Queenstown was transformed into a winter wonderland yesterday morning, with the first major snowfall blanketing the mountains surrounding the alpine town.
The snowfall provides a glimpse of the winter season to come and Destination Queenstown interim chief executive Ann Lockhart says Kiwi and Australian snow fans should start getting ready to visit Queenstown for their snow adventures and ski holidays.
In anticipation of opening next month, the Southern Lakes ski areas are in their final stages of preparations. Cardrona Alpine Resort is scheduled to open on June 12, followed by Coronet Peak on 19 June, while The Remarkables and Treble Cone are both set to open on June 26.
“We’ve been teased by a few dustings of snow over the past month and this winter blast has dumped 10cm of snow at Coronet Peak and 18cm at The Remarkables so far with more to come. Combined with our snowmaking network cranking in these cold conditions, we’re getting set for a great start to the season,” says NZSki CEO Paul Anderson.
Bridget Legnavsky, general manager Cardrona Alpine Resort and Treble Cone Ski Area shared this sentiment. “The first snow in May is always exciting for us. As well as having snow under our feet, the ground is cooling so we can look to start snowmaking when conditions allow. It’s a good sign of things to come,” says Bridget.
“Queenstown is the Southern Hemisphere’s leading four-season resort, the skiing is world-class and our region offers an unrivalled range of winter experiences on and off the ski fields. Our businesses and ski areas are looking forward to welcoming Kiwis and Australians for this magical season, and seeing them hitting the slopes and immersing themselves in everything our spectacular region has to offer,” says Ann.
