The 2011 American Express Queenstown Winter Festival was a success as usual and a great start into the 2011 New Zealand ski season. The first ski areas have opened their slopes at the end of June and as of today, seven of the 26 New Zealand ski areas are operating.
While the rest is gearing up to open in the coming weeks, everyone is hoping for more snow. But NZ ski areas have excellent snowmaking facilities and so they’re not entirely dependent on Mother Nature.
Mt Hutt in Canterbury was the very first ski field to open in 2011, closely followed by Turoa Ski Area on Mt Ruapehu and Coronet Peak in the Southern Lakes region. The other four ski areas which have opened their gates are Whakapapa Ski Area, Mt Lyford, Snow Park NZ and The Remarkables.
All the other ski areas are reporting snow as well and so it’s just a matter of time for them to follow suit and open as well. So go on and plan your ski and snowboard holiday today! With the destination-nz.com website it’s easy-peasy. Here, you can:
* find info on New Zealand ski areas
* get snow tips and fast facts
* read up on heli skiing
* check out the ski/snowboard gear guide
Once you have an idea of which ski areas to visit, head to the accommodation section to book cosy winter accommodation and sort out your transport. To mix things up during your New Zealand winter holiday, have a look at the myriad of activities on offer and find out about top winter events. Enjoy!
