Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all, I'm off to New Zealand in March for 6 months, I was wondering if anyone can reccomend anywhere to ski, possibly north island if there is anywhere?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Are you travelling around NZ or will you be based somewhere? If the only option is north island skiing, then you really only have two choices - both on the same mountain, but on different sides. There is Turoa and Whakapapa. There is a smaller club field on the third side but it can be hit and miss (so I hear - I have never been there). I have skied at turoa and Whakapapa a lot. Whakapapa is more of a skiers field while Turoa is better for snow boarders but both have equally good terrain. You can ski both resorts on the same pass. If you buy a season pass now you can get it for around £250, otherwise it will be around £60 a day ( exp compared to Europe skiing). Dont expect European sized resorts either - there are much smaller. Off piste is very variable and it tends to be icy a lot of the time and pow days are rear. Forget weekend skiing - unless you want to wait in 20min queues all day. During the week is great - no queues at all.
However, if you are travelling around, I would suggest trying out some of the small club fields which are about 1.5hr out of Christchurch. The are tiny but very quiet and the skiing can be great. If its good, its awesome. If its crap, its really crap. Most of them have very limited grooming, if any at all so you are at the mercy of the snow conditions. There is also the Queenstown area - Treble Cone, Cardrona, Coronet peak etc - these are commercial resorts and are worth while.
Cheers
Brent
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Hi @madskier27,
For the first few months of your time here there will be only tuning yourself up in the one and only fridge here, luckily in North Island. Its not cheap but they do deals on their website http://snowplanet.co.nz/ and grabone
http://www.grabone.co.nz/northland/view-all so look out for these.
For when the white stuff comes hits my TR on Ruapehu (Whakapapa & Turoa) might help
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=115286&highlight=
along with this thread
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=115275&highlight=
Yes, look for a season pass if you are going to go for more than a few days to Ruapehu, Mt Ruapehu have done pre-season sales in the past (end of prev season and at the start of the next) so check on their website for this and get yourself set up on their emailed offers. It is expensive compared to Europe (passes, lessons, gear) but it is what is is.
As you can get down there in 4 odd hours from most major NI cities you should look to weekend ski as the weather report is more important than the queue times, so look for the good weather rather than say no to weekends. School hols make it busy as with anywhere.
There are two club fields in NI, one on Ruapehu itself, the other on Mt Taranki (aka Egmont) near New Plymouth, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Club_skifield . I havent ski'd any club fields so cannot comment.
If you can get to the South Island there are a lot more fields, both commercial and club and different skiing, but I have only been to Mt Hutt and nothing to write home about.
Any questions let me know.
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