Alpine Adventures
Bronwen Gora straps on her skis and hits the slopes to see what’s new and happening in New Zealand’s favourite ski resorts.
Skiing in New Zealand has come a long way in the past decade. Not only have the quality of ski areas, restaurants and accommodation undergone meteoric improvement, but now getting there is a whole lot easier too. Skiers flying from the east coast of Australia in the morning can be on the slopes of Coronet Peak, The Remarkables or Mt Hutt by the afternoon, thanks to direct flights to Queenstown as well as Christchurch.
Skiing across the Tasman offers a completely different experience to our own Australian alpine areas, so if you are after something different, the New Zealand experience is well worth considering. For a start, skiing takes place on a far grander scale than in Australia: expect European-style mountain vistas instead of eucalyptus-lined hills. This country has real mountains. Helicopter skiing operations are par for the course and there are no trees on the slopes. Try not to be put off by the fact that there is no on-slope accommodation as the New Zealand ski industry runs shuttle services to and from hotels and ski slopes with the same efficiency as the Swiss.
New Zealand’s resorts are all so different and you should try to include two or three on your itinerary. And, contrary to what you might think, they aren’t all found on the South Island. Indeed, New Zealand’s biggest ski area is actually four hours’ drive from Auckland. Whakapapa is located on the slopes of the active volcano Mt Ruapehu, while Turoa is an hour’s drive away on the opposite side. Both offer quite different mountain experiences. Turoa is full of natural half-pipes and has enormously wide slopes and long pitches. Whakapapa also has wide rolling slopes but more chutes, dips and rolls. Indeed, it is quite different skiing on a mountain made of solidified lava compared to regular slopes.
Both fields offer plenty for beginners and intermediates and can absorb hundreds of skiers and boarders. When it comes to size there are 1800 hectares of terrain between them. Whakapapa has a 675m vertical descent and Turoa has a 722m descent if you hike to the top – the longest descent in New Zealand. Last year, a six-seater lift transformed Turoa, helping to reduce queues. The base town for Turoa is Ohakune, a terrific little place full of atmospheric bars and cafés. The castle-like historic and recently upgraded Chateau is a unique place to stay when skiing at either field, although it is closest to Whakapapa.
On the South Island, Mt Hutt is a towering peak jutting out of the patchwork Canterbury Plains. It’s hugely popular not only for its skiing but for its location, just over an hour from Christchurch Airport. The field receives terrific powder snow. However it attracts a lot of bad weather, earning it the unkind nickname Mt Shut. Don’t let that put you off. The skiing there is extensive and from the slopes there are breathtaking views back to the coast. On a clear day even the ocean is visible.
Three years ago Mt Hutt gave itself an extreme makeover that did away with its major drawback – a long, slow lifting system. The old T-bar and quad chair were replaced by one high-speed six-seater chairlift, which more than tripled the number of runs achievable in a day. Mt Hutt offers a wide, open bowl with various grades of runs, plus the black diamond area of the South Face. Heli-skiing operates out of the car park and is the cheapest in the country at NZ$155 per run.
There is a modern base facility at Mt Hutt with all the trimmings. Most people skiing here book into the ski town of Methven, about half an hour’s drive from the ski field.
Queenstown is the place many Australians associate with New Zealand skiing, and justly so: this is the feeder town for Coronet Peak and The Remarkables, each about half an hour’s drive away. The ski fields of Cardrona and Treble Cone are also within an hour’s drive. For a tourist town in the middle of the mountains, Queenstown sure has it going on. It lies on the shores of a lake ringed by astonishing jagged snowy peaks and lodges range from five-star to backpacker and boutique. Funky little bars and nightclubs are plentiful, as are booking agencies for the myriad of off-slope activities that range from the fabled sport of bungy jumping to winery tours, jet boating and river rafting.
Half an hour from Queenstown on the opposite side of the valley is the curious ski field The Remarkables – curious because it offers limited slopes for skiing compared to other fields, but no less than three terrain parks. These playgrounds are graded so beginners to advanced hucksters can be comfortable. Choose from the 150m-long 22m-wide Super Pipe or the rails and boxes at ground level for beginners. The Remarkables is also curious because it has some of the gentlest beginner’s terrain in New Zealand, as well as some of the gnarliest extreme chutes right above them. There have been two more magic carpet conveyor belts recently added, which are the best, most hassle-free way to get beginners back up a slope.
