New Zealand (Queenstown)

[Linden]

Off to kiwi next week for snow and sight-see

Travelling with 9yo boy (green but thinks he's black) and wife ( & self intermediate eg prefer zali's flat out to kamikaze like a snow plower - that said we're only taking the 135cm skis (145/95/130)

Plan is for 1 day at Mt Hutt then staying in Queenstown for 4 nights ... so where do we ski planning 3 days on snow from here options seem to be

Treble Cone
Cardrona
Coronet Peak
Remarkables

[mtbpeteski]

i would suggest starting at coronet peak.
its the easiest to get to from queenstown and the terrain should have something for everyone.
with 3 days i would split it between remarks and coronet peak.

possibly give TC a miss.
its a great mountain but the drive from queenstown is about 90mins

[KJS]

You could get up to Cardrona for the day - its about 2/3 the way to Wanaka (about 40 minutes or so from Queenstown), its very nice, but the terrain is pretty straightforward. You'll need to make sure that the road over the Crown Range to Cardrona is open and clear - its not a nice drive when its icy. I agree with mtbpeteski about TC it great and has some excellent challenging blue runs - but its at least 90 minutes from Queenstown by car

Speaking of driving, I'd recommend that if you ski the Remarkables you might leave the car are at the accommodation consider taking the shuttle bus up (your lodgings will know how to book it) - when you see the buses that they use, you'll understand!

[ 09. July 2009, 06:19 PM: Message edited by: KJS ]

[pboards&mskis]

Definitely get the bus for Remarks, that road scared the hell out of me - more than the road to TC. But its a great place to ski especially when the snow is good.

Coronet is an easy drive up and has some cruisy blues.

We skied TC for a week last year, and it scared the hell out of me at first. Like KJS said there are some really excellent challenging blue runs there. I went there as an intermediate skiier, and came back and skied every black run in Heavenly Valley at Hotham and didn't flinch for a second. If you want to push yourself along its a great place to try.

Cardy is my fave out of them all. It has a really nice friendly feel to it. And a ripper little boarder cross track that your little ski fiend may find a bit of fun. My 40 year hubby certainly did!

Hope it helps

[Butters]

jeez the roads arn't that bad.
Just make sure you hire something AWD like a Subaru, take it slow, don't try to overtake a bus like I did once (ahem).
TC is my favourite resort out of AUS/NZ - very challenging blues, but the best thing is terrain that you just don't get here. The Home Basin is a bit boring after a while, but Saddle Basin will keep you busy for days

[Xena]

Treble Cone is the most advanced mountain of those, but the furthest away - at least 2 hrs drive I think. Just do the 3 closer ones - Remarks, Coronet Peak and Cardona - a day at each.

[ 12. July 2009, 09:47 PM: Message edited by: Xena ]

[Linden]

Thanks all ... we'll miss TC this year (an excuse for another skiing trip :D ) Given that I've lived (and driven ridden & skiied) in northern Italy ski resorts I'll probably drive up to the Remarkables

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Stelvio.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Stelvio.jpg

Thanks again
Report on return next Wednesday

[Ben Ferg]

I'm glad that not all ozzies are scared of a road that goes up a mountain.

[Xena]

I couldn't work out whether that was the road up to the Remarks or Treble Cone in summer, but it was neither.

[chunky]

That makes the drive up Ben Lomond nothing graemlins/wow.gif

[ozgirl]

Cardrona was my fav as a kid...

As an adult - didn't mind the drive to Remarkables...

My friend and I took the p1ss out of the boys we meet at accom who were too much of a girl to drive... I think we even drove them one day.

[John Deere]

Stelvio Pass....drove it this time last year....

*sigh*

[Linden]

We're back ...

Thanks again for the comments skiied MtH, Rem, CP, and 1/2 Car (due to boy and wet boots - woops)

Drove up to all resorts no problems (only needed chains for MtH) apart from the odd timid 4wder - note to them if dirt road is wide and visibility is good ... use the whole road not the stutter bumps

John D did you ski stelvio - first time I rode up (Motorcycle) we arrived at 5pm and it just started snowing (May from memory) ended up staying 2 nights and having a ski

Only problem was Monday at CP - went back for 2nd ski there (last skiing day of trip) to discover on Mondays the car park shuttle doesn't seem to run should have droped wife and boy at top and then parked because by the time 9yo got to the base he was complaining of sore chest (probably only cold lungs from the walk) so went back down ... missed the BEST DAY as the wind from the previous 2day had dropped.

Any way thanks again

Bring on Jindy next weekend for 9days Wooo Hooo

Linden

[Linden]

Originally posted by pboards&mskis:
And a ripper little boarder cross track that your little ski fiend may find a bit of fun. My 40 year hubby certainly did!

Hope it helps Boy didn't get to it but I (and wife) did!! Was the pick of the runs given the strong winds (some lifts on hold when we arrived) and the soft skis we had with us (NO edge on hard wind swept snow (Top of merrits can get but with more slope)

Linden

[Butters]

so how was the snow!?

[Linden]

Originally posted by Butters:
so how was the snow!? Bit patchy (grass through in a few places) - wind blew lot of it away (some crystalline 3in drifts only) Very Hard Packed in groomed areas even some frozen corduroy in places (still there at noon - haven't seen that since Italy in 2004)

In a few words ... need more snow ... with no wind

Still it was fun just wish I'd taken the 210s not the 135s

[Marshall]

This time next week I'll be flying out to Queenstown, I just tought I'd share smile.gif

[Linden]

Have fun and unless your a downhill speed demon I hope the snow has softened a bit smile.gif - this time 48hour from now should be coming off the snow at PB on 1st of 10 days smile.gif smile.gif