Early Snowfall in New Zealand, Australia Pushes Up Ski Season

NZskiing

The ski season has returned in New Zealand and Australia, with early snowfall opening resorts and delighting skiers.

With ideal skiing conditions unfolding, most New Zealand and Australian ski resorts opened within the past several weeks. Whakapapa and Treble Cone, both opened June 28, Cardrona opened June 26 and, rounding out 3,000 skiers on the mountains, Turoa opened June 27.

Trans-Tasman
ski resort Mount Hutt was the first to open on May 30, putting it two weeks ahead of schedule.

The Remarkable resort on the South Island opened all lifts as well as the Homeward Bound run that has a shuttle taking skiers to the base of the lifts.

Mount Ruapehu
is the highest peak on New Zealand’s North Island, housing two of the country’s largest ski fields. Whakapapa, on the northwest slopes, and Turoa, which faces southwest, are both run by the same company, which makes the lift pass acceptable in both locations.

In Australia, snowfall is not as heavy as in New Zealand but slowly but surely ski resorts are opening, allowing visitors to enjoy the warmer skiing conditions.

Perisher has 22 lifts open, Thredbo has seven running, Hotham and Falls Creek have six and Buller has nine open.

Lake Mountain
spokeswoman Trudi Ackerman told news.com.au that coverage was so good they had put their new snowmaking machine on standby.

”For us to have any snow at this time of year is just great,” Ackerman said.