Included/Stuff
Traffic backed up on Saturday morning heading for the Remarkables, near Queenstown, when black ice closed off the access road.
Skiers looking forward to a day on the slopes at The Remarkables Ski Field near Queenstown had a slow start to the day as ice closed off the access road.
Traffic came to a virtual standstill on SH6 for 3.5 km, at about 8 a skier showed up stuff.
Skifield manager Ross Lawrence said it was difficult to work with sleet on the top section of the road to ensure safety.
Grit to be distributed on the road by a grit truck was frozen and wouldn’t drive through the truck. A grader struggled to get onto the road.
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The road closure set off a “little chain reaction” with a several-mile-long traffic jam on SH6, Lawrence said.
By 9:30 am the fields were fully operational, but some people had given up going to the fields, which have a capacity of 70-75%.
“We have beautiful conditions here today, it’s a blue sky day.”
The roads to the Cardrona, Treble Cone and Coronet Peak ski areas are all open.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council warned motorists that the Crown Range Road is “heavily strewn” because of ice. Last night snow fell on the road.
It said the Lindispas was also heavily sprinkled because of ice.
Meanwhile, skiers in Canterbury on their way to Mt Hutt Skifield were confronted with a breath test by police.
The field parking lot reached capacity at about 8:15 a.m. and the day was “the best winter’s day yet,” said operations manager James McKenzie.
It was not uncommon for police to conduct breath tests, and he had been breath tested four or five times this winter, McKenzie said.
Mt Hutt Ski Area/Supplied
Mt Hutt Ski field reached capacity at 8:15 a.m. Saturday, leaving some skiers disappointed. But conditions on the slopes were “phenomenal” for those who made it.
“The alpine roads are a pretty serious proposition and we fully support their work.”
McKenzie said police also did vehicle checks, but the company had assured they would let people through faster if it caused too much delay for skiers.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency said Lewis Pass was closed from the Hanmer Turnoff to Springs Junction due to snow. At 12 noon it would be reviewed.
In Otago, the agency had warned of ice on State Highway 8 from Alexandra to Raes Junction, State Highway 87 Kyeburn to Outram, State Highway 85 from Palmerston to Kyeburn, State Highway 6 from Haast to Makarora and the Kawarau Gorge.