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Early start to the season
Following last week's report of
Australian snow, some of the South Island’s keenest snowboarders
and skiers headed for their nearest mountain today after a cold
snap blanketed ski areas with early season snow across New
Zealand. Staff at Coronet Peak ski area reported seeing a number
of people with snowboards and skis either walking or skinning up
the slopes to get a run down. It was the same across the valley
at The Remarkables, where mountain manager Ed Bezett reported a
few cars having an “interesting” time on the road.
“There were definitely a few people coming up to have a good look
and start their winter experience early,” he said. “The temperature
would have been around minus 4C at the base area yesterday afternoon
when most of the snow fell, so it’s definitely cooling down. Any
snow we get this early in May is always a good indication that winter
is on its way.”
Three to 5cm of snow fell on the lower slopes of Coronet Peak ski
area, and 5 to 7cm on the upper mountain, while at The Remarkables,
8 to 10cm of snow fell on the mountain. In Canterbury, approximately
6cm of snow fell on Mt Hutt
ski area.
Changes for this season
Mountain managers and staff at all three ski areas are busy working
on major developments in time for the opening of the 2004 season.
Staff at Coronet Peak
have been working on the installation of a new snowmaking system
on the main M1 trail and in the Rocky Gully area, and setting up
a new race training area in Rocky Gully. The new fully-automated
snowmaking guns should be being installed from next week, and snowmaking
is scheduled to start later this month. Coronet Peak is scheduled
to open for the 2004 season on June 5.
At Mt Hutt, work is also well underway on a new 10,000 square metre
Cheapskates Terrain Park. Mt Hutt is also scheduled to open for
the season on June 5. At The
Remarkables, a 150m long, 22m wide pipe SuperPipe is being built
to full FIS standards. The Superpipe is part of a massive development
of the Xbox Terrain Park at the top of Sugar Bowl basin. The Remarkables
is scheduled to open for the season on June 26.
More information on resorts, passes, working and
other links about New
Zealand can be found in our comprehensive Down
Under section, along with Natives.co.uk reporters
impressions of NZ.
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