The major ski resort towns in new zealand are queenstown and wanaka. List of ski areas and resorts in new zealand wikipedia. If your family is visiting cardrona for a week, our 4day adventure programmes could be a great fit. This clip has been made by cv staff, club members and visitors. Or, stay in methven a town for snow sports enthusiasts looking to conquer nearby mt hutt. Hundreds of ski jobs and courses, help guides, resort search, ski job video channels and much more.
How to use the nutcracker and other commentary the blackmail. You can click on a new zealand ski resort in the table. Mount hutt is one of new zealand s most commercial ski areas and won best ski resort in both 2015 and 2016. New zealands southern alps carve an impressive spine down the south island, are 45 million years in the making, and dramatically thrust skyward from azure alpine lakes dotted with working farms along their shores. The 10 best ski resorts in new zealand updated 201920. New zealand ski packages ski package holiday haka tours. I drive the rope tows in the ski areas of roundhill, broken river and craigiburn.
The christchurch canterbury region stretches from ocean to alps, contrasting sweeping plains and mountain peaks. Trust us, this is a good thing as the rewards are many. It has the countrys best beginner slopes, but it also offers the best backcountry skiing of any major ski resort in new zealand and 75 per cent of its mountain is dedicated to intermediate and. Nutcracker rope tows nz ski fields, club powderhounds. New zealand has a booming snow industry and those in the know have been skiing and snowboarding here for years. The table below provides you with a comparison of all the ski resorts in new zealand. The fact that i might be a nancy boy overwhelms me as i size up the highspeed ropetow at craigieburn valley, high in new zealands southern alps. New zealands largest ski resort is whakapapa on the north island and claims 44km of runs, 9 ski lifts and 550 hectares of terrain. The highest ski resorts for skiing in new zealand extend up to an altitude of 2,322 metres. Resorts will require all staff to work during this period.
The rope tow is a unique lift system in new zealand that is used at four of the. Combine that with their sister resort on the other side of the active volcano, turoa, and you have 1050 hectares of skiable terrain on the one lift pass. Dont ski the same resort day in and day out, let us take you on a multiday adventure of some of new zealands best ski fields, and enjoy the maximum in fun and convenience with our haka tours new zealand ski packages. Its not uncommon to ski thighdeep powder and silky corn on the same run. The nature of new zealands weather means that you could experience a range of snow conditions on any given day. The outgoing pb80 is limited in its pushing power, this is a sharp contrast to the husky. Whakapapa mt ruapehu is currently the largest ski area, offering 1,051 ha of slopes. The safety systems of nutcracker rope tows in new zealand vary depending on the ski area. In the list of the best ski resorts in new zealand, the ski resort coronet peak is top with 3. Blue shadow rope tow nutcracker harness home facebook. The best heliskiing in new zealand high peak heliski. Nutcracker ropetows are typically used at some of the new zealand club fields and some of the smaller commercial ski fields.
The kiwis dont have ski areas, they have ski fields, clubfields, or clubbies and their main form of ski hill transportation are rope tows referred to as nutcrackers. This is an ideal aspect for catching the big southerly powder dumps that give the canterbury region its reputation for having the biggest and most consistent annual snowfall in new zealand over 4. Here, chris explains how to use the nutcracker, the lift system used in. Craigieburn nut cracker for the first time with gopro hd helmet cam. Voted best ski resort in new zealand in 2015, mt hutt spoils you with stunning conditions, wide open terrain and the typical laidback kiwi hospitality. However the skiing in new zealand is very laid back and more important than anythingvery wild. The winter school holidays in new zealand are two weeks long. Use the ski clubs ski resort guide to find the best ski resorts in new zealand. Snow park is opposite cardrona and is an internationally recognised terrain park resort with a permanent quarter pipe, a super pipe, a triple jump line, and forty rails and jumps. New zealand ski resort guide ski club of great britain.
Rainbow a spectacular alpine ski and board experience. Blue shadow rope tow nutcracker harness, rapahoe, new zealand. All inclusive packages for an all inclusive ski holiday package including flights, tours, ski passes and more please contact a flight centre consultant on 3 3 or fill in the enquiry form below. Two of its three ski areas whakapapa and turoa are the largest in new zealand, and boast some of the countrys longest ski runs with volcanic features and vast views, accessed by stateoftheart lifts. New zealand lift ticket prices 2020 nz ski packages. Who wins in a fight between australia and new zealand snow. We had such a good time travelling through this beautiful country. How to ride a nut cracker rope tow skisnowboard youtube. The new groomer has an icebreaker tiller and all the modcons of new age grooming. The southern alps of new zealand provide some seriously fine skiing and boarding with five hundred kilometres of mountain ranges splitting the south island from north to south like a spine. Find ski jobs and courses in new zealand with the uks most popular seasonal jobs website. Ski new zealand offers a great range of allinclusive queenstown ski packages to suit everyone. Find prices for all new zealand ski fields, including queenstown, wanaka, and north island resorts.
