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Question: New Zealand
- Thread starter CStone
- Start date
AJM
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Hi ! Whereabouts were you planning on going?
At the moment in the Sth Island, the Canterbury fields have had a much needed snowfall with more on the way (better late than never) and I believe the McKenzie Basin (Roundhill, Dobson and Ohau) also benefited as well. Southern Lakes (Wanaka and Queenstown) didnt do quite so well. Everything can change so quickly over here so it cold be quite a different scenario in a couple of weeks.
Thank you for your response. We are staying in Queenstown and then moving over to Wanaka.
We will look at conditions to decide where to ski. Will deifitnely ski Treble Cone. The US Alpine Mens tech team was scheduled to train at Treble Cone. They switched to go to Argentina due to better snow.
I welcome any recommendations that you may have! Fingers crossed for some big stormes in the next 2 weeks.
We will look at conditions to decide where to ski. Will deifitnely ski Treble Cone. The US Alpine Mens tech team was scheduled to train at Treble Cone. They switched to go to Argentina due to better snow.
I welcome any recommendations that you may have! Fingers crossed for some big stormes in the next 2 weeks.
AJM
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
TC is a great ski field but sadly they dont have much snow at the moment, fingers crossed it picks up before you arrive.
I've heard the Remarkables are doing ok but that Coronet Peak isnt so great. You'll probably be best to decide once you get here and make your decisions accordingly.
Cardrona is a great family field with world class park facilities if thats your thing but the key is in the description "Family Field", its not very challenging but can be loads of fun.
I dont have much info on Queenstown sorry , I gave up going there years ago but Wanaka is a cool little town with great bars and restaurants and a good vibe.
Both TC and Cardies are accessable from Wanaka but they do necessitate navigating our infamous access roads which are not as bad as people make them out to be but can be a shock if you're not used to them.
Remarkables and Coronet are both close to Queenstown with Cardies also within a reasonable driving distance.
Are you renting a car or relying on busses?
There is a facebook page called New Zealand Skiing and Snowboarding which is a great place to ask questions but be warned you'll probably get conflicting advise
plus there's a guy on there that will probably try and steer you towards the McKenzie fields (Ohau, Roundhill and Dobson) so make it clear you're staying in the Southern Lakes region !!
As for accomodation I'm not going to be much help sorry as we either stay with friends or slum it at the Glendhu Bay Motorcamp but there is all sorts of options from cheap through to luxury depending on your budget.
Let me know if you need any more info xx
I've heard the Remarkables are doing ok but that Coronet Peak isnt so great. You'll probably be best to decide once you get here and make your decisions accordingly.
Cardrona is a great family field with world class park facilities if thats your thing but the key is in the description "Family Field", its not very challenging but can be loads of fun.
I dont have much info on Queenstown sorry , I gave up going there years ago but Wanaka is a cool little town with great bars and restaurants and a good vibe.
Both TC and Cardies are accessable from Wanaka but they do necessitate navigating our infamous access roads which are not as bad as people make them out to be but can be a shock if you're not used to them.
Remarkables and Coronet are both close to Queenstown with Cardies also within a reasonable driving distance.
Are you renting a car or relying on busses?
There is a facebook page called New Zealand Skiing and Snowboarding which is a great place to ask questions but be warned you'll probably get conflicting advise
plus there's a guy on there that will probably try and steer you towards the McKenzie fields (Ohau, Roundhill and Dobson) so make it clear you're staying in the Southern Lakes region !!As for accomodation I'm not going to be much help sorry as we either stay with friends or slum it at the Glendhu Bay Motorcamp but there is all sorts of options from cheap through to luxury depending on your budget.
Let me know if you need any more info xx
AJM
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Sorry, I'm not Queenstown based (I'm up in Canterbury near the club fields) and havent been there for years so dont have any recommendations.
Wanaka I can help with as we go fairly regularly.
Here we go ..... Federal Diner (for breakfast or lunch), Kai Pai (for all day plus dining), Francescas (Dinner), Kika (dinner), Kota (dinner), and so many more !!!
As for bars we like a little bar called Cork which is right in town but again there are so many to choose from for such a small town .
B Effect brewery is popular, you must go to the iconic Cardrona Hotel (enroute from Queenstown to Wanaka) at the bottom of Cardrona Ski Area, Apre at Cardrona Base Camp ......
I'm sure you'll have a fabulous time oh and if you get the chance try out some of the winery's
Magnatude
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Where in Queenstown are you staying? The traffic between the actual town and its suburbs can be pretty heavy at certain times of the day (generally when trying to get to and from the ski fields, and to and from work). Most tourists will be based in the actual town, where most hotels are. If that's where you are, it'll be a lot easier sticking to the restaurants there, thus avoiding further traffic woes.
Totally depends what food you like, but some of my favourites are, in no particular order: Bella Cucina (Italian, with more than just pizza and pasta), Margos (Mexican), The Taj (Indian), Tatsumi (upscale Japanese), Kappa (more casual Japanese), Rātā and Botswana Butchery (upscale NZ/international), Blue Kanu (NZ/Pacific/Asian fusion), Caribe Latin kitchen (essentially South American street food, but you can eat it there too), The Cow (pizza/pasta in a hidden away old stone building -- not authentically Italian, but a local institution and good for families), Eichardt's Bar (tapas). There are plenty of other places I haven't been to that are also well-regarded. A good lunch/coffee place is Bespoke Kitchen, up the hill towards the gondola, upstairs from the medical centre.
