As Giant Snowstorm Dumps on New Zealand and Buries Several Ski Areas, Coronet Peak Announces Early Opening

It’s snowing in New Zealand—heavy. Over three feet of new snow was reported at most New Zealand ski areas this past weekend, with more on the way.

At Cardrona ski area there was so much wind-blown snow on the access road on Monday morning that resort staff couldn’t even get up there, according to Stuff, a New Zealand travel website. The heavy snowfall has prompted Coronet Peak Ski Area on New Zealand’s South Island to open a day ahead of schedule on Thursday, June 16.

“Coronet Peak will be opening a day early! We’ve got the whole team on deck and with several more days of stormy weather we are looking forward to an epic opening. See you on Thursday the 16th June!  ” – Coronet Peak Facebook

Meanwhile, The Remarkables ski area manager Ross Lawrence said that staff would be working around the clock to open all of the mountain on Saturday, June 18, which has received over three feet of snow this past weekend and is expecting another storm system to roll in Monday night.

“It’s the best opening I’ve seen. It’s pretty remarkable,” Lawrence said.

Mt. Hutt, which had to delay its opening from last Friday to this one because of “too much snow,” is reporting the most snow it’s “seen in the base area on an opening.” Another world-class New Zealand ski area, Treble Cone near Wānaka, also got dumped on and has an opening date scheduled for June 25.

It appears as though ski season in New Zealand is off to an epic start.

The island nation is now open to all travelers after some of the strictest COVID-19 travel restrictions in the world kept it virtually off-limits for two years. The question is: with all this enticing new snow as well as an open border, will you go?