Snow making technology is enabling another southern lakes ski field open for business – although mother nature helped out yesterday.  Cardrona Alpine Resort near Wanaka will finally open this morning.

The snow making machines have been going as much as temperatures allow to put enough artificial snow down for limited beginner , novice and intermediate terrain.

Cardona spokeswoman Nadia Ellis says one of the side effects of the late start to winter in the south has been an inversion event – where its much colder in Wanaka and Queenstown than it has been up on the slopes.

Image / Snowing (naturally!) at Cardrona yesterday – click the image to see current webcam

Nadia Ellis says on of the exciting aspects of Friday’s opening is that their brand new McDougall’s chairlift will be operating , the longest learner conveyor in the southern hemisphere.

A number of other learner and novice chairlifts will also be operating from Friday.

SnowPark NZ also opened this week for limited skiing.

The Queenstown ski fields opened last week – also covered with man made snow.

– NewstalkZB Invercargill, Malcolm Gayfer