Lake Wanaka – With the start of the ski and snowboard season in New Zealand’s Southern Lakes region set for Saturday at Coronet Peak near Queenstown, bases are building and folks are already earning turns.nWith 35cm already on the upper mountain at Treble Cone near Lake Wanaka and sub-freezing temperatures providing perfect snowmaking conditions, Leith Huffadine was already getting powder turns Wednesday morning on the mountain’s summit slopes.

Treble Cone’s opening day is presently scheduled for June 24.