A new groomer has arrived on Mt Hutt this week, as the ski area prepares to open on King’s Birthday weekend.
For the first time since 2009, the ski area plans to open in May.
Fresh snowfalls earlier this month have allowed the early ski season plan.
The first day will be May 31. It will operate only on weekends for two weeks, then from June 14 be open seven days a week.
Manager James McKenzie said on Tuesday there was 70 to 80cm of snow at the mountain’s top, and 40cm on lower slopes.
While there was more than two weeks before opening, he was confident there would still be plenty of snow.
‘‘We lost a lot (of snow) last weekend, then it snowed again,’’ McKenzie said.
Meanwhile, a $950,000 Pisten Bully terrain park groomer arrived on Monday.
‘‘That’s going to be nice to have in the fleet.’’
The groomer was one of three which would be used on the skifield this year.
The grooming fleet was reducing from four to three this year, something which could be done due to modern technology making groomers more powerful.
