MT BULLER and Mt Stirling are experiencing the best season for many years – some say since the late 1980s.
Comparing visitor numbers over the past three years and up to 10 years, has seen an increase of more than 1000 per cent and in some cases 1600 per cent.
The conditions for skiing and boarding have been officially rated as "mighty fine", "delicious" and "shred–tastic".
School holidays have been in full swing for two weeks with lessons at the Ski and Snowboard School humming.
Accommodation bookings were the strongest on record for this time of year – it really felt like mid–season.
According to the ARCC weekly reports the first two weeks of the official snow season saw bumper crowds flock to the snow fields – and not just Buller and Stirling but across the whole Alpine region.
For all resorts week one saw an increase of some 623 per centwith Mt Buller experiencing a 1653 per cent increase over last year.
These figures have of course escalated due to the many lockdowns and restrictions experienced through the COVID pandemic and people craving to hit the slopes again without restrictions.
For Mt Buller though the number of visitors averaged over the 10 year period was 6764 for the same period while 25,383 visitors were recorded in week one alone for 2022.
Week two of the season saw a similar number recorded visiting Buller with a further 25,472 visitors hitting the slopes – an estimated increase of some 434 per cent.
And the latest updated figures for week 3 of the season has seen some 97,345 visitor days recorded for Mt Buller and 2175 for Mt Stirling with the numbers still growing.
Mt Stirling has recorded even better numbers with week two seeing some 10,802 visitors on the trails – an increase of 1015 per cent and comparing with the 2019 stats an increase of 758 per cent or 462 per cent on the 10 year average.
On top of that more than 900 spent a day on Stirling during week one of the season.
Visitor days – that is those that stay longer than just one day – have also seen a boost with a 206 per cent increase for Buller.
The 10 year average for day visitors on Stirling was set at 121 and for Buller 11,696.
The latest statistics have surpassed the expectations for this season already and with more snow falls expected the 2022 season looks like only getting better and better.
