Greetings from Otago Ski Club

Here is an email from resident ski instructor Pete in residence on Coronet Peak. Can't get more hot off the press than that!

Greetings Skiers and Boarders,

Coronet Peak will open for the 2007 tomorrow 11th June

The Coronet Peak Express, Meadows Chair (M1 and Big Easy) and Beginner areas will be open. There are many other trails where Snowmaking is also underway and they must be very close to opening too. Conditions are clear but very cold and there is both clear and cold weather and more snow forecast for the week. The road at this time (Sunday evening) is snow free.

Catering will begin the weekend of nights 29/30th June. Anyone intending to
stay at Joel Lodge during this week or this coming weekend please call me
so I can put on appropriate heating. Looking forward to a big weekend and
season. Pete

Otago Ski Club - Joel Lodge
Coronet Peak, Queenstown, New Zealand
info@osc.org.nz
www.osc.org.nz

Open Day delayed

Snows guns blazing. Open Day delayed. I've got the rock hoppers out....



Oh I know tvnz weather has had snow flakes on Queenstown for the last two days morning and night but sorry folks don't believe the hype. We got missed big time by all the fronts. Light spattering on the hills but not the lotto like motherload all snowfers really hang for.

It Snowed !!

Yep all over Coronet Peak and I am sure many other mountains around these parts. A light dusting enough to bring joy to snow bums Aotearoa wide. So keep on praying .... yes this is one time when it is OK to give Brian Tamaki a ring and ask for his spiritual assistance ... we need more snow ... bucket loads.

While we were all glued to our TV watching Team NZ put away the Italians ( wot you weren't watching? sacre bleu ! ) it snowed. about 3am is my estimate.



photo from nzsnow.com webcam

snow guns are firing

Snow guns are firing, 5 weeks to winter festival so says the Mountain Scene, ski retail guru Ivan is back in town and snow-forecast.com is predicting snow for next thursday. Ski season must be around the corner.

waiting for us

Well just under a month to go until Coronet Peak opens and waddya going to do? Twiddle your thumbs? Course not when the Peak is looking this slim.

Blue blue may days and buzz, marianne and i took of across the Lake to scale Walter Peak - all 1500 metres of it.

Brill jetboat trip across the Lake (thanks Henry) , fantastic hike across some classic high country terrain (thanks Lloyd the Walter Peak Station recreation manager for giving us permission) and a critical little 200 metre final crux pitch just to get the heart beat really going (coming down even more exciting) and this is the result.

my foot and walter peak station 1200 metres below

Queenstown from walter peak

The top.

And whats that all got to do with skiing? Well the long steep downhill munched up the thighs and all I could think was ....... "that's going to help on opening day !"

direct to queenstown

thinking of crossing the ditch to play in the snow? my advice is fly direct to Queenstown. when it comes down to it why waste time flopping between planes in christchurch. we are here to ski and ride!

qantas are doing two flights a week from sydney, and 1 a week from melbourne and brisbane. air new zealand have something on the go as well this winter. ho hum.

coolest itinerary i would imagine for a mountainless sydnesider would be to fly friday morning direct to queenstown arriving about 3pm in time for some night skiing ( starts late july ) on coronet peak . party hard through the weekend then zip back Sunday night to be back at work for the new week. think it's going to happen? not unless you hire a corporate jet.

and thats not such a silly idea if you have a few spare readies. a quick chat to our friends at Jetcorp

http://www.jetcorpaustralia.com.au/

tell us that for a measly AUD$28,900 we can charter a BeechJet 400A and for AUD$53,000 you can travel in style on a Cessna Citation VII. Split that amongst 7 people and it's game on.

too early for most birds at TC

TC fanatics were up in arms with early bird season passes doubling this year to $1500. Wots more thats double any other equivalent season pass for Southern Lakes snow areas.

We know Treble Cone has the best vertical and some of the bigger powder falls for your hot show snow boarders and skiers but boy are the locals paying for it. Now if that Gondola was installed and we could all enjoy a top to bottom enclosed seat to relax in between mammoth vert runs then maybe....

don't miss the opening !

Wanna know when all the Southern Lakes snow fields are opening (and closing) in 2007? Put a date in your diary and make sure you are there. Heck how about trying to be at all 5 ?

Coronet Peak open June 9 and close on October 7

The Remarkables open on June 23 and close on October 7.

Cardrona Alpine Resort open on June 22 and close on October 7.

Treble Cone (hopes to) open on June 26 and close on September 30

Snow Park open (subject to weather) on June 22 and close on September 30.