The ski area announced it would close for the season on September 20, two weeks earlier than predicted.
However, cold temperatures and more than 30cm of fresh powder which fell last Saturday, plus school holiday demand, prompted NZSki Ltd management to have a limited reopening.
The rental outlets within the base building were hushed, the retail shop was offering a 30% discount on everything and a wing of the cafeteria was closed by yesterday afternoon, but snow fans said they were happy to be there.
Wellington mother Anne Treebridge, with her husband and three boys, were in Queenstown for the week.
"We came down last Saturday and didn't know Coronet had closed. We were quite disappointed, as it's our favourite field. We went to The Remarkables and we heard a little whisper Coronet was going to open today so we came up."
Mrs Treebridge said the family had enjoyed more than four hours of skiing and conditions were good until about 2pm.
The snow-making machines had made all the difference, Englishwoman Linda Hall and family booked their skiing holiday from their home in Auckland and said "this year was the year to [ski] Coronet".
"We booked about five weeks ago, so we knew it was going to be open. Then we heard two days before coming it had closed, and we were so disappointed.
"We skied at The Remarkables and it was good snow on the Sunday, but it's made it for me to be able to come here, and go to Cardrona as well. I can say I've been skiing in the South."
Canadian students Stephanie D'Orazio and Briana Rumball said they felt lucky Coronet Peak was open.
They arrived in Queenstown from Australia for two days on Monday and had originally wanted to go rafting until a visitor centre told them about the sudden snowboarding opportunities at Coronet Peak.
Miss D'Orazio said the ski area was better than the fields in Canada.
"For the end of the season, conditions are pretty good - a bit slushy but nothing to complain about. We'd love to come back, for sure."
