Summer work at skifields

NZSKI is having a "consolidation season" of summer developments at Coronet Peak and the Remarkables on the back of a solid four years of new investments.

Coronet Peak Ski Area manager Hamish McCrostie said work had already begun on the mountain. A new car and bus parking area was under construction.

The biggest undertaking for the summer would be the redevelopment of the Rocky Gully Giant trail for all ski racing in line with International Ski Federation standards.

"It also means that we can hold all of our ski races over there ... and instead of having it cut halfway though our ski area interrupting other users, we can have them through Rocky Gully."

The Rocky Gully redevelopment will also include buying three or four new snow machines. Mr McCrostie expected the works to be completed by mid-April.

Last year, both skifields opened on man-made snow only, a testament to improvements made in snow-making capabilities at both skifields.

"I guess it's a consolidation summer, really," he said.

"The last couple of years have had significant amounts of work done at Coronet Peak and at the end of the day the winter turned out really well and now the time is right to just consolidate on that."

Remarkables Ski Area manager Ross Lawrence said little was going on in terms of new development. The summer's work was mostly "behind the scenes".

Foremost was putting in a new "direct-to-lift" access system for Shadow Basin because of high demand last season and increasing the amount of rental gear, including more high-performance skis and resurfacing 3km of the access road.

The "big spend" was replacing the 25-year-old Shadow Basin chairlift haul rope.

 

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