Coronet Peak open; Mt Hutt to follow

Coronet Peak, in New Zealand's South Island, opened today, just a couple of days behind schedule.

Snowmaking machines have been going full blast, thanks to consistently cold temperatures over the past few days, and have covered the Big Easy and M1 trails.

If you're a beginner, this should be enough to keep you happy, but intermediate and advanced skiers and riders will quickly tire of endless revolutions on the M1, which really does match up to it's British motorway namesake in terms of traffic.

Meanwhile, Mt Hutt is expected to open on Wednesday (13 June). Terrain will be limited, but park junkies will be able to hit a couple of rails or boxes (not sure which yet) from day one.

Photo credit and more information: www.nzski.com

New Zealand snow update

Yippee! Winter has arrived in New Zealand and the main resorts are building up to their opening days. Here's a run-down of the latest news from the main ski areas:

Mt Ruapehu (Whakapapa and Turoa): Cooler temperatures have brought fresh snow to higher elevations. With the freezing level expected to drop, conditions should be ideal for snowmaking and more snow is forecast over the next few days. Turoa has installed a brand new snowmaking system, a smart new Alpine Chalet and, best of all, a new chairlift - the High Noon Express. Turoa opens on 16 June. More info from www.mtruapehu.com.

Mt Hutt: The Canterbury field received a 25cm dump on Saturday and snowmaking is underway. Opens on 9 June.

Coronet Peak: The snow guns are blasting, but the base is still low. Opens on 9 June.

The Remarkables: This is the place to go for coaching. The mountain is introducing Afternoon Burton Freestyle Sessions (daily 2-4pm), 6 Saturday Freestyle sessions (every Saturday) and, for the girlies, the Burton Girls on Edge Camp, with instruction from New Zealand's top female coaches. Opens on 23 June. More info on Mt Hutt, Coronet Peak and The Remarks from www.nzski.com.

Treble Cone: Natural snow has fallen and snowmaking is underway. Opens 26 June. More info from www.treblecone.co.nz.

Cardrona: Snowmaking has begun and more snow is forecast. Opens 22 June. More info from www.cardrona.com.

Don't forget, the annual Queenstown Winter Festival kicks off the season in style and runs from 22 June to 1 July.

Photo credit: www.mtruapehu.com

Earlybird passes on sale in New Zealand

Earlybird season passes covering the New Zealand resorts Coronet Peak, The Remarkables and Mt Hutt are now on sale.

A joint pass to all three mountains will set you back NZ$749 if you buy online before 8 March.

If you're only going to be kicking around Queenstown, go for the Queenstown pass (Coronet Peak and The Remarks only), which costs NZ$649.

These are a great deal and worth buying even if you're only planning on a couple of weeks' riding in NZ. Individual passes for each resort are also available.

Image credit and further information: www.nzski.com