The Australian Winter Paralympic team, and a development team including Hanlon and his partner Rae Anderson, had hoped to be competing in Europe by now if it had been a viable option amid COVID-19.

He was also aiming to compete in several world cup events in Europe ahead of the World Para Snow Sports Championships in February.

Instead, he's just finished helping out with harvest at home at Weethalle and is set to kick off the new year at a team training camp.

"They're finalising a camp we're going to have in Jindabyne, from the 17th to the 22nd of January," Hanlon said.

"We'll do a full training camp - fitness testing, training, in the gym - and it will be good to just get together."

First, there's a family Christmas; a moment to reflect on the whirlwind of the last couple of years.

A year ago, Hanlon and Anderson were in the United States where they had a quiet Christmas at home in Park City, crammed between competitions in California and Colorado.

That's when things were moving at a cracking pace, as opposed to this year's disruptions.

He's hoping the camp in the high country is the start of a return to normal in 2021.

"We'll be in camp with the Paralympic team and with our development coach, Tom Hodges," Hanlon said.

"He's the guy who's taught me from day dot... he's awesome."

The trip to Europe was intended to tick off an important milestone for Hanlon, who needs to gain international classification.

That's now likely to be done in New Zealand at the start of their ski season.

"It would be good to get to New Zealand and then come back and have a full season here," he said.

Hanlon admitted staying motivated hasn't always been easy. But his work ethic tells a story. Hanlon was on the slopes every day he could last winter, with the NSW Institute of Sport saying he had more on-snow days than any other athlete in the winter sports program.