Late snow sets scene for skifield boom

Skifields are looking forward to a bumper late season after a southerly blast brought snowfalls of up to half a metre in time for the school holidays.

Mt Ruapehu in particular has benefited from the cold snap, receiving heavy snowfalls at the Turoa and Whakapapa skifields.

Turoa had half a metre of snow on Monday night, giving it a base of more than 2m for the first time this season.

Yesterday, the base reached 2.35m, prompting celebration among the skifield managers but presenting a challenge for groomers preparing for the ANC Cup ski race today.

Yesterday afternoon, a helicopter was to fly to the top of the mountain to trigger controlled avalanches of snow mounds threatening the runs for the 110 competitors in the richest ski race in the Southern Hemisphere.

It was hoped this would also make the slopes safe for skiers and snowboarders lower down.

Whakapapa had 30cm of snow on Monday night and the base was expected to reach 2m by today.

Ruapehu marketing manager Mike Smith said the snowfalls had revitalised the mountain. Before the cold snap temperatures in Ohakune, below Turoa, had reached 20C.

"People had pretty much given up that we were going to get a big fall."

Yesterday, the town was covered in snow and the temperature was 4C.

Mr Smith said the snow had guaranteed both skifields could stay open to the end of next month, and Turoa could continue into November.

The storm which lashed the South Island on Monday, causing havoc in Christchurch, has enabled some skifields there to reopen. Many are now braced for an influx of skiers and snowboarders during the school holidays, which begin on Monday.

North of Christchurch, Mt Lyford ski resort got 40cm and will open on Friday after three weeks of being shut down because of lack of snow.

At Mt Hutt, 38cm of new snow has revived a season that was petering out after getting only about quarter of the normal snowfall.

Cardrona Ski Resort is gearing up for a big season end after about 30cm of snow fell in the past couple of days.

Central Otago's Coronet Peak will reopen today after 25cm of snow fell on the upper mountain.