Queenstown’s Coronet Peak and The Remarkables ski areas have been blanketed with snow in the first major snowfall for 2016.
Coronet Peak received around 20cm at the summit and up to 15cm at the base of the ski area. The snowstorm couldn’t have been more timely, as the ski area’s scheduled to open for the season on Saturday June 11.
The snowfalls are just in time for winter evening flights scheduled to touch down at Queenstown Airport this week.
Coronet Peak ski Area Manager, Ross Copland, said winter has arrived with a “bang” and says the early start to the season “gives us a great base to work with”.
“The approach to Queenstown Airport is already renowned as one of the most picturesque in the world, so adding snow-capped mountains is literally the icing on the cake for passengers flying in.”
Ross Copland, Coronet Peak ski Area Manager
“With trails starting to take shape, our staff are very excited with the amount of snow on the mountain and the fact that our snowmakers are now getting around on snowmobiles which helps them do their job.
“Everyone in Queenstown is fizzing, and we know we’ve got plenty of Australian visitors planning to head our way. The rest of the week is looking very promising for more snow and snowmaking.”
Across the valley at The Remarkables ski area, up to a metre of snow has fallen near the summit in the past 24 hours and more than 70 cm at the ski area base.
Temperatures dropped to minus 8 degrees during the night but were accompanied by strong winds, resulting in wind drifts on the mountain as high as 1.5m.
The Remarkables is scheduled to open for the 2016 season on June 18.