Skiing in NZ?

Ali_Dibden

Ali_Dibden

Active member
This summer I am planning to take 2 months out to go to New Zealand to ski, I am definitely going to check out Snow park as well as Cordrona but I was wondering if anyone else who has been there or lives there could give me some more info on what some of the other resorts are like?

Suggestions would be super helpful!
 
Snow park and cardrona are awesome. Treble cone has some of the best skiing I've ever experienced but no park. Those 3 mountains are most accessible from Wanaka but you can get to Snowpark and Cardrona from Queenstown if you really have to (Snowpark is literally over the road from Cardrona).

If you're basing yourself in Queenstown there is Coronet Peak which is the tourist mountain. If you're willing to explore you can find some pretty steep stuff and have some great adventures out to the sides of the resort. Otherwise the Remarkables is a good resort. Really good parks and if you want to hike you'll find skiing comparable to Treble Cone.

Just don't be fooled by the FD guys fucking around on NZ roads. Those roads can be really dangerous. Often just dirt roads up to the mountains with few guard rails.

Heli skiing is also relatively cheap in NZ. You can get a good deal for $600 NZD.
 
^ thanks a lot I was looking to be staying in Queenstown, how far away are the respective mountains like snowpark, the remarkables etc..?
 
Cheers dude, I will do you know how far the mountains are from wanaka then? wondering whether I need to rent out a car or if buses can be used?
 
snowpark and cardrona are about 35-40 minutes from wanaka.the cheapest solution would be to just hitch up the mountain as there are heaps of cars that go up there everyday and pretty much everyone who's got room for one more in their car will happily give you a ride for a little gas money or a spliff.

but if you're staying for 2 months you might even consider buying a car, because normally you can resell it for the same or a little better price, if you're lucky, when winter ends. It's the more convenient way but also a bit more risky.
 
Everything starts to close end of September or early October. As Traveling Circus said - Do not spend all your time at Snow Park and Cardrona. I've worked at Treble Cone for the last 3 winters and it's one of the best mountains I've ever skied, natural jumps and cliffs everywhere. Also don't miss out on the Club fields especially Mt Olympus, Cragieburn, Broken River and Temple Basin among others.
 
What kind of season passes do they have there? Is there one for all the mountains or is it pay for the day, basically, how do they like to run the places?
 
I know this is really negative, but it just seems to me that you should prob do some research on your own. Literally all of these questions could have been answered by spending a short time online, hitting up google. I've gone on a million trips to new places, and I've found out everything I needed to know really easy, and then supplemented with asking questions on forums. Just saying.
 
There are a bunch of passes for multiple passes such as the one pass. Snowpark an cardeon are 1 hour from queenstown, but definately stay in wanaka its way better! Treble cone is a great mountain and as of this year had a mini terrain park but you wouldnt fo there for it and it has the best view! PM if you have any questions!
 
I understand that, most of this is due to pure laziness and for that I'm sorry, also i'm at school at the moment during exam season (England) so I don't have much time for research on other areas, also its nice to have peoples opinions like going to Wanaka instead of Queenstown which would help a lot.
 
Sometimes its good to find out through someone who lives there or has been, gives you a better indication then the internet.
 
Dude seriosuly peak season Queenstown is so rad. The amount of hot chicks there legit is crazy. Most awesome night life. If your a park skier then defiantly hit up remarks. Treble Cone is probably the best for terrain. Its 1 an a half hours drive from Queenstown. Wanaka is much closer, but theres really not much there. You can get a bus to Treble cone from Queenstown easy. And yes the roady are sketchy as fck so beware.
 
my 2 cents... Come to Queenstown. Queenstown has everything, nightlife, good skiing and plenty of other shit too. Cardrona and snow park are good but honestly, at remarks we are seriously starting to give them a run for their money. Plus Wanaka is flat at night time. More birds in QT, get amongst!
 
^ These guys are 100% right about the parting in QT. You'll get bored in Wanaka at night time. Last time I was in QT I met a girl whom I ended up going out with for a few months when we got back to Australia. Had a lot of sex in QT and definitely scarred the children staying the room next door. The parents told me one morning that they heard us. Awkward but fucking hilarious. Moral of the story: Queenstown gets you laid.
 
Haha, that sounds epic, yeah I the plan will always to be to go to Queenstown then. Thanks for all the help guys, helps out so much.
 
I have visited New Zealand for about a day because my plane was held back by strong winds; at the time I was headed to Sydney, Australia. New Zealand is such a beautiful place, its terrain is so diverse, wish I could of stayed there and skied.
 
don't wanna shit on the parade here but if you skied anywhere in europe or the americas you will be dissapointed with NZ. If u ski 100% park, cardys has a really well maintained park and snowpark is fun too.

The locals all rave about their mountains like they are brainwashed, Treble cone would and could be so damn good cos of the terrain but there is probably 1 or 2 days of reasonable snow a year, otherwise the groomed runs are minimal and boring. If you dont get a job which gives u a pass it is ridiculously expensive for a 'ski field' with 2 lifts.

The official sites, especially treble cone lie about conditions on a daily basis but so much so they seem to actually believe it is good. 'packed powder' is often a term they use to describe conditions............ there is no such thing. that is called ice.

NZ is beautiful, queenstown is fun, the people are all pretty chill.

 
Yeah, I do know all about that, I normally ski in europe but this is part of one of my potential back to back seasons, one in NZ and then in europe, the times of the year just work quite well that way.

thanks a lot though anyways.
 
cool. yeh did the same myself. I had bad luck with parts of it and lots of people love it there. You will definitely meet some pros whilst there cos the place is so small. wells boys etc are there loads and events thru the short season draw big names from errwhere. get ur marker pen ready.

i still wish i'd tried chile instead or got a better paid job here in the uk to help me out for this season.

hindsight
 
stay in wanaka and hit up cardies, snow park and TC. they are like 30-40mins from wanaka. if you stay in qtown they are like 1 and half hours and on a daily basis after a little whle that gets boring as fuck. but remarkables is only about 30mins from qtown as well which is okay. but wanaka is the place to be!
 
^ not sure if you read some of the posts above, Wanaka (from what i've been told) is not really that fun at night etc. although being closer to the resorts does sound very enticing, still making my decisions on where to stay, so if anyone else has any other ideas, perhaps bars to check out and stuff like that would be super helpful,

Thanks a lot everyone.
 
Let me put the nightlife situation in perspective for you... Wanaka has about 5 bars worth visiting. And maybe 2 of those past 12... QT has over 130 licensed premises.
 
stay in wanaka. go to queenstown occasionally for nights out, stay in ur car, 25 nzd for a hostel for the night or get lucky and stay with her.

 
For those saying the off piste is no good...... they are wrong, they just aren't good enough at skiing.

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I think i've lined up a few days of heli-skiing for the trip but not sure how it will be, just have to hope for good conditions on the day I guess.
 
You should stay in wanaka and just go to queenstown occasionally for the night life. You will regret being so far from snow park and cardrona when you want to ride jumps. remarks is good but not quite on the same level as snowpark and cardies. plus it is so easy to hitch from wanaka to the bottom of the snowpark and cardrona mountain roads.
 
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