Talk about a welcome surprise.
While many resorts across the southern hemisphere have seen a slow start to the winter season, some New Zealand mountains, including Mt. Lyford, are now digging out after a big storm.
The ski area, in a social media post, proudly announced that between 70 and 80 centimeters of snow had fallen. Or, about 30 inches.
According to its website, Mt. Lyford remains closed but plans to open on Friday or Saturda “once the pack stabilises and we have dug out the area.”
Mt. Lyford Ski Area/Facebook
Nearby, Hanmer Springs ski area also has some digging to do, with a hulking snow total.
“Lots of it……. 100cm through out the storm, full mountain coverage,” reads their comment on the current snow. One hundred centimeters roughly translates to about 40 inches—that’s more than enough for a powder day.
“Snowing, zero degrees, you are going to need your low light lens,” another update from Hanmer read. “Rope tow is spinning; won’t be looking at getting the poma going until the weather clears.”
The change in weather adds some needed momentum for New Zealand’s ski areas, some of which had to push back their opening days. After a delay, The Remarkables, one of the country’s best-known resorts, is officially in business. Cardrona is looking solidly snowy, too.
“Winter is doing its thing and the snow is showing no sign of slowing down…” the resort wrote on social media earlier this week.
At Mt. Lyford, the powder faucets seem to be shutting off for the foreseeable future. But the weekend’s shaping up to be a beauty with clear skies, mild temperatures, and a solid base to truly kick off the season.
While it’s too early to say what the rest of New Zealand’s ski season will bring, the latest round of snow was a big step in the right direction. Hopefully, it keeps coming, coming, and coming.
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