Ski areas opening today

Cardrona Alpine Ski Resort on Wednesday. Photo: Cardrona Alpine Resort.

The ski season is all set to open in Queenstown and Wanaka today.

Remarkables Ski area manager Ross Lawrence said consistently cold temperatures had allowed snowmaking to cover the learner slope and some intermediate terrain.

"We always look forward to the start of the season, so it’s great to be able to open on schedule."

A snow groomer operates on the The Remarkables ski area learners’ slope yesterday. Photo: Kyle Mulder, NZSki.

The Curvey Basin chairlift would begin running at 9am, providing access to the Double Back, Centurion and Alta Green trails. On the learner slope, the double conveyor would be operating inside a weatherproof gallery for the first time.

Off-piste terrain was "very limited", but groomed trails had a base of about 30cm, and snowmaking was continuing to build that depth, Mr Lawrence said.

NZSki’s other Queenstown ski field, Coronet Peak, is expected to open next Saturday.

Cardrona Alpine Resort’s skifield is set to open this morning with a ceremony to celebrate the official opening of the new $10 million McDougall’s Express Chondola. Both the chondola and the beginners’ area conveyor lift will be open.

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