Treble Cone successful, despite poor start

Perfect spring skiing conditions at Treble Cone just days before it closes for the season on...
Perfect spring skiing conditions at Treble Cone just days before it closes for the season on Sunday. Photo: Richard Birkby
Organising a closing party for staff, families and "diehard TC fans" is the goal for Treble Cone management following one of the worst openings to its ski season in recent years.

General manager Toby Arnott said nature was challenging.

"[She] provided us with some challenges early on with the lack of snow and the late start to the season but since the middle to the end of July we have had some good regular top-ups so the mountain has been fantastic ever since."

Mr Arnott said apart from the delayed opening, the skifield had had to shut for only four days due to bad weather and conditions, and there were some days where "there were ... more than 1500 skiers on the mountain".

He said the main task now was to "wrap up the season safely, say goodbye to all our staff and start planning for next season".

Cardrona Alpine Resort is set to close on October 21, despite experiencing one of its lowest natural snowfalls on record.

Cardrona general manager, Bridget Legnavsky said having a very low amount of natural snow made it "quite complex for us in terms of moving snow around and making sure we could keep delivering, especially with those big events in mid August".

She said despite the low natural snow cover, the resort was on par to match or overtake last year's record number of 330,000 ski days or just over 100,000 skiers.

Ms Legnavsky said the offer by Cardrona Alpine Resort to buy Treble Cone was proceeding and interest was not affected by the poor start.

She said if the offer was successful it would "make Treble Cone more reliable for July".

`We are looking at improving their snow-making facilities because our ability to make snow is what we all have to focus on going into the future, but that capability is getting better all the time," Ms Legnavsky said.

The proposal is currently being investigated by the Commerce Commission and the offer has yet to be accepted by a meeting of Treble Cone shareholders.

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