It has been a reversal of fortunes for the skifield, which could not open the new chairlift last winter as there was not enough natural snow.
The skifield installed 22 extra snow guns last summer so it could open the chairlift this year but has not needed to use them.
Cardrona now has four working chairlifts, the most of any skifield in the South Island.
Paralympic gold medallist Adam Hall, of Wanaka, cut the ribbon and was first down the Goldrush Downhill trail, followed by athletes enrolled in the skifield's high-performance programme.
The trail has a 600m vertical drop and takes skiers from the bottom of the Whitestar Express to the new Speed Straight carpark on the access road.
Cardrona Sales and Marketing Manager Nadia Ellis said the snow had come just in time for the school holidays.
"We've had 115cm of accumulated snowfall since Thursday and it's very exciting that we can now offer visitors even more terrain to play on," Ms Ellis said.
