Now Coronet Peak has eight lifts, the largest snow-making system in the southern hemisphere and hosts the longest day on the snow, from first tracks through to night skiing and the latter will form an integral part of the 70th birthday party tomorrow.
New Zealand DJs including King Kapisi and Che Fu will entertain guests throughout the afternoon and evening to help celebrate Coronet's birthday. Coronet Peak Pale Ale, a beer crafted by Emersons Brewery to mark the milestone, will be officially launched at World Bar in Queenstown after the night skiing party.
Ski area manager Nigel Kerr says the night skiing event was perfect for the occasion.
''We were first to launch night skiing in New Zealand, so it was fitting to celebrate our 70th with a night ski party.
''But it's not only night skiing - this is an opportunity to celebrate where we're at and the contribution we've made to New Zealand snow sports and to Queenstown.''
In 1947, Coronet became the first commercial skifield in New Zealand. Its first owner was the Mount Cook and Southern Lakes Tourist Company.
Queenstown resident Derek Brown (56) has been skiing at Coronet since he was 2. The Brown family established Brown's Ski Shop, and Mr Brown and his father Doug were both president of Wakatipu Ski Club.
''When we first started skiing there were only a few families that skied,'' Derek Brown said. ''But then during the school holidays you would have very long lift lines, sometimes waiting up to an hour.
''The season was really short - four weeks if you were lucky - so you just did it.''
He believed the big change came in 1992 when snowmaking equipment was introduced to Coronet, which extended the season.
This season Coronet was the first field to open the entire mountain to skiers and snowboarders, again, because of snow-making equipment.
