Less snow but better snowmakers for skifields

Ev says humbug ... I want the real McCoy not some machine made powder pooff ... maybe a little earthquake would help raise the mountains a bit to combat this global warming thingo ... or maybe we just need to vote for global cooling ...

Less snow but better snowmakers for skifields

New Zealand will have less snow by the end of the century, but not as little as initially thought, and better snow-making machines will help skifields cope, according to new climate modelling by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa).

It was the first time a quantitative assessment of the potential impact of climate change on snow levels has been done in New Zealand.

Niwa scientists created three different emissions scenarios, which were used to calculate how the different levels of climate change could affect snow levels for the years 2030-2049 and 2080-2099.

They found:

* On average, at nearly all elevations, there will be a gradual decrease in snow as the century progresses.

* The decrease is more marked at elevations below 1000m.

Depending on skifield location and elevation, under a warmer climate change scenario, by 2090, on average, current maximum snow depths at the upper elevation sites will be further reduced, to approximately 79 per cent to 35 per cent.

The reductions were less marked for mid-range climate change scenario.

"Fortunately for New Zealand, we are unlikely to see the more extreme impacts predicted in Europe and Australia. Our modelling shows that the loss may actually be less than originally anticipated and we should be able to continue to make snow, even under a more extreme climate scenario, right out to the 2090s," said Niwa snow and ice scientist Jordy Hendrikx....

read full article here....

Closed.

What a travesty.

What a tragedy.

Instead they try and shove us up The Remarkables.

Not.


Check out wot it is like now

quite possibly the best day in two years

I don't know where you where today but quite possibly the best powder day on the peak in the last two years ...... well that what Gwok reckons anyway .... and that's because he cant remember more than two years ago .... but i would tend to agree ... oh la la

oh my gosh

Mt Hutt: From the top - check out the drifts and bear in mind the wind fence is 4m high!



Coronet Peak: crowds enjoying the lovely fresh snow yesterday. - and it isn't even open ! Who needs a season pass aye ?

"The first off the blocks to open this year is Coronet Peak " now that hasn't happened in a while.... ever perhaps ?

Photos courtesy of nzski.com

Coronet looking very white

Coronet looking very white whose up for a sneaky Friday the 4th June opening Day ???

Snow guns are blazing on Coronet Peak

http://www.nzsnow.com/html/coronet-peak-webcam.htm

Treble Cone has not raised early bird season pass prices

The ODT reports;

Treble Cone skifield has not raised its early bird season pass prices for 2010 and will reintroduce reciprocal lift pass deals with skifields at Snow Park NZ and Ohau Ski Area.

Treble Cone is at present the only Southern Lakes skifield to keep its prices the same as 2009, despite an increase in ACC levies for the industry.

However, the $999 pass remains the most expensive early bird season pass in the district - $100 more than NZSki.com's Queenstown pass.

The skifield will repeat its locals' youth pass, which costs Upper Clutha school children $149 for a full season of skiing, while under 6-year-olds ski free on the mountain, she said.

A Treble Cone family mountain package has been heavily reduced for the 2010 season.

Early bird adult season passes available for 2010 include a five day powder pass for $349, a 10-day pass for $599 or an unlimited season pass for $999.

read more

http://www.odt.co.nz/southern-snow/latest-skifield-news/94826/treble-cone-holds-prices