Activity central ... Mount Hotham's sunset views.
From snow-shoeing to outdoor spas, Sandy Guy embraces alpine pursuits beyond the chairlift.
A glacial wind might whip across Mount Hotham but the vistas across the snow-covered Victorian Alps - Mount Buffalo, Mount Feathertop, Mount Buller and the Bogong High Plains - make the journey to the summit worthwhile.
As the sun sinks beyond the mountains, a warmly clad waiter hands around a plate of antipasto - local olives and cheese - and cider, part of a frigid, but enchanting, sunset tour that is one of several winter activities at Mount Hotham.
Despite being a magnet for serious skiers and snowboarders - Mount Hotham regularly posts Victoria's highest annual snowfall - this hub of icy sport also has activities for those of us who want to experience all things alpine but are immune to the idea of hurtling down steep mountainsides on two fibreglass planks.
For some people, this might be the result of an injury; for others, a medical condition or disability, through to those who just can't ski no matter how many lessons they have, or are simply ski-shy.
The view from the living room of our comfortable Hotham Heights apartment, Schnapps, is of snow-covered peaks and, beyond these, a parade of greeny-blue mountains stretching into the distance.
From here, I can see brightly clad, goggled figures whizzing across the white landscape, more hopping onto the chairlifts that criss-cross the mountain and scores of laughing kids falling flat on their faces as they try snowboarding. But I won't be joining them.
Instead, I meet some fellow non-skiers at Dinner Plain, 10 kilometres from Mount Hotham on the Omeo side of the mountain, as we strap on snow shoes under the guidance of Rose Ridley from Adventures With Altitude.
The architecturally designed town of Dinner Plain is surrounded by 35 kilometres of tree-lined trails on which cross-country skiers glide through the snow-covered bush. It also features a ski school, beginners' tow, a toboggan area and pretty terrain ideal for snow-shoeing.
If you can walk, you can snowshoe, says Ridley, who runs tours throughout the winter months. Rigged with tennis-racquet-like contraptions on our feet, our group of eight steps gingerly across the snow, waddling like ducks. But in no time, we're striding confidently amid the silent, snow-blanketed bush.
Treading among dense snow gums, Ridley stops to point out alpine flora, such as native pepper trees, and relates the region's rich history - from its indigenous past to gold prospecting and mountain cattlemen - before producing warm muffins from her backpack for morning tea.
From Dinner Plain, non-skiers can also experience dog-sledding tours run by Brett Hadden of Australian Sleddog Tours. Hadden's team of Siberian huskies dash across snow-covered trails around the town.
Dinner Plain's wintry pleasures include Onsen Retreat and Spa, which has a luxurious outdoor Japanese-inspired onsen natural spring bathing pool.
After a sublime massage, or one of many treatments from the pampering menu, you can head to the freezing outdoors and lower yourself into the warm (40 degrees) onsen pool, set beneath snow-laden gums, for a sensational soak - even more invigorating if it happens to be snowing.
More alpine indulgence is on offer at White Spa in Hotham Heights, where massages such as the "muscle recovery" aren't just for skiers, and treatments include aromatherapy facials, of which mine was superbly executed.
Non-skiers can experience Hotham's steep slopes on evening snow-grooming tours, when whirring snowcats mow the snow, flattening ski runs so they are corduroy-perfect for skiers and boarders in the morning.
Dining at Mount Hotham and Dinner Plain, like most alpine resorts, isn't cheap: the simplest dishes, such as spaghetti and meatballs, can set you back up to $30.
The White Room at Hotham Heights serves top tapas - try the cassoulet de chorizo, apple cider-cooked pork belly and haloumi with pomegranate molasses - as well as food from the a la carte menu. If you're lucky, Brazilian barman Marco, who makes a fine caipirinha, will be behind the bar. At Tsubo in Dinner Plain, talented chef Hamish Nugent creates Japanese-influenced degustation feasts during the winter months. Course after outstanding course arrives - a delicious okonomiyaki, mushroom, cabbage, prawn and squid salad; confit of octopus, fennel and grapefruit; beef with daikon, Jerusalem artichoke and wasabi butter - served with fine wines from Victoria's alpine region.
Sandy Guy stayed courtesy of Mount Hotham Resort.
FAST FACTS
Mount Hotham is 350 kilometres and a 4½-hour drive north-east of Melbourne via the Hume Highway and the Great Alpine Road.
Sparkling Sunset Tours operates seven days a week (depending on the weather) and tours cost $45 a person (18 years and under $15). Snow-grooming tours cost $35 a person. Bookings for both are through Guest Services at Hotham Central or phone 5759 4470.
Snow-shoeing tours cost $45 a person for up to two hours, phone 5159 6608, see adventureswithaltitude.com.au. Once you have learnt the ropes, hire snowshoes for $16 (half-day) for self-guided tours, see mthotham.com.au.
Dog-sledding tours are $115 a person (adults), $65 a child, $350 for a family, phone 5756 2767, sleddogtours.com.au.
Onsen Retreat and Spa is at Dinner Plain, phone 5150 8880, onsen.com.au. White Spa is located at Hotham Central, phone 5759 4488, see whitespahotham.com.au.
Also at Dinner Plain, Tsubo's degustation is $65-$85 a person, phone 5159 6622. Tapas at the White Room from $8, phone 5759 3456, see whiteroomrb.com.au.
More information see mthotham.com.au.
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