You've got 48 hours in a ski resort. Here's how to make the most of them.

By NATALIA HAWK

Being Mamamia’s resident ski nutter, people often ask me: what’s the ideal amount of time for a ski holiday?

My answer is always the same. Go for as long as you possibly can. Ski holidays are never a bad idea, and if you’re there for a week or so, you have adequate time to explore/muck around/build endless snowmen/drink so much that it’s necessary to skip skiing the next day.

However. Life is busy. Funds are limited. Sometimes you can only manage to get away for two days. I understand.

So with this in mind, I went to Mount Buller for a mini getaway and worked out the best possible way to enjoy a ski holiday when you only have a short period of time to do so.

Here’s how to have an epic snow holiday in 48 hours…

Hour One: Arrive at your destination.

Depending on where you live in Australia, it can be a massive pain in the butt to get to the snow. Long drives and off-mountain accommodation make the entire journey less of an adventure and more of a giant trek.

I picked Buller because it’s an easy three-hour-drive out of Melbourne. Although I live in Sydney, the combined flight-and-drive time was still less than what it would have taken me to get to one of the mountains in NSW. And god, the drive was beautiful. We were rewarded with endless views of rolling green hills and the sunset to beat all sunsets.

The other bonus is that, unlike many other Australian ski resorts, Buller has an extensive range of accommodation options available on the hill. Some are ski-in, ski-out; others are just a short walk from the village. There’s a shuttle that also goes around the entire village if you don’t feel like walking.

My friend and I stayed at The Duck Inn, which is recently refurbished and has an epic, modern ski lodge vibe. Our room was spacious and cosy with a snowy view – and it had the coolest set of bunk beds I’ve ever come across.

Hour Two – Five: Eat an enormous meal. Preferably three courses.

You need your energy for skiing tomorrow. And food = energy. Get yourself some food at one of the resort’s restaurants and don’t be stingy about it. Yes, mountain prices are a little on the high side of things, but a) you’re eating on a mountain which is generally in the middle of nowhere, they have to get that food up there, of course it’s going to be expensive, and b) you’re on holiday for only two days. Spoil yourself.

I went to Kaptan’s Restaurant at Hotel Pension Grimus. The hotel and restaurant are run by Hans Grimus, an Austrian who has now lived in Mt Buller for 54 years and puts together some seriously incredible food. (Incidentally, Hans built many of the ski lifts on Buller and even taught his dog to ski.) Three courses and some wine later (I had scallops, a perfectly-cooked steak and chocolate mousse), I was very full and very happy.

Hour Six: Explore the ski village.

There’s always something going on in the village. Get all rugged up in your earmuffs and go for a wander around – you never know what you might come across. At Buller, we found a cinema, which was an excellent way to wind down before a big day on the mountain… but you might also come across a nice little bar or a fun pub event.

Hours Seven – Fifteen: Sleep.

Turn the heater on in your room, huddle under the covers and get some decent shut-eye. Dream about the groomers you’ll be smashing tomorrow.

Hour Sixteen: Prepare for the slopes.

A key part of preparation for the day is breakfast. Don’t skimp on this because it means the difference between skiing through until lunchtime, or having to come in at 10am for a perk-me-up hot choccie.

Have some bacon and hash browns (I also highly recommend The Duck Inn’s pancakes) and then get your bundled butt off to ski hire so they can deck you out with your gear. We went to The Chalet Hotel’s ski hire shop, as it’s directly across from the ski school. They’ll sort you out nicely for your day on the slopes.

Hour Seventeen: Get a lesson.

The best way to kick off your two days skiing is with a lesson. Try and fork out for a private or semi-private lesson – even if it’s just for an hour – because then the instructor can nit-pick exactly what you’re doing right and wrong, and set you off on your two skiing days with some excellent new habits (as opposed to some old bad habits). A decent instructor can also give you a quick tour around an unfamiliar mountain – then you’ll be ready for a shred on your own.

If you’re a total newbie, go for a longer lesson. If you’re a bit more on top of things, just get long enough to polish up your skills. I’m a qualified ski instructor (cough cough brag cough) but I’ll never say no to a lesson from another instructor. My ski instructor, Hans, was an amazing 60-something Austrian that had me carving up the slopes with a new technique by the end of our hour. (And yes, he was a different Austrian Hans to the one that runs Hotel Pension Grimus – apparently Buller is full of them.)

Hours Eighteen – Twenty One: Carve up them slopes.

