Corin Forest - Snow in the ACT
Updated: Nov 28, 2022
A year-round alpine experience, Corin Forest is situated in the Tidbinbilla Mountain Ranges only 45 minutes from the centre of Canberra.
Corin Forest is the only place in Canberra where it snows during the winter. Put on your ski or snowboard gear and get ready for basic lessons with qualified instructors. Join snow play for snowball fights, snowmen, and tobogganing. Afterward, relax in the lodge by the blazing open fire and warm yourself with a hot chocolate and marshmallows.
Enjoy the breathtaking views of the Nation's Capital in the summer while Namadgi National Park and Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve are just over the street. Take a thrilling ride down the 1.2 km-long Alpine Slide through the forest. Due to the availability of BBQs, the cafe, and picnic tables, nearby attractions Square Rock, Gibraltar Falls, and Tidbinbilla make for fantastic day trips.
Corin Forest can be reached by car through Point Hut Crossing or the Cotter, which is located on Corin Dam Road.
Only 25 kilometres from Canberra's southern suburbs and around 50 kilometres from the city centre, the little alpine resort of Corin Forest is located at a height of 1200 metres. Despite lacking lodging and a community like most resorts, it draws tourists all year round for a variety of High Country adventures right outside of Canberra.
In the winter, there are wonderful snowplay facilities, as well as beginner skiing and snowboarding (snow conditions permitting). A "magic carpet" surface lift is available on the slope to return you to the top. It is possible to rent equipment, a waterproof jacket and pants, go tobogganing, and take introductory training. Bookings are advised due to space restrictions. For use in the ski/snowboard area, helmets are necessary and can be rented.
Corin Forest is unique in that it is a ski resort where it doesn't often snow.
Fortunately, Corin Forest is extremely cold, with lows of -10, allowing the operators to generate snow all winter long. The snow guns can't be started unless the temperature is at or below -2C.
Snow guns come in a variety of forms, but in Corin Forest, they use "fan gun" technology. A very strong fan propels the extremely small water droplets high into the air from the gun while water under high pressure is combined with compressed air. The droplets freeze as they fall to the ground, forming snow. They only use water in the procedure; no chemicals are added.
Snowmaking often occurs at night during the coldest part of the day, so it takes a lot of patience to wait for the right conditions. Corin Forest often experiences 400 hours below -2 in the winter, and we are capable of producing snowcovers up to 2.5 metres deep.