Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Local Govt | National News Video | Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Search

 

Mt Hutt celebrates opening day

Mt Hutt celebrates opening day

Around 1300 keen skiers and snowboarders helped Canterbury’s Mt Hutt celebrated its scheduled opening today.
 
The keenest of all – the seventy-or-so waiting for the Summit 6 and Quad chairlifts to crank into action for the season, including four who had slept overnight at the ski area to gain coveted ‘First On The Lift’ T-shirts – were rewarded when both lifts started up fifteen minutes early at 8.45am.
 
“They were all so keen to get up there and they were a great bunch of guys so because everything was running like clockwork we thought we’d treat them to that 15 minutes of additional snow time,” said Mt Hutt Ski Area Manager James McKenzie.
 
“We’re totally stoked to be open for our 40th season. Our guests were just loving the groomed slopes and great snow conditions, even though to be fair the weather wasn’t the best today with sleety snow showers at the top and some rain at base.
 
“For those who’d made the effort to get up here that really didn’t dampen their enthusiasm, because they were just happy to get in their first few runs.
 
“The whole ski area was just buzzing with excitement.”
 
While the Yorston brothers from Christchurch dragged their Dad, Mike Yorston, out of bed bright and early this morning, Tom Fisher, also from Christchurch, proudly told Mt Hutt staff that he and his siblings had braved cold and discomfort to secure their coveted ‘first’ spot by sleeping overnight on Summit 6 chairs at the base area.
 
Queenstown’s Amisfield Winery supplied bubbles to those queuing up for the first run of the season and mascots Spike and Shred welcomed guests on arrival.
 
Mr McKenzie said he was “really impressed” with the level of support from local Cantabrians, despite the mixed forecast for the day.
 
Temperatures are forecast to drop later this week with a ‘good chance’ of snowfall which Mr McKenzie said could mean opening up another chairlift and more terrain by next weekend.
 
Base building facilities open at Mt Hutt include the retail shop, rentals, Sky High café  and licensed bar, Hutt Base which serves coffee and is a licensed bar, and Hubers Hutt restaurant. The Snowsports School and Skiwiland Early Childhood Centre are also open, as is the Mini Terrain Park. 
 
First Tracks will start from Saturday June 22 enabling guests to enjoy empty slopes and fresh cord from 8am on Saturdays and Sundays subject to weather conditions.
 
For the second year running the hugely popular 10-and-under ‘Kids4Free promotion’ is running at Methven and Mt Hutt, where kids 10 and under receive free lift passes, and Mt Hutt’s re-vamped Early Childhood Centre now caters for littlies from 3 months to five years old.
 
For up-to-date snow conditions and information on facilities go to www.nzski.com . For more information on the Kids4Free campaign, go to www.kids4free.co.nz

ENDS

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines



Gordon Campbell: On Dune 2, And Images Of Islam


Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn.
Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik...
More


 
 


Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track

The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More

ALSO:


Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More

ALSO:

Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.