Latest News Blog

Coronet Peak was the first ski field in the Queenstown area and holds many memories for those of us who learned to ski there.

I certainly remember the rope tows!

Today is the last day of the Queenstown Winter Festival and Coronet Peak has a long and happy season ahead so I thought it would be nice to look back and see how much has changed.

The road is now sealed all the way up to the car park, there are 'magic carpets' instead of rope tows, chair lifts instead of Pomas and of course the amazing snow guns that help things along when needed.

The skis have changed and the clothes have certainly changed but skiing is still the best day out that I can think of in winter.

These photos are from the archives and show how much things have changed.

• On the chair lift is Sir Harry Wigley and his wife in the early 1970s.

• The photo of people on the rope tow (the Hamilton Tow) was taken on opening day in 1947. This is a great photo to see how the clothing and equipment has changed.

• The image of the whole ski field is from the 1950s and show the rope tow to half way up the mountain and a few basic base buildings - looks like good snow coverage that year!