Skiing in new zealand best ski resorts in new zealand. Craigieburn valley ski area is a ski area in the south island of new zealand run by the craigieburn valley ski club. The majority of the commercial ski fields are found around the alpine tourist resort town of queenstown, which sits on the shores of lake wakatipu and is. New zealand offers some exciting heli ski terrain when youre done with resort skiing. This wire is then attached to several trip boxes on many of. Many tows have a safety trip wire running up the lenght of the tow between the up and downhaul ropes. The name, im relieved to learn, derives from the devices resemblance to the tool used to crack walnuts. They basically consist of a moving rope that passes through a series of pulleys, and skiers and snowboarders fix themselves to the rope with a metal contraption that is connected to a harness around the hips. This summer we went discovering the famous club fields from new zealand. They have two basic rope tows nonnutcracker where we might get a little practice in before hitting the proper nutcracker rope tows.
New zealand ski resorts ski resort stats onthesnow. The action centres on mt ruapehu, the north islands highest mountain. Largest ski resorts in new zealand biggest ski resorts. Broken river 3 main nutcracker rope tows, plus a goods lift to get you up to the lodges 3 and a short walk to get to the bottom tow. New zealand report after a fairly dry week, things have been turning snowy again in the new zealand mountains. Dont let that put you off though its a great destination for new zealand snowboarding holidays. Visiting 11 mountains over 12 days, this is a megacombo happy deal of club fields, backcountry skiing and your favourite new zealand ski resorts. It also holds the title of australasia s largest vertical drop and has two dedicated backcountry areas as well as more challenging terrain than neighboring whakapapa. This is probably the most kidfriendly ski resort in new zealand with variety of runs, consistent snowfall, and enormous view of the southern alps. Cardrona is 320 hectares and is one of the very few resorts in new zealand where you can stay on mountain. New zealand ski packages 2020 deals best nz ski resorts. In my hands is a nutcrackera footlong contraption attached to a harness around my waist. Sort the list by opening dates or resort name, 24 hour snow, base depth and user rating.
This wire is then attached to several trip boxes on many of the posts on the way up the tow in even intervals. All the good stuff included accommodation, transport, expert guide, lift passes, 12 x breakfasts, 3 x dinners, tow gloves and harnesses. Using a nut cracker for the first time at the craigieburn ski area in new zealand using a gopro hd helmet cam. Offpiste skiing and snowboarding at its best in the heart of southern alps, new zealand. The holidays usually start around early july each year and this is the busiest period at new zealand resorts.
The largest ski resorts offer up to 44 kilometres of slopes. The operation of ski areas this winter, with the first area scheduled to open at the end of this month on mt ruapehu, is currently looking more promising for new zealand residents. Queenstown ski packages new zealand ski deals from australia. On the western edge of the canterbury plains, methven is the perfect base for your mt hutt travel adventure. Located 36 kilometres away from methven, mount hutt has one of the snowiest ski terrains in new zealand with peak 2,806 meters and average 4 meter of snow per person. Getting the snow in new zealand wagner custom skis. See this list of projected opening dates for new zealand mountains.
At the start of the southern alps, st arnaud, south island, new zealand. Nutcracker rope tow nz gnomes alpine sports gnomes. The nutcracker clamps onto the rope running up the hill and you are pulled up. When will ski resorts in the new zealand open for the ski season. Snow farm crosscountry skiing only list of ski areas and resorts. The largest ski resort in new zealand is located on the north island called whakapapa. The country is slowly easing its strict lockdown having appeared to minimise the. Talk to the locals today about your nz ski holiday. Christchurch canterbury, skiing in new zealand things. Your guides will work hard to find the best snow conditions based on safety, your ability and what you want to ski. Its the old school way of skiing the countrys best runs, and youll be able to give it a redhot crack on the haka tour snow odyssey.
New zealand ski resort projected opening dates onthesnow. After youve explored the slopes, explore the variety of vibrant christchurch, gateway to a range of outdoor and relaxation activities. The countrys snow line is above the tree line so dont expect tree ski runs, but you will find glacial skiing, open bowls, steep chutes, and some fine powder in the arrowsmiths ranges. The top 5 ski fields in new zealand unofficial networks.
The 10 best new zealand beach resorts may 2020 with. Using the information provided you can compare new zealand ski resorts based on key attributes such as ski resort terrain, number of lifts, prices and facilities provided. An exception is the ski resort of mt hutt with a size of 365 hectares. If you find yourself exploring the club skifields hidden away in nz youll find most of them have the rope tow and nut cracker set ups. Remarkables ski field, queenstown, new zealand duration. New zealand club ski fields club fields nz haka tours. Nutcracker ropetows nz nutcracker ropetows are typically used at some of the new zealand club fields and some of the smaller commercial ski fields. At just under two hours from christchurch it is a world away from the community feel of the club fields. The craigieburn valley ski area has some very steep ascents at the start of the nutcracker rope tows which make it difficult, whilst areas such as mt olympus and. The nutcracker rope tow involves attaching a harness to your hips and clamping onto a rope with a nutcracker metal clamp to get up a mountain. And our tip for the best value for money is the ski resort cardrona.
One of only two ski resorts on new zealands north island, turoa gives you a chance to ski on the countrys largest active volcano, mt ruapheu. Australia and new zealand with the bastard crow chris booth to ski at the. The new zealand ski season generally takes place from june to october. Greater snow management, potentially resulting in more operating days out of a storm cycle. Check out our nutcracker rope tow equipment including nutcrackers, belts, harnesses, carabiners, gloves and glove savers. The ski area is set in a high, southfacing basin, shaped a bit like a baseball mitt. All 23 ski resorts in new zealand ranked by number of piste kilometers or size of terrain.