New Zealand Ski Areas Open At Last For 2023 Season After Snowfall

New Zealand’s ski slopes have seen the biggest snowfall of the season so far, with a multi-day accumulation of up to 82cm (33”) reported on the country’s higher slopes.

It means that a number of the country’s smaller centres, including volunteer-run club fields, are finally able to open for their 2023 seasons.

Until now it has been mostly the larger commercial centres that have been able to make snlow when cold enough that have been able to open some terrain.

However the snowstorm was not all good news. Mt Hutt reported that it was forced to close on Monday due to a saturated lower-slopes snowpack after the storm trailed out with rain at lower elevations. It has since reopened however.

Porters was the first to open on Saturday, followed by Broken River on Tuesday, which posted, “Thrilled to get the tows spinning and get the winter of 2023 underway.”

Mt Lyford say they will open for the season from 9am Wednesday

“Our average base on main groomed runs is 50cm and we are expecting a wee top up of snow tonight. There are unmarked hazards on and off piste and off piste is very variable,” a resort statement noted.

Mt Dobson Ski Area will be open on Wednesday.

New Zealand had had the first ski centre open in the southern hemisphere earlier in 2023 when the Manganui club field opened for several days after a big pre-season snowfall in Mid-May. Unfortunately the two months since then brought above average temperatures and little snowfall for much of the time until now.

“Kia Ora Winter. It’s so good to have a solid base to ride on again (and it was definitely solid today), bluebird, great vibes,” Mt Hutt posted after reopening on Tuesday.