Industry News
There is such a thing as too much of a good thing—Mount Hutt, New Zealand, announced on its social media channels and website yesterday, June 3, that the resort will not open this coming weekend. Instead, the season opening will be on Friday, June 13, as initially planend, due to around 1 meter (3 feet) of snow forecast for the next few days.
Following some early-season snowfall, the resort had hoped to be able to open on May 31–its earliest opening in 16 years—but had to postpone it by a week after north-westerly winds combined with warm temperatures eroded the early-season snow cover. Rain is expected to move in this morning, June 4, becoming steady through the afternoon and evening before turning to snow overnight. Heavy snowfall is possible in the upper areas. A solid snowfall is expected Thursday morning, with another burst of cold weather and more snow likely Friday through the weekend. The resort shared on its website,  “Unfortunately, that means conditions won’t be great for skiing or riding this weekend—but if the storm delivers, we’ll be kicking off next week with an epic start! Fingers and toes crossed—we hope to see you up here soon!”
“BACK TO PLAN A… for a very different reason to last time…
The weather is coming in hard and fast over the next week, because of this we are reverting back to our original planned open day of Friday 13th June.”
Located approximately 90 minutes from Christchurch and 35 minutes from Methven on New Zealand’s South Island, Mt. Hutt boasts 40 kilometers (25 miles) of skiable terrain across 25 trails, catering to all skill levels. The resort features a vertical drop of 648 meters, with elevations ranging from 1,438 to 2,086 meters (4,718 to 6,844 feet). Its lift system includes five lifts, notably New Zealand’s first eight-person chairlift, ensuring efficient access across the mountain. Known for its reliable snowfall and diverse terrain, Mt Hutt has been voted New Zealand’s Best Ski Resort multiple times between 2015 and 2022.
SnowBrains is forecasting a total of 64-107 centimeters (25-42 inches) for Mount Hutt, with 20-30 centimeters (8-12 inches) falling today, Wednesday, June 4.
