Queenstown, New Zealand - Wintery conditions and falling temperatures allowed the snowmaking team at Queenstown’s Coronet Peak to get snowmaking operations underway. Ski area manager Duncan Smith says temperatures dropped to minus -3.5C on the upper mountain and -2.9C on the lower mountain throughout the night providing snowmaking crew with their first opportunity to put to the ski area's snowmaking system through its paces.
“80 snow guns were operational between 6:30pm last night and 11:00am this morning, concentrating on the M1, Million Dollar, Big Easy, Shirt Front and Wall Street trails and Fruju halfpipe,” he says.
"Over the past three months we’ve worked to install an additional 23 state-of-the art new snow guns. We have also expanded water supplies and the pump station, which have increased our snowmaking capacity by 35% - it’s great to have the right conditions to crank up the new equipment for the first time.”
Coronet Peak has an 18 strong snowmaking team working in shifts to provide around-the-clock snowmaking, under the leadership of head snowmaker Peter Deuart.
The additional snowmaking equipment has been installed to enhance the reliability and enjoyment of last year's developments which included the addition of the brand new Greengates Express six-seater chairlift and associated new trails.
The fully automatic system is the most extensive and advanced snowmaking system in the Southern Hemisphere and is designed to provide quality snow throughout a long season.
Coronet Peak is on schedule for the planned June 10 opening day.
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