Areas in New Zealand Outside Auckland Drop to Alert Level 2 – Ski Resorts to Possibly Reopen on Wednesday
Mountainwatch | News
New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today that all of New Zealand outside of Auckland will move to Alert Level 2 from 11.59pm tomorrow. Auckland will remain at Level 4 for at least another week.
The move down to Level 2 means that there are no restrictions on who can be included in a household bubble, schools and tertiary education facilities will open and all businesses and services can open, but must follow public health rules.
Level 2 will have new rules with masks mandatory in more settings and indoor hospitality venues limited to 50 people.
It also means that New Zealand’s ski resorts can reopen after having to close on August 17. Initially that was a snap 3-day lockdown, but as the Delta outbreak in Auckland grew, the nationwide lockdown was extended to three weeks. Fortunately, the latest outbreak has been largely contained to Auckland and once the resorts have current ]Alert Level 2 operating procedures in place the lifts should be spinning again this week.
At this stage resorts haven’t announced which day they will open, however Mt Hutt posted on its socials this afternoon that it will be able to reopen from Wednesday:
“The good news we’ve all been waiting for! From Wednesday we will be able to operate under Alert Level 2. We ask for your patience while we work through the government updates but stay tuned for more information tomorrow.”
It looks like good timing with more sow on the way, the Grasshopper writing in today’s New Zealand forecast that “there is a lot happening around New Zealand in the coming week with snow forecasted around pretty much every resort.”
The resorts will release full details on opening dates and procedures on their websites, most likely tomorrow. The main requirements for the resorts at Level 2 restrictions are:
- Keep your distance
- Scan in on the Covid Tracer App
- Wear a mask or face covering on our ski buses, car park shuttles and while indoors (unless eating or drinking)
- Practise 2m physical distancing from people you don’t know and 1m distancing from people you do know. Families and households don’t need to physically distance.
- Wear a mask or face covering while in queues and on the chairlifts
- Practice good hygiene
- Stay home if you are unwell
- Wash your hands and sneeze or cough into your elbow
Cardrona snow forecasts here
Cardrona snow cams here
Treble Cone snow forecast here
Treble Cone snow cams here
Coronet Peak snow cams here
Mt Hutt forecasts and snow cams here
The Remarkables forecasts and snow cams here
