Tuesday, July 7, 2020
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Snow bunnies flock to Moon Ski By Matt Markham
matt.m@theguardian.co.nz
Capturing emotions P4
THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF MID CANTERBURY
Flocks of skiers and snowboarders making their way up the Mt Hutt access road to hit the slopes might not sound all that newsworthy, but when more than 400 people ventured on the journey on Friday night it was ground-breaking. For the past few seasons, Mt Hutt has toyed with the idea of opening up their slopes for an evening, but weather and snow conditions meant that Moon Ski, as they dubbed it, was unable to proceed, but on Friday night they were able to launch for the first time. A festival-type event, with live music, entertainment, features and displays, the first ever Moon Ski went off without
a hitch and those who made the trek up the mountain were treated to near-perfect conditions with the stunning backdrop of the Canterbury Plains lit up by the lights of the towns and houses below adding an extra advantage. “It was a terrific night of entertainment that really exceeded our expectations,” ski area manager, James McKenzie said. “After all we have been through lately, we really wanted to celebrate the start of the school holidays and our great snow base with a super fun night. “By the sounds of laughter and whooping ringing out around the main basin, I think we can safely say our inaugural Moon Ski was a real hit.”
Those who purchased tickets were able to enjoy a barbecue-style meal before a massive fireworks display kicked off the evening. They were then able to enjoy access to the summit six chair lift between 9 and 11pm with well groomed trails and cold, dry snow conditions. “Despite the scattered high cloud that shrouded the moon at times, there was more than enough light to ski and ride safely down the slopes.” The arrival of the school holidays resulted in an increased patronage up the mountain over the weekend and with the promise of more likely snow during the week and an existing base of between 40 and 120cm there are high hopes for a bumper few weeks.
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