Queenstown's Coronet Peak ski area opens with "fantastic" conditions
Saturday 9 June 2012, 6:49PM
By NZSki
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An overnight snowfall, cold temperatures and blue skies made for a “fantastic” season opening at Queenstown’s Coronet Peak ski area today (June 9).
Around 200-odd hardy skiers and boarders lined up for the official start of the season at the ski area’s Coronet Express Quad, with the first having arrived at 4.30am in a snowstorm.
Walking away with coveted ‘First On The Chair’ T-shirts were nine-year-old Cougar Bryant (9) and his sister Talleulah (7), who were also first in line for the start of the 2011 season, along with Alex de Kort (19) from Queenstown and Hugo Cribbin (22), from Hong Kong, working his second season in the rentals department for NZSki.
With a rush of excitement and a toast with bubbly provided by Amisfield winery, they led the way as the crowd of keen skiers and snowboarders swelled to around 1,000-plus for the day.
“We’re absolutely ecstatic to be open,” said Coronet Peak ski area manager Hamish McCrostie.
“Conditions are fantastic and people are just blown away with what we’ve been able to provide, reaping the rewards of the largest, fully-automated high tech snowmaking system in the Southern Hemisphere. The snow making guns are still running today and will continue to run whenever temperatures allow.
“We’ve received about 20cm of natural snow in the build-up to opening but we’ve been able to open with a 35cm average base thanks to machine snow and some nice top ups including the 5cm that fell at 4am this morning.
“It’s great for Coronet Peak, great for Queenstown, and great for tourism in New Zealand.
“It’s a huge shot in the arm for everyone. There’s a lot of people up there having a lot of fun, releasing that pent-up desire to get in their first runs of the season.”
NZSki CEO James Coddington said it was a “very proud moment” to see a huge team effort result in Coronet Peak and Canterbury’s Mt Hutt open on the same day on schedule.
“It’s the culmination of a huge effort between two mountains, and 14 departments on each mountain, to officially open together.
“It’s the first time we’ve actually planned a joint opening and everybody’s given 100% to come together to achieve everything according to plan, even though it’s stretched our resources to the limit.
“Mt Hutt has been blessed with the snow, and Coronet Peak has been blessed with the cold temperatures.”
Coronet Peak opened with the Coronet Express Quad providing access to the main M1 and Express Way trails, while the Meadows Express lift enabled skiers and boarders to access the Big Easy novice trail and carpet lifts to the main beginners’ area.
The Remarkables ski area in Queenstown is scheduled to open on June 16.
For up-to-date snow conditions and further information go to www.nzski.com