Awesome, ripping start to the 2000 North Island season. Around 1200 here today for the opening in perfect almost sping time weather.

Even Whakapapa Marketing Manager Mike Smith caught a few runs and downed a couple of glasses of champers to celebrate. Open up top is the Vallet T-Bar and Knoll T-bar. Need another 20 - 30 to look at opening up the whole place but early days yet.

The best opening since 94 they are calling it,but let's hope that things do not go down hill as they have for the South Island with heavy rain falls badly affecting all areas over the weekend.

"The best opening since 94 they are calling it,but let's hope that things do not go down hill as they have for the South."

Cardrona:  Tom Wilmot in the murk of opening day!

OPENING DAY AT CARDRONA
Deteriorating weather did not deter an enthusiastic crowd of several hundred people from turning up for the first day of the season at Cardrona Alpine Resort today. "We are opening one day earlier than scheduled due to the early completion of staff training and the best snow cover for any opening in ten years" commented Operations manager Shaun Gilbertson.

Meanwhile, The Remarkables ski area will open a week earlier than planned on June 24 after huge snowfalls in the past ten days. Ski area manager Hamish McCrostie said The Remarkables had received 55-60cm of snow so far this weekend (June 10/11) on top of 60-80cm of snow the previous week. "That has set us up with a really good base for winter," he said. "It's looking really good up there, white all over, and we've been packing down trails since Tuesday.

"It's looking like we'll have our best opening since 1996 for great natural snow cover. We're pretty rapt." By early afternoon, Mt Hutt ski area in Canterbury had also received 20cm of wind blown snow, with more in the forecast. "We're pretty confident of being able to open up more terrain soon," said ski area manager Simon Cawley. Mt Hutt has been open since June 5 and has a 45cm base on trails.

— Jamie, BoarderZone.com jibbing it up pre season |HAVE YOUR SAY!|