Another summer has passed and the weather is cooling. For many Australians, thoughts have turned from sand and sun to the fires and frosted windows of ski resorts.
But for some, like Daniel North, who just returned from a ski trip overseas, the skis and snowboards will be staying in his Sydney garage this winter.
He's just one of the many Australians drawn to ski fields beyond our shores, in search of deep powder without the hefty price tag.
"I get better value for money going to the snow overseas. Everything is bigger and better. I'm also a little addicted to snowboarding, so I try to get two trips a year in. One in Northern hemisphere and one in the Southern hemisphere," said Mr North.
"It's steeper, deeper and cheaper."
Since the global financial crisis it has been harder than ever for Australians to find the money for holidays. So when they do go, they want good value.
"A week at an Australian ski field is more expensive than a week in New Zealand. And it's not much more to go to Canada and you're going to get better snow," said Mr North.
But Australian resorts aren't exactly trying to lure customers in with discounted rates. This year, Australia has come in first with the most expensive ski-lift ticket prices on the planet
Last season, a one-day lift pass in Perisher, New South Wales, set you back $112. For comparison, a day pass at Niseko, Japan, will cost you less than $60. Even Aspen, North America's most expensive resort, only charges $110.
"The biggest thing going against Australian ski fields is the price. When you add everything up it is far more cost effective to go overseas, more so now with the Aussie dollar where it is," said Mr North.
Chairman of the Australian Alpine Club Niseko lodge, Ian Farrow, says the break-even point for Australians skiing overseas may be less than two weeks.
"The high Australian dollar means that the break-even point between skiing in Australia and skiing overseas may be as low as ten days at the moment, all costs considered," said Mr Farrow.
This means that after approximately ten days overseas, the money saved on lift tickets, accommodation and food, cancel out the cost of the airfare.
All costs included, two adults can expect to pay around $7500 for ten nights in Niseko, compared to approximately $8500 in an Australian resort.
Comparing annual snowfall widens the divide even further. Perisher's average snow depth is less than two meters, while Niseko's is more than 3.5 metres. Up to 15 metres of snow can fall in Niseko over a season, so much that Niseko resort management have to conduct 'snow dumping', to remove excess snow. However, Australian resorts face a different set of problems.
A recent study predicts that in the next 30 years, Australian natural snow depth could fall by more than 40 per cent, necessitating expensive artificial snow making if Australian resorts want to remain open.
"Since 2007, Perisher has spent $22 million on snowmaking," said Perisher spokesperson, Laurie Hodge.
A cost that is passed onto Australian ski resort guests through lift tickets.
Costs aside, the lower moisture conditions of overseas snowfields create drier snow than here in Australia.
"They have bigger terrain with better snow. The lower moisture content results in powder snow conditions," said Mr Farrow.
This 'powder' snow has an icing sugar like consistency, a far cry from the slush that covers our slopes.
However, it's not just snow conditions that draw Australians overseas.
"Places like Japan have the bonus of a different culture And resorts like Aspen are a real town all year round. We just don't have that in Australia. For instance, in places like Perisher, when you're not skiing there's not really that much to do," said Travelplan Ski spokesman, Ben Cardenas.
For Australians, travelling overseas seems like the way to go, with snow quality, culture and currency exchange rates in our favour. However, everything has its downside and travelling to foreign countries to ski is no exception.
Skiing and snowboarding are hazardous sports that carry significant chance for injury and even death to occur. As such, potentially expensive travel insurance is essential for jet setting snow bunnies.
For a family of five, travel insurance to the United States can easily rise past the AU$400 mark.
Altitude sickness is another concern for Australians skiing overseas.
Altitude sickness, or Acute Mountain Sickness, commonly occurs at altitudes above 2400m, and is caused by lower air density at high altitudes. Possible symptoms include nausea, dizziness and swelling of the extremities.
Locals are immune to these symptoms, as their bodies have become acclimatised to the high altitude. But for Australians, coming from our relatively low-lying country, altitude sickness can be a serious concern.
Overseas ski resorts can be much higher than their Australian counterparts. Perisher, in New South Wales, sits at approximately 1720 metres above sea level. Telluride, in Colorado USA, on the other hand has an altitude of 2659 metres, and with the higher altitude comes lower temperatures.
The average winter minimum temperature in Perisher is -3.7 degrees Celsius, quite mild compared to Telluride's -13.9 degrees, not that Daniel minds the cold.
"Wherever my boarding friends are going, I'll try and get there . . . But I'd still consider Australia if I found a good deal."
As the cost to ski and board in Australia continues to climb, and with snow quality predicted to plummet, we can expect to see more and more Australians making the pilgrimage to overseas resorts in search of their sub-zero thrills.
Prices are approximations and are subject to exchange rates.
