New Zealand's 2017 ski season is ready to start within the next 24 hours at Ruapehu ski area on the country's North Island opens its Happy Valley beginner ski and family snows fun area at 9am on Saturday June 3rd (9pm on June 2nd in Western Europe).
It's believed to be the first time that Ruapehu, which traditionally opens its main slopes later than many other New Zealand ski areas each season, will (almost certainly) be the first to open in the country, but that's mostly thanks to the centre's purchase of a Techno Alpin Snow Factory all weather snowmaking system.
"Ruapehu will be running the Double Happy Chairlift for skiing and snowboarding. There will be a snow pile in the Happy Valley Plaza for those after their first touch of snow this winter. Our new carpet lifts will open when conditions allow," a resort spokesperson said.
The first two people on the Double Happy Chairlift will receive a free T shirt and a pair of fresh Dragon Alliance goggles.
Ruapehu will be the joint sixth ski area to open for the 2017 ski season in the southern hemisphere with Perisher in Australia. They follow Valle Nevado, El Colorado and La Parva in Chile which opened early late last month after heavy snow in the Andes, and Mt Baw Baw and Mt Buller which have opened in the past 48 hours in Australia following snowfall there.