If you had a dollar for every skier who once complained about Coronet Peak’s basic base facility, you’d be a millionaire. That’s why the biggest news in New Zealand skiing this year is that Coronet has finally razed the old base lodge and replaced it with a bigger, better building with more food and bar choices and a larger sun deck with under-floor heating to melt the slippery snow and ice.
It was certainly needed: Coronet is the country’s most popular ski field. Beginners to advanced love its gentle, rolling slopes and playground atmosphere. There are dozens of fun, rolling runs and it’s not large enough to intimidate novices. New to last year’s season was a dedicated beginner zone allowing first-time skiers to practise in peace.
Over the mountains, Wanaka was long considered the poor cousin of Queenstown, but now has a growing reputation as a quieter, though no less interesting, place to stay. The mid-winter Wanaka Big Air Competition has put the town on the map and one of the best-kept secrets is the local cinema with its comfy lounges and freshly baked cookies at interval. Like Queenstown, Wanaka is on a lake ringed by mountains, and has its fair share of good restaurants and more than classy lodgings. Some of the favourites are Te Wanaka Bed and Breakfast, and Oakridge Resort whose drawcard is its inviting large spa pool complex that is landscaped to look like a real network of thermal ponds.
Wanaka is the feeder town for Cardrona and Treble Cone ski resorts. Families love Cardrona and with good reason – it has some of the gentlest intermediate runs in the country, coupled with a children’s ski school facility that is second to none. The multi-storey Children’s Alpine Centre at the base was expanded last season and is indeed like a kid’s castle. The centre is licensed to care for children as young as three months old and all kinds of snow play is encouraged, along with the usual ski lessons.
Like The Remarkables, Cardrona has some serious ability-graded terrain parks, which the kids also love. There are a few challenging runs in the Arcadia chutes. Cardrona’s mountain road is also opposite the entrance to Snowpark, a dedicated terrain park well worth visiting if you’re into jumps and tricks.
Another unique feature of Cardrona is the on-snow accommodation. It started out offering a handful of self-contained apartments and there are now 15. If there are enough people staying on the hill, the restaurant will remain open, or you can cater for yourself.
Treble Cone is arguably the biggest ski field on the South Island and easily has the most to offer advanced skiers and boarders. There is even an alpine guiding operation for those who want to venture out into the backcountry and try the virgin slopes.
Treble Cone has worked hard in the last few years to counter the perception that it is mainly for advanced skiers with little to offer the newcomer and it now offers enough runs to keep any intermediate or beginner happy. Treble Cone has some of the most beautiful views of any ski resort in New Zealand and people rave about the food at the base lodge as being the best at any ski field.
New Zealand’s skiing goes from strength to strength to offer dedicated and novice snow bunnies alike a true winter wonderland indeed.
Travel Facts
getting there
- Air New Zealand has daily flights to the North and South Island. Phone 13 24 76 or visit www.airnewzealand.com.au
- Jetstar flies from Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne and Sydney to Christchurch. Phone 131 538 or visit www.jetstar.com.au
- Qantas has flights from Australia to Auckland, Christchurch and Queenstown. Phone 131 313 or visit www.qantas.com.au
where to stay
- Crowne Plaza Queenstown overlooks Lake Wakatipu and offers contemporary, stylish accommodation in an outstanding location. Phone 1800 669 562 (Australia), 0800 801 111 (New Zealand) or visit www.crowneplaza.co.nz
- The funky Sofitel Queenstown Hotel & Spa is decorated with glass and artworks, with sleek rooms that even come with espresso machines. Phone +643 450 0045 or visit www.sofitel.com
- The Villas in Queenstown has both rental and purchasing opportunities. Phone +64 3 442 8000 or visit www.villasqueenstown.com
- The Millennium Hotel is an excellent hotel close to central shopping and entertainment. Phone 1800 147 803 or visit www.millenniumhotels.co.nz
- In Wanaka, Te Wanaka Lodge is a cosy, family-run bed and breakfast right in the middle of town. Phone +643 443 9224 or visit www.tewanaka.co.nz
tips
- Bring warm thermal clothing, ideally merino wool
- Hiring your gear on the mountain is convenient as you don’t need to carry your equipment to and from the field each day. Just remember there may be queues at the rental shop
- If you are driving, remember you are in alpine conditions that can change quickly. If in doubt, grab a shuttle.
- At the time of writing, AU$1 = NZ$1.14
further information
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