It depends on what kind of skier you are, but I like to go hard – means that the après-ski schnapps are extremely well deserved at the end of the day.

At Buller, there’s no shortage of terrain – 25 lifts give you 58 runs over 263 hectares of terrain. Which is more than enough to explore over the course of a few days.

We were there at the end of August, but snow coverage was still excellent. Spring skiing is my favourite – blue skies, not too many clouds and the snow is a bit softer and easier on your skis.

Hour Twenty Two: Lunch.

Nothing beats a hotdog. Calories don’t count when you’re at the snow, didn’t you know? (Okay, they do, but hopefully you’re also burning a lot on the slopes.)

I found my hotdog at Koflers on the mountain. They also offered me donuts and sun-lounges where you could lay out at your leisure to get a snow-tan.

Hours Twenty Two – Twenty Four: Afternoon skiing.

Go a little slower in the afternoon – far too many on-snow injuries happen when people promise themselves “one more run”, even if they’re exhausted.

Hours Twenty Five – Twenty Seven: Spa time!

We’ll get to the après ski in a minute. First, consider making a stop at a spa where you can get a massage to soothe those weary ski-muscles.

Skiing is the kind of activity that’s a very different workout to what we’re used to – especially if you’re not the kind of person to come up to the mountain every weekend. A proper massage (not just one from your friend in exchange for a beer) will help to ease the build-up of lactic acid and make sure you’re not too sore for day two.

We went to Breathtaker on High Spa Retreat and I quite happily would have stayed there for the rest of my life if it were a feasible option. We had a massage, then they fed us fruit and tea, and then we got to hang out in the indoor lap pool, sauna and spa for as long as we wanted. Heaven has a face, and it’s Breathtaker.

If you go, stretch out your time there – they encourage you to make the most of the facilities.

Hours Twenty Seven to… Well, It Depends How Much You Drink…: Après ski

Here it is! Find a pub, order some food, get a few drinks and make a friend. That’s how après ski is done. Preferably incorporate some shots in there somewhere and try to find an event that’s happening at the ski resort – they create such a good vibe, no matter where you are.

Bonus points if there’s an open log fire at your après ski location. Bonus, bonus points if you are wearing an appropriately snowflake-themed sweater.

My friend and I managed to hunt down an Ash Grunwald concert at the Kooroora Hotel in the Buller village and it was all kinds of epic.

Hour “Who Even Knows? Why Did We Drink All That Cider?”: Run into Ash Grunwald while wandering the halls of the Duck Inn

Me: “I was totally just at your concert!”

Ash: “Yay!”

Hour Forty: Wake up time

Although you may feel rather hungover, I’ll pass on a little secret – fresh alpine air does absolute wonders for hangovers. You may feel pretty shady at breakfast time, but the feeling will soon pass once you head outside and onto that chairlift. Stop on the way to the lifts for a hash brown and some eggs.

Hours Thirty-Eight to Forty-Eight:

Rinse and repeat the day before. Shred as hard as you can in the morning, have an excellent lunch and then sneak in a few more afternoon runs before it’s time to head back down the hill.

When you kick back in your car, changed into trackpants and ugg boots, rest assured that you’ve made the most of your 48 hours – without needing too much of a holiday to recover from your holiday.

Check out some more photos from the trip below:

If you’re keen on a snowy getaway, there’s still a few weeks of very decent spring skiing left. Make the most of it and snatch up one of the below deals that Buller is currently offering…

1. 3 Day Any Day pass – $199 for Adults and $109 for kids

Ski or snowboard any 3 days, for the rest of the season, for only $199 for adults and $109 for kids (right up to year 12).

This amazing offer is only available only via the Mt Buller eStore, and represents a huge 40% off!

2. Free overnight parking all spring!

From Monday 8th September, there will be no overnight parking charged when you enter the resort at the base of the mountain.

So, staying overnight will cost you no more than visiting for the day! Please note oversnow taxi fares still apply to overnight visitors or those with luggage. For full details on resort entry please click here.

3. Breathtaker All Suite Hotel & Alpine Spa Retreat – spring midweek special

Book three nights and stay your fourth night free! Stay in a one bedroom suite with hot buffet breakfast daily, a free bottle of wine on arrival and a complimentary treatment enhancer with any spa treatment booked.

From $370 per room per night (sleeps 2). Additional $50 per night for extra person.

To book, phone 03 5777 6377 or email reservations@breathtaker.com.au.

For more deals – and there are plenty more! – check out the Buller website here.

Nat travelled and was accommodated courtesy of Mount Buller.