One week down of the NZ school holidays, and we're deep in snow! Here's all that's gone on this week, and what's coming up...

It's been great to welcome heaps of Kiwi families from warmer climates (we're looking at you, Auckland) to a true South Island winter. We've had a week of wintery goodness across both mountains, and we couldn't be more stoked about it!

But with great snow comes great responsibility. Please remember to carry chains with you - it's a must in these conditions. Even on those days where the morning might look clear, the weather can turn quickly. Take it easy on the road and fit chains where asked. Our free Pines shuttle has been reaching capacity these holidays, so if you want to jump on that one we'd recommend arriving early.

If you're looking to reduce your driving or your fuel consumption, have a think about carpooling. You can read our top tips on mastering it here.

And here's a recap of our tips for navigating these July school holidays, or you can read our blog about it here:

• Pick up your passes in advance - pop into our Queenstown or Wānaka offices, use the pick-up kiosks, and you'll be able to head straight to the slopes when you arrive.
• If you bought your lift passes online and you have a QR code in your booking confirmation, you can also pick up your passes at one of our on-mountain kiosks. They look like this:

• Ski early, late and over lunch - if you take breaks mid-morning and mid-afternoon you'll find our food and beverage outlets a little less busy!
• Bring your patience and kindness - while this time of year brings its challenges, we're all excited to be skiing, snowboarding and spending time in the mountains together.

WEATHER FORECAST

We've had a look at snow-forecast.com who are saying she'll be a gusty one on Sunday through to Monday, with potential for a big dump Sunday evening, so please be extra careful on Monday morning if you're planning on heading up. Fingers crossed, next week is looking pretty clear, calm, and cold as a whole, so keep on keepin' on with your layers.

Join our Facebook Snow Reports Group or load up the website Snow Report from 6.30am daily to see what conditions are doing each day.

TREBLE CONE

Treble Cone is also looking pretty stormy Sunday through to Monday. Those days should provide a good blanket of snow, which'll set us up real nice for the rest of next week.

Having heaps of snow up Treble Cone this week meant that we could get into even more terrain. We were super excited to declare the Motatapu Chutes open for the first time this winter on Monday, and we got this pretty sweet film of it in all its glory:

EVENTS

The McPark Double Down rail jam went OFF last Sunday. With a great turn out, and heaps of people shredding and spectating, it was a great vibe to see so much support for everyone involved.  

Our upcoming event this Saturday July 16th, is the Cardrona Kids Cup Slopestyle, which is essentially the most fun your kids could have up a ski field. It's based in Lil’ Bucks Park for 11 years and under, and is all about learning skills and competing for medals and spot prizes.

After this weekend, our next event is Pīki Maunga Rangatahi (Big Mountain Youth). It's a test of freeride skills for up and coming skiers and snowboarders, who have absolutely no fear of sending it on our Black and Double Black slopes.

TERRAIN PARKS

Last week's hectic weather has given our Parks team some much needed time to hold fire, plan for big things, and maybe also squeeze in some extra z's. The Crew rebuilt Lil' Bucks last night, so it's super fresh for the Kids Cup this weekend. They're planning to add features onto Stag Lane next and to also put another rail in Big Bucks. Lots to be done, and a lot coming up. Get ready for it!

FOOD & BEVERAGE

This is your weekly reminder that our food and beverage outlets could look quite different this year, but the food will still be delicious, we promise! From one day to the next there may be different offerings in each outlet (depending on staffing levels, isolation requirements etc), so your patience and understanding is really appreciated by us and our team.

The legends at Roti Bros are still up the mountain - they sell curry-themed roti pie deliciousness. You'll find them downstairs from Snow Sports HQ on the patio outside Base Cafe. Want a space to eat your own lunch? On busy days you can head to the Noodle Bar, which is open as a warm and dry space for you to do so. Please remember our landfill-free policy and think about the packaging your food comes in, and take any waste you have home with you.

ALL IN

Have you seen All In yet? It's our short documentary about women in Snow Sports - you can watch it here: