By MICHELLE LOVELL, Falls Creek Chamber of Commerce president
AS we head into September, it’s hard to believe that the craziness of July and August are already behind us.
The Falls Creek snow season has been filled with events: The Mim Sodergren Ladies programs, and the inaugural Mike’s Mens programs; Chicks who shred; Ski de Femme; Wombat’s Rambler; Boardlounge Throwdown; Rossi Cup; SA Interschool Championships; Milne Lee Cup; Amelia McGuiness Time Trial; and I am sure to have missed some!
It has been action packed so far, and there are still bucket loads to come.
Gay Ski Week Australia kicks off on September 4, and then there’s Big Air, Storm the Park, Rudi Pendl Cup, and Oktoberfest just to name a few.
With so many attention grabbing goings on, I always find it amazing how the ‘little moments’ are the ones that can still win our hearts.
This week, I was handed a beautiful hand written note and box of chocolates from a little guest to say thank you for looking after her brother.
Last week it was a gorgeous drawing for our notice board.
When I ask around town for memorable moments of the season, the theme is similar.
Making connections with our guests, and building a lasting love of snowsports for our younger generations.
There is no doubt that the effort of bringing a family on a ski trip is enormous.
Packing, planning, arriving, dressing, undressing, dressing again, boots on, boots off, gloves on, gloves off, re-packing and departing.
You can be forgiven for wondering, just for a moment, if it’s all worth it.
But, ‘just like that’… you realise, it sure is.
Talk to almost anyone on the chairlift, or in line for a coffee, and you will see that their love of the snowsports was either firmly entrenched as a youngster with family ski trips, or by friends or partners sharing their obsession with the mountain that they gained in childhood.
And so, we nurture that tradition.
The moments showing visitors the ‘cheat’ way to ski home, recommending a great place for a burger or a cocktail, or simply giving directions on the street.
Helping our littlest of guests onto the chairlift, and throwing them a smile as they nail their tree run down Fox Trail.
Chatting to the teens about landing that jump, and showing newbies how the pants go over the boots.
The little moments that all add up to one great holiday.
If you ask me in July how the season is going? I am sure to reply something along the lines of ‘it feels like it will never end’.
Ask me in September, and I will say ‘it has flown past and I would like a few more weeks please!’.
As the chaos of peak season winds down, and while we as the business community get just a little more time to enjoy the slopes (and maybe even the après), we also look ahead to our ‘green season’.
The events calendar is already filling up with Ignition MTB festival only weeks away on November 22-24.
From there the ball, or perhaps more aptly, the wheels, just keep rolling.
We watch on in awe as mother nature transforms our ‘snow globe’ into a nature lovers paradise.
The native spring blooms begin to burst and our view turns from white to green.
If you’ve never before visited Falls Creek in summer, then you are in for a treat.
Unlimited hiking trails, world class mountain biking trails, gravel riding, challenging road cycling, and water activities galore at Pretty Valley Dam.
The mountains are for everyone, in every season.
