Mount Hotham Alpine Resort

The land of the resort is operated by Alpine Resorts Victoria, the statutory authority, and the skifields and lift infrastructure are operated by Vail Resorts (leaseholder), who purchased the Mount Hotham Skiing Company from Merlin Entertainments.{{Cite web|url=http://news.vailresorts.com/corporate/vail-resorts-closes-on-its-acquisition-falls-creek-and-hotham-ski-fields-in-victoria-australia.htm|title=Vail Resorts Closes on Its Acquisition of Falls Creek and Hotham Ski Fields in Victoria, Australia {{!}} Vail Resorts Corporate|website=news.vailresorts.com|language=en|access-date=2019-04-09}} Vail Resorts' operating company is Mount Hotham Skiing Company (MHSC), that was granted a lease from the Government of Victoria via the Mt Hotham Resort Management Board.{{cite web |url=http://www.mthotham.com.au/resort/about/corporate/who/hothamskiingcompany.asp |title=Hotham Skiing Company |work=Mount Hotham Alpine Resort |year=2013 |access-date=21 January 2014 }} A subsidiary company of MHSC operates the Mount Hotham Airport.

During the declared snow season (usually from the King's Birthday long weekend in June till the first weekend in October), it is a legal requirement to carry [https://www.mthotham.com.au/discover/getting-here/chains diamond pattern wheel chains] and fit them if directed. There are penalties for not doing so. The steep and exposed portions of the Great Alpine Road between Harrietville and Hotham Heights means that in some conditions, vehicles (particularly two wheel drive vehicles) are not able to travel safely without these wheel chains.

Visitors also need to purchase a [https://www.mthotham.com.au/discover/getting-here/resort-entry-permits Resort Entry permit] to enter the resort during winter. The resort entry fee contributes to essential services for guests around the mountain, including ski patrol, the free village buses, snow clearing of car parks in the village, waste management and environmental initiatives.

{{More citations needed section|date=January 2007}}

Most of the skiing and snowboarding is based on one side of a large valley, and the area connects to the Bogong High Plains. Hotham features {{convert|320|ha|acre}} of ski area including {{convert|35|km}} of tree-lined cross-country trails and a network of fourteen lifts. The longest run at Hotham is {{convert|2.5|km}}. The resort features an abundance of runs for skiers and boarders of all standards from beginners (20%) to intermediates (40%) and advanced (40%). The resort is home to one of Australia's most difficult runs, the steep Mary's Slide. It is also home to Australia's only biathlon range.

{{as of|2023}} winter, the following ski lifts are in operation:

A list of all 30 lifts that have operated at Hotham over the years is at the [http://www.australianmountains.com/australianskilifts/#10 Australian Ski Lift Directory].

As with most of the Australian Alps, Mount Hotham's climate is, compared to the bulk of Australia, cold throughout the year; with particularly cold maximum temperatures, and Mount Hotham is one of very few areas in Australia that frequently records maximum temperatures below freezing. Mount Hotham is also one of the only places in Australia to have never recorded a temperature above {{convert|30|C|F}}; during the early 2009 southeastern Australia heat wave, whilst most of the state sweltered above {{convert|45|C|F}}, the mountain's peak temperature was a mild {{convert|28.1|C|F}}.{{cite web |url = http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/statements/scs17d.pdf |title = Special Climate Statement 17 |access-date = 21 March 2013 |publisher=Bureau of Meteorology }}

Snow occurs frequently and heavily, and sub-freezing maximum temperatures can be recorded throughout the year—even in high summer. However, due to frequent winter cloud and the mountain's exposed position, a temperature below {{convert|-10|C|F}} has only once-occurred since records began in 1990.{{BoM Aust stats|site_ref=cw_083085_All|site_name=Mount Hotham|access-date=21 March 2013|date=March 2013}} Mount Hotham receives an average of 66.1 snowy days annually.{{ cite web | url=http://www.australianweathernews.com/snow/Snow%20days%20descending.htm| title=Annual Snow Days (66.1)|website=australianweathernews.com|access-date=2021-04-03}} It is the coldest weather station on mainland Australia by maximum temperatures.

Owing to its short, cool summers and long, cold winters, Mount Hotham has a Subpolar oceanic climate (Cfc) bordering on Tundra (ET).

