Wanaka’s Treble Cone ski area will open for the 2018 season on Saturday, June 23, five days earlier than scheduled.
Treble Cone General Manager Toby Arnott says an early season storm delivered well over a metre of snow and Treble Cone team was ''stoked'' to be opening early.
“Conditions are outstanding for June and that’s got the entire team up here focused on getting the mountain open,” he says.
Vehicles started climbing the mountain road from 7.30am and skiers and boarders were greeted by a fully operational field, marking the start of the ski season in the South Island.
With mounds of snow piling up over recent weeks and the snow base at about 70-95cm before opening day, ski area manager Ross Lawrence said the good conditions and high turnout were a sign of things to come.
"We've got a great crowd here. It's only mid-morning at the moment and there is probably 500 plus and people are still coming into the car parks.
"The snow for the beginning of the season is pretty rare. Everyone is smiling and people are happy.
Snowsports enthusiasts headed straight to the Curvey Basin chairlift to beat the queues and ride to the top of the mountain for their first run of the day.
The first few guests on the lift received a free T-shirt and a breakfast burrito voucher, and the first 100 or so enjoyed a glass of sparkling Amisfield wine and warmed cheese rolls.
Holidaymaker Steve Howell (58), who lives in Cairns but is originally from Christchurch, said his last trip to The Remarkables was five years ago.
"The snow was good. That was the first time I have been on the six-man lift on the mountain.
"I really enjoyed the run down - lots of powder."
"In the past I have always come up here with my children. I always found it to be a bit more of a snowboarders' mountain".
Snowboarder Martin Dohnal (27), from the Czech Republic, said he was in Queenstown for the season.
"This is the first day and I'm quite excited. It's quite windy but the conditions are pretty good."
Improvements made to the skifield ahead of the opening included additional snowguns, investment in catering facilities, a new grit truck and replacing rental stock with new equipment.
After a successful "taster" day at Coronet Peak last Saturday, the field will open fully for the winter on Saturday, June 16. Cardrona Alpine Resort will also open the same day.
- By Joshua Walton/additional reporting Mark Price
