New Zealand — While a popular New Zealand ski area held out hope it would open this season, it didn’t find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
Rainbow Ski Area recently announced that it won’t open for the 2025 season. This news follows recent announcements by Temple Basin and Mt. Cheeseman that they are unlikely to open this winter. Smaller New Zealand ski fields have struggled to open this season, as their lack of snowmaking capabilities means that they rely on natural snowfall.
The signs that Rainbow wouldn’t be able to open have been evident for some time now. Originally scheduled to open on July 4th, a lack of snowfall resulted in Rainbow not opening up. During an August 15th social media post, photos shared by the ski area showed a lack of snow. A snowstorm did come through after this social media post, but it was not enough to establish a sufficient snowpack.
For those who are concerned about the future of Rainbow, here’s how the ski area concluded their closure announcement: “We WILL ride again!”
Image Credits: Rainbow Ski Area
