Most ski areas, like The Remarkables in Queenstown and Cardrona in Wanaka, open next weekend. However, some ski areas are planning a later start to the ski season. Mt Ruapehu in the centre of the North Island has two popular ski fields: Whakapapa and Turoa. They plan to open at the end of the month. Many of the smaller club ski fields open early July. Of course it depends on the weather and the amount of snow that falls in early winter.

　　Mt Ruapehu has the highest ski field (2322m) and the longest vertical skiing area in Australasia. More than 60,000 young Australian skiers and snowboarders come to New Zealand during winter, mostly in July and August. Japanese skiers come here too because our winter is Japan’s summer.

　　The ski season is short. Usually by October the snow is starting to melt and Spring attracts skiers to other sports like surfing.

　　Vocabulary

　　?ski field – New Zealand word for ski area

　　?club fields – club members operate the ski field which usually has basic facilities but is cheaper skiing

　　?vertical – straight down

　　?Australasia – Australia and New Zealand

　　Grammar

　　Most of this text uses present simple.

　　Note present simple for a fact even when it is in the future e.g. Most ski areas open next weekend.