Some Queenstown skifields say natural disasters and warm weather made this year the toughest season since commercial skiing began in the Queenstown area 50 years ago.
On Friday N.Z.SKI, which owns Coronet Peak and the Remarkables ski areas, gave other local business owners an analysis of how the season went.
More than 600 ski workers were stood down in June as warm temperatures postponed the season opening by over a month.
N.Z.SKI's general manager, James Coddington, says the weather, along with Christchurch's earthquakes, Chile's volcanic ash cloud and floods in Queensland, almost scuttled the season.
Mr Coddington says record snow in July brought a reprieve and numbers in the later half of the season were better than expected.
But the company's profits fell by a quarter for the season.
