the history of skiing in new zealand

The modern lift systems and heli-skiing of today's New Zealand skiing is a far cry from the early days of skiing in Aoterea. This report from nzski.com brings you up to date.




CORONET PEAK

'In 1947, Sir William Hamilton used technical knowledge, determination, and more than a smattering of good old Kiwi ingenuity to build a rope tow for Coronet Peak from scratch.

The final concoction of driving drums, pulley trains, sprockets and other obscure parts were bought together, and New Zealand's first commercial ski area was born. Mount Cook Group's Sir Harry Wigley showed the foresight he was famous for in choosing the Coronet Peak site, with good access, reliable snow and a nearby airport.

Skiers from all over the South Island flocked to the new ski area, and in the 1950's demand started outstripping lift capacity. Expansion was needed and new tows were installed, the road widened from Skipper's Saddle and the cafeteria and ticket offices expanded.

The introduction of Mount Cook Airline scheduled air services from Christchurch to Mt Cook and Queenstown by DC3 greatly increased accessibility to Queenstown and Coronet Peak. After travelling the world in 1962, Harry Wigley decided to install New Zealand's first double chairlift.

Once again Coronet Peak led the way with the first triple-chair in New Zealand in 1973, and in 1975 achieved worldwide fame when Newsweek magazine listed it one of the top 25 ski areas in the world. By this time, it was widely recognised as New Zealand's premier ski area.



THE REMARKABLES

Across the valley from Coronet Peak is The Remarkables ski area, a true Alpine experience. This is the spot to soak up the rays and watch the playful antics of New Zealand's cheeky native parrot, the Kea.

The concept for The Remarkables was born in the late 1960's when Mount Cook Group chairman and managing director Sir Henry Wigley decided a second Queenstown ski area was needed to cope with future demand.

The site was selected and initial feasibility studies started in 1970, but work on the road didn't start until 1982 and stage one of the development, including the Alta Double and Shadow Basin quad lifts, opened for a short season in 1985. Stage two was finished in May 1986 at a total cost of over $13 million, including the addition of the Sugar Bowl quad lift, beginners area and carparks.

MT HUTT

Nestled high inside the eastern rim of the Southern Alps, Mt Hutt receives some of the lightest, driest powder in Australasia, and has the most reliable snow and longest season in the Southern Hemisphere, from early June to late October (often November).

Just over an hour's drive from Christchurch and a stone's throw from the resort town of Methven, the majority of the ski area is in a huge wide open bowl with runs for everyone from absolute beginners to experts. Extreme skiers head for the steeper challenges of the Black Diamond runs of South Face, and in all there are 365 hectares to cover.

The idea of establishing a ski area in the Mt Hutt range was first mooted as far back as 1949 when trampers, bushwalkers and other enthusiasts skied the basin area during the winter months.

However, it wasn't for another 20 years that any type of feasibility study was carried out on the commercial potential of the area, resulting in the formation of the Mount Hutt Ski and Alpine Tourist Co Ltd in early 1972, the same year the Austrian ski instructor and professional mountain guide Willi Huber spent four months on the field during the winter.

During his stay on the mountain, Huber studied the weather and snow conditions, temperature and wind velocity as well as looking for a route to construct a main access road into the basin and a suitable area for a day lodge and car park. During the winter of 1973 Mt Hutt became a reality when a car park for 200 cars was established and the first rope tow installed.

T-bars, platter lifts, a new day lodge and a triple chair followed over the years, and in December 1986 the Auckland based Leisureland Corporation made a successful bid to obtain a majority share holding in the publicly owned Mount Hutt Company. During 1989-90 summer a $5 million Canadian designed and engineered snowmaking system was installed together with a $2 million Quad Chair.


ABOUT NZSKI.COM

In 1999 the three ski areas, formerly linked by the Mount Cook Line brand, began operating under the collective brand name nzski.com.

nzski.com has three distinctively different ski areas and needed a unifying brand that supported the personalities of each while communicating the message of New Zealand skiing and the values of the New Zealand winter experience as a whole.

At the same time nzski.com developed and launched a New Zealand first - the NZ Super Pass, a ski lift pass with a difference. The NZ Super Pass offers discounted skiing and boarding plus a huge range of other activity options in Queenstown, Methven and Canterbury. It has proved to be a very successful product particularly in the international market place, delivering a true destinational experience to visitors and showcasing the collective offerings of the resort community partners.