Heaps of bars in town, varying from basic to fancy.
Arrowtown, if you have a car, is definitely worth a visit, and there are some great places to eat there too: Aosta (Italian, spendy), and Little Aosta (at the back of Aosta -- more casual version), La Rumbla (tapas), Mantra (Indian).
There are some nice breweries outside town -- a couple that spring to mind include Canyon Brewery (at Arthurs Point, above the Shotover River -- a good stop on the way back from Coronet Peak), Cargo at Gantleys (also Arthurs Point), and Altitude Brewing (lakeside, by the Frankton Marina, and on the way back from the Remarkables).
Many of the wineries also have great restaurants, most notably Amisfield. Gibbston Valley is where most of the local vineyards are, and a bit further afield is Bannockburn (45 mins drive away), Most of them do tastings, I'm pretty sure.
Skiing is basically Coronet Peak and the Remarkables, unless you're doing heli or backcountry. Coronet Peak tends to be the locals' mountain as the road is fully sealed to the top, which makes it easier to get a few laps in before work. So the carparks fill up early, but empty out early too. It's lower so the snow quality can vary a lot. When the snow is plentiful and good, it's a really fun mountain to ski, with something for everyone (except a terrain park). When it's not, at least getting away again is a bit easier. Remarkables is a bit further from town, and the road can be confronting for some drivers not used to it. A 4wd rental would definitely be more useful here. It has a lot of big-mountain, hike-to terrain, and a good terrain park. Also plenty of intermediate skiing with 2 fast chairlifts (out of 4), and a good learners area. Thankfully school holidays have ended, which should have relieved the traffic/parking pressure it was experiencing a few weeks ago.
Cardrona is about an hour's drive from Queenstown, Treble Cone about an hour and a half.
Totally depends what food you like, but some of my favourites are, in no particular order: Bella Cucina (Italian, with more than just pizza and pasta), Margos (Mexican), The Taj (Indian), Tatsumi (upscale Japanese), Kappa (more casual Japanese), Rātā and Botswana Butchery (upscale NZ/international), Blue Kanu (NZ/Pacific/Asian fusion), Caribe Latin kitchen (essentially South American street food, but you can eat it there too), The Cow (pizza/pasta in a hidden away old stone building -- not authentically Italian, but a local institution and good for families), Eichardt's Bar (tapas). There are plenty of other places I haven't been to that are also well-regarded. A good lunch/coffee place is Bespoke Kitchen, up the hill towards the gondola, upstairs from the medical centre.
Heaps of bars in town, varying from basic to fancy.
Arrowtown, if you have a car, is definitely worth a visit, and there are some great places to eat there too: Aosta (Italian, spendy), and Little Aosta (at the back of Aosta -- more casual version), La Rumbla (tapas), Mantra (Indian).
There are some nice breweries outside town -- a couple that spring to mind include Canyon Brewery (at Arthurs Point, above the Shotover River -- a good stop on the way back from Coronet Peak), Cargo at Gantleys (also Arthurs Point), and Altitude Brewing (lakeside, by the Frankton Marina, and on the way back from the Remarkables).
Many of the wineries also have great restaurants, most notably Amisfield. Gibbston Valley is where most of the local vineyards are, and a bit further afield is Bannockburn (45 mins drive away), Most of them do tastings, I'm pretty sure.
Skiing is basically Coronet Peak and the Remarkables, unless you're doing heli or backcountry. Coronet Peak tends to be the locals' mountain as the road is fully sealed to the top, which makes it easier to get a few laps in before work. So the carparks fill up early, but empty out early too. It's lower so the snow quality can vary a lot. When the snow is plentiful and good, it's a really fun mountain to ski, with something for everyone (except a terrain park). When it's not, at least getting away again is a bit easier. Remarkables is a bit further from town, and the road can be confronting for some drivers not used to it. A 4wd rental would definitely be more useful here. It has a lot of big-mountain, hike-to terrain, and a good terrain park. Also plenty of intermediate skiing with 2 fast chairlifts (out of 4), and a good learners area. Thankfully school holidays have ended, which should have relieved the traffic/parking pressure it was experiencing a few weeks ago.
Cardrona is about an hour's drive from Queenstown, Treble Cone about an hour and a half.
scandium
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I generally don't stay in town (the TRAFFIC) and consequently tend to cook or only go for casual eats not in town (Taco Medic, Chur Fish n Chips...). Last year we went to Tanoshi at Five Mile which was nice but felt a bit expensive for what it was. Little Aosta in Arrowtown was worth every dollar, we did their set menu which was delicious. However, we pretty much always stop by Ma Boulangerie for the baked goods on the way to the airport - much better than airport food! I normally go to see Izzy the supermarket cat as well (she is a well rounded girl).
AJM
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
We've just been dumped on again in Canterbury, not sure about Southern Lakes maybe someone else can chime in ?
scandium
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Remarks and Coronet had topups recently but not full pow days, Cardies just managed to open Willows but I don’t think the Wānaka fields got much, Treble hasn’t had snow for a week at least. They are fairly good at updating their socials so easy to get real time updates of conditions, plus the aforementioned Facebook page normally gets daily pictures from people of conditions.
