News

Canterbury’s Mt Hutt ski area is sorry to advise that its scheduled opening day for the 2016 winter season has been postponed until Saturday June 11.

The weather forecast for its original scheduled opening day (Friday June 10), is for high winds at the ski area.

Pete ‘The Frog’ Taylor looks at what snow we currently have in the resorts, what’s likely to happen between now and then, and he gives us a rundown on what he thinks will be running for opening weekend 2016 in each resort.

Canterbury’s Mt Hutt ski area is revelling in the white stuff – with a one-metre pre-season snow base being described as “the best in years”.

Two snowstorms in the past four days have delivered “wall-to-wall” snow across the mountain, leading ski area manager James McKenzie to declare that Mt Hutt is expected to open with all lifts operating on opening day (Friday June 10).

Only 11km from Perisher. Free parking and shuttle to lifts. Stay close to the snow without paying on-snow prices. Delicious

Skiing and snowboarding will return to the slopes of Corin Forest this winter, for the first time in 21 years. A 5000m 2 slope with a “magic carpet” ski lift will be run, offering ski and snowboard lessons. The additions will be a perfect environment for first timers and those wanting to brush up on their skills.

It looks like we can finally say goodbye to El Nino and possibly look to see a La Nina pattern emerge later in the season as surface temperatures across the Pacific have cooled significantly . But for the time being we are in a nuetral (ENSO) state, which is positive news for the snowfields with cooler nights expected and less warmer airflows from the the north to the mountains.

After a significant pre-season snowfall early this week, Cardrona Alpine Resort is on track to have all trails open by Opening Day. With the current snow base, cold temperatures, snowmaking and grooming capabilities, all guns are blazing for the resort to open to the public on June 11.

This season, the Leichhardt Terrain Park has undergone major improvements that have seen earthworks completed through May, just in time for the winter. The Park has been expanded allowing for better flow through the park while also making it longer and providing more options for features that riders can hit.

Queenstown’s Coronet Peak and The Remarkables ski areas have been blanketed with snow in the first major snowfall for 2016.