The Cardrona Ski Resort is looking ahead to an extra-long winter thanks to $2 million worth of new equipment.
The skifield plans to open its learner slopes on June 13, a week earlier than normal, and close for the season a week later than normal, on October 11.
General manager Bridget Legnavsky told the Otago Daily Times yesterday she did not have inside information from the weather office but temperatures in mid-June were generally low enough to make snow, enabling the earlier start.
''We're are only offering to open for beginners ... and of course if we get a good snow dump we'll change it then.''
Cardrona was bought by southern tourism company Real Journeys in 2013 and Ms Legnavsky said $2 million had been spent on equipment to improve the quality and number of groomed trails.
It included four new PistenBully snow-groomers and a ''snow sat'' GPS management system to reduce fuel consumption by 8%, snow groomer operating time by 5% and the need to make snow by 15%.
As well as widening groomed trails, terrain park facilities would be improved.
The field would also add 500m of new fence to collect snow.
Improvements were being made to the Cardrona access road to make it ''safer and more user friendly'', Ms Legnavsky said.
The improvements included more barriers and safe passing zones and better drainage and gravelling.
Ms Legnavsky said the earlier opening would also provide more time for staff training.
''Otherwise we are kind of rushed to get a big workforce, a 500 [strong] workforce, ready for the July school holidays.''
Cardrona's season passes go on sale from March 1.
