved fret work and local talk of a friendly ghost, this is the epicentre of Charlotte’s.
The Blyton family, who own the resort and the chalet, also have the Stillwell Hotel, where everyone meets on the sun deck for lunch and Lucy Lodge, an affordable option with oversnow transport, breakfast and lift passes included.
But what about the skiing? Well, it’s fun. Within the resort’s 124 acre boundaries you’ll find 24 established runs from rolling basin bowls to tree skiing and off piste. For intermediates, it’s ideal to stretch the comfort zone and improve your sense of adventure. For advanced skiers there’s enough turns to keep you smiling on a blue bird day. I did.
Best of all you can sit on the Stillwell deck or on the Adirondack chairs outside the Chalet Cellar Bar and know exactly where your mate, your child, your friend is within resort simply by looking up at the terrain opposite.
The new Guthries double chair makes Guthries off-piste terrain more accessible. It’s here you’ll find more technical terrain features and hike-to chutes. Six years in the making, the new chair is a big deal for Charlotte Pass, replacing a Poma that made it more difficult for snow boarders in particular to make it to the top. Once there you can expand your turns towards Mt Guthrie or head into the rocky features between the t-bar and the chair.
It’s fun, giggly terrain, hero skiing when groomed, more technical when not. The kind of skiing that brings joy. But that’s Charlotte Pass all over, slow skiing as it should be. A place where connection is found in the Adams Bar not the smart phone. Where families leave the stress of school drop offs, sport Saturdays, homework and mortgages behind in favour of nature.
Leave your Goldbergh, Fusalp and Moncler in your Euro bag, Charlotte Pass is more about core ski brands fixed with gaffer tape when they tear. The trappings of farshun don’t apply here, it’s your stories and conversations that count not the cut of your pants.
You won’t find a ton of day trippers, though you should because for $99 you can get oversnow, lift pass and lunch for the day from Perisher. Crowds are reserved for urban shopping malls on Boxing Day (and the Cellar Bar on staff party night).
It is impossible not to drop into the melodic beat of Charlotte Pass, all jazz sax solos and quickstep through the snow gums. Be warned though, when you slow down, and you will, and you find your life armour peeling away, the feels will show up. You’ll cry at the glorious sunset that soaks the mountain tops and sob at the alpenglow that hovers in the dusk sky.
Nature has a way of reminding us all that we’re part of it too.
Then, when it’s time to leave you’ll pack your bag of new friendships, deeper family bonds and vow to make more memories the following year. It’s why so many people here return year after year, same week, same dates, making multi-generational history.
I know I’m being sentimental, nostalgia does that, so does time living in the moment.
Go on, I dare you.
*The author was a guest of Charlotte Pass and The Blyton Group
