It was a ‘‘tough’’ winter on Mt Hutt this year.
The ski area’s manager, James McKenzie, is reflecting as the season draws to a close, with its last day tomorrow.
McKenzie said there were a record number of closed days, 32 as of earlier this week, representing more than a quarter of the season.
The skifield was closed for 14 days from mid-June, followed by a further 18 closed days, mostly due to wind. Then the October 15 closing date was brought forward to tomorrow as wind was forecast for Saturday and Sunday.
McKenzie said the high number of closed days did not dramatically impact visitor numbers, this being just 10 per cent down on forecasts.
There was a good ski base with more fresh snow having fallen overnight Tuesday. The skifield was closing for the year not due to a lack of snow, but because patronage reduced this time of year.
‘‘It’s been a tough year really, one that we won’t forget,’’ he said.
A highlight was the skifield’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
‘‘If Mt Hutt sailed through its 50th year without any issues, it wouldn’t be representative of the story of Mt Hutt and how it’s endured in quite challenging times,’’ he said.
