Coronet Peak area closes

Press, 13 September 1988, Page 44

Coronet Peak area closes

Several days of rain forced the Coronet Peak ski area, Queenstown, to close for the season on Sunday after 45 days of activity. However, Coronet Peak’s sister ski area, The Remarkables, is at the same time heading for its best season since it opened in 1985. Along with the Tasman Glacier, Coronet Peak provided the first ski-ing available- in New Zealand this year by opening for the season on May 28, its earliest start on record. But the ski-field later closed again for some weeks before reopening on August 5. When Coronet Peak closed for the season permanently on Sunday it meant the cancellation of the $5OOO Salomon Grand Prix pro race. The manager of the Mount Cook Group’s ski division, John , Cooper, said that the rain had depleted the snow cover at the mountain but fortunately held off until the A

end of the school holidays. . •

“In spite of the relatively short season and vagaries of the weather, Coronet Peak has provided some excellent skiing this winter,” he said. Last year Coronet Peak’s season did not finish; until October L Across the Wakatipu Valley The Remarkables is continuing its very successful season with an 85cm snow base and good conditions.. “The Remarkables has had good snow falls and conditions throughout the winter, and we’re looking at a long spring season and probably our best season on record,” said Mr Cooper. Today the ski-field will stage the police ski team trials and the four-day Moro spring carnival will begin there on Thursday. Among the highlights will be the Grand Slam, a medley of six events over three days with prizes valued at more than $15,000.