Travelling under cover

Skiers at the Cardrona Alpine Resort will get a break from wind and snow while riding the "magic carpet'' up the learners' slope this season.

A new 160m-long, $300,000 tunnel will be ready for use for the first time today.

Cardrona general manager Bridget Legnavsky said it was the first such tunnel on a New Zealand skifield.

They were quite common in other countries, particularly Japan.

Cardrona marketing co-ordinator Matt McIvor is pictured trying the new conveyor.

Ms Legnavsky said the tunnel was "bigger than it looked'' and there was room on each side for skiers to walk.

There were also several exits, and operators at the top and bottom were able to stop the conveyor if necessary.