{{Weather box

|location = Mount Hotham (1990–2022); 1,849 m AMSL; 36.98° S, 147.13° E

|metric first = Yes

|single line = Yes

|unit precipitation days = 0.2 mm

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan record high C = 28.2

|Feb record high C = 28.1

|Mar record high C = 24.4

|Apr record high C = 17.3

|May record high C = 19.8

|Jun record high C = 11.6

|Jul record high C = 8.7

|Aug record high C = 10.7

|Sep record high C = 13.7

|Oct record high C = 19.0

|Nov record high C = 23.6

|Dec record high C = 26.3

|year record high C =

|Jan high C = 16.6

|Feb high C = 15.8

|Mar high C = 13.0

|Apr high C = 8.5

|May high C = 4.6

|Jun high C = 1.4

|Jul high C = -0.1

|Aug high C = 0.5

|Sep high C = 3.6

|Oct high C = 7.6

|Nov high C = 11.3

|Dec high C = 14.0

|year high C =

|Jan low C = 8.2

|Feb low C = 7.9

|Mar low C = 5.8

|Apr low C = 2.7

|May low C = -0.1

|Jun low C = -2.4

|Jul low C = -3.7

|Aug low C = -3.5

|Sep low C = -1.6

|Oct low C = 0.8

|Nov low C = 3.7

|Dec low C = 5.8

|year low C =

|Jan record low C = -3.7

|Feb record low C = -3.8

|Mar record low C = -3.6

|Apr record low C = -8.2

|May record low C = -7.4

|Jun record low C = -9.1

|Jul record low C = -8.8

|Aug record low C = -10.4

|Sep record low C = -9.2

|Oct record low C = -8.4

|Nov record low C = -7.0

|Dec record low C = -5.4

|year record low C =

|Jan precipitation mm = 105.7

|Feb precipitation mm = 99.7

|Mar precipitation mm = 117.2

|Apr precipitation mm = 103.4

|May precipitation mm = 138.4

|Jun precipitation mm = 124.0

|Jul precipitation mm = 128.7

|Aug precipitation mm = 120.5

|Sep precipitation mm = 129.2

|Oct precipitation mm = 139.7

|Nov precipitation mm = 150.0

|Dec precipitation mm = 123.2

|year precipitation mm = 1489.4

|Jan precipitation days = 11.0

|Feb precipitation days = 10.9

|Mar precipitation days = 12.6

|Apr precipitation days = 12.9

|May precipitation days = 14.7

|Jun precipitation days = 14.6

|Jul precipitation days = 18.6

|Aug precipitation days = 16.4

|Sep precipitation days = 15.2

|Oct precipitation days = 13.5

|Nov precipitation days = 13.0

|Dec precipitation days = 11.5

|year precipitation days =

|Jan afthumidity = 63

|Feb afthumidity = 65

|Mar afthumidity = 67

|Apr afthumidity = 76

|May afthumidity = 82

|Jun afthumidity = 89

|Jul afthumidity = 89

|Aug afthumidity = 88

|Sep afthumidity = 84

|Oct afthumidity = 76

|Nov afthumidity = 69

|Dec afthumidity = 64

|year afthumidity =

|source 1 = [http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_083085_All.shtml Australian Bureau of Meteorology; Mount Hotham]

}}

{{Portal|Australia}}

• [https://www.mthotham.com.au/ Mt Hotham Visitor Website]
• Mount Hotham Airport
• Great Alpine Road
• Skiing in Australia

{{reflist}}

{{Commons|Mount Hotham, Victoria}}

• [http://www.mthotham.com.au/ Mount Hotham Ski Resort website]
• A list of all 30 lifts that have operated at Hotham over the years is at the [http://www.australianmountains.com/australianskilifts/#10 Australian Ski Lift Directory].
• [http://www.hothamholidays.com.au/ Mount Hotham Hotel Accommodation website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20100413212537/http://www.mthotham.com.au/resort/about/history/ History of skiing at Mount Hotham, and development of the resort]
• [http://www.mthotham.com.au/resort/accommodation/packages/ Mount Hotham Accommodation Package Deal]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20140125005911/http://altitudeaccom.com.au/modern-apartments.html Mount Hotham Modern Apartments]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20100318004317/http://www.australian-holidays.com/mount-hotham Information for Snow and Skiing Holidays at Mount Hotham]

{{Skifields of Australia}}

{{Localities in Unincorporated areas}}

{{Local Government Areas of Victoria}}

Category:Ski areas and resorts in Victoria (state)

Category:Victorian Alps