SAM Magazine-Queenstown, New Zealand, Mar. 6, 2007-While the ski season heads toward its conclusion in North America and Europe after a wild winter that saw deep snows come late to the Eastern region, epic snowfall in the Pacific Northwest and a rough season for Europe, resorts in the Southern Hemisphere are dusting off the summer blues and finalizing improvements for their 2007-2008 season. And the work has a familiar ring to it.

New Zealand's Treble Cone is wrapping up a $1.1 million facelift for the mountain, which includes a new sewerage system recycling and energy saving initiatives. The mountain also has installed 30 snowmaking guns and graded sections of Raffills run in the ski area's Saddle Basin to make this terrain more accessible for intermediate skiers. The run will be accessed via a new quad chair.

Also in New Zealand, Coronet Peak has made a substantial commitment to beginner skiers, doubling the on-slope learning facilities. The improvements include a 600-foot-long learners area serviced by a carpet lift. Additional snowmaking has been installed to ensure the area has adequate coverage.

"The additional space will make for a much more comfortable and enjoyable learning environment," says Coronet Peak ski area manager Duncan Smith. "With these developments, we are providing the capacity to meet the expected growth in the number of people taking up skiing and boarding and to keep pace with the growth of Queenstown as New Zealand's leading winter destination."

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