Mt Hutt, an hour from Christchurch, launched their season on the weekend (6/14-15) with 2,000 revelers showing up for some turns. It's the first time the mountain has opened to skiable conditions from the summit in a decade. The resort showed off its new terraced terrain park offering a graded experience from novice to advanced. Queenstown snowfields weren't so lucky with spring type temperatures melting the snow dump from the week before. Most mountains don't open until June 27, however Coronet Peak opened the doors on their $30 million base lodge June 7. The temperatures will need to drop further before the 200-plus automated snow guns can start producing fresh snow. The New Zealand season typically begins later than Australia with snow staying longer. There's still plenty of time for snow to fall and predictions are good for July and August. The Queenstown Winterfestival programme kicks off June 27 with 10 days of mayhem on and off the mountain. Highlights include performances from Evermore, a Jazz night, and celebrity ski races on Coronet Peak.