Skiers cram one of the cafes at Mt Hutt skifield. Photo / supplied.
More than 1100 would-be skiers have made it off the Mt Hutt field in the Southern Alps after gale-force winds forced them to spend the night in a mountainside cafes.
The skiers, including 300 children, endured an impromptu sleepover after Mt Hutt management closed the road to the ski field
about midday yesterday.
Severe winds blasting up to 200km/h on the ridges, along with drifting snow and poor visibility, made driving down from the mountain too dangerous.
The road was reopened this morning when the wind reached safe levels. All skiers had reached the bottom of the road by midday.
There was no accommodation at the ski resort, west of Christchurch, so skiers were forced to hunker down in two cafes overnight.
Photos posted to Mt Hutt's Facebook page showed children crowded together as they slept on the floor, using bags and clothes as pillows.
Other skiers tried to make the best of the situation, with one group creating their own makeshift deck of cards out of scraps of paper.
John Bec van Ameyde said he had a "memorable night" on the mountain.
"Uncomfortable sleep but haven't giggled like a school kid through the night for a long time," he posted on Facebook.
Many skiers said they were grateful to staff and appreciative of the dinner and breakfast they were provided.
NZSki chief executive James Coddington said the safety of the skiers had been the company's top priority.
"While we understand it was inconvenient for people, the team at Mt Hutt made their decisions in the interest of safety and swung into action to ensure everyone was warm, safe and fed for the night," he said.
Mt Hutt ski area manager Dave Wilson told NZPA staff directing traffic had let the buses full of school children off the mountain first.
The ski field was closed today as staff cleaned up and replenished stock used overnight. It would reopen tomorrow.
Mr Wilson said he wanted to make sure staff get a good night's sleep so they were fresh for the reopening tomorrow.
People were very understanding about the situation, he said.
"When you're up here in the wind you realise you don't want out be out there."
However, despite the long night, spirits were still fine, he said.
- NZPA
