 Poster: A snowHead
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We are going to be in Queenstown, NZ in August. Does anyone have any suggestions on the best places to ski? We are very keen to be mostly off piste.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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jean, Welcome to Snowheads!
I'm a relatively new skier and have never been to NZ, but I'm sure you'll get some advice from other more experienced members of Snowheads. I also think the Warren Smith Ski Academy used to do a course in NZ so they may also be able to give some ideas.
I was interested to see you are in Hong Kong as my daughter is moving there to live in July so I will obviously be visiting HK at some time in the future  .
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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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jean, The two nearest resorts to Queenstown are Coronet Peak and Remarkables, both are a 30 - 40min drive away. Of the two Remarkables has the best terrain if your looking for off piste but nearby there is also Cardrona and Treble Cone within easy driving distance and out of all four TC is without doubt the best IMO. There is also a lot of heliskiing on offer, have fun!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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jean, AsSkiTigger, has said the Remakables has quite a bit of off piste especially if you are up to a bit of hiking. TC is about 1 hour 45 mins fron Queenstown and has lots of backcountry terrain available. As for heliskiing there is lots of choice. Just check with the locals as to where the best snow is as the heliski operators all use different areas.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Treble Cone - some fine terrain there. best natural half pipe skiing i've ever had fun in. And some good steeps. Stay in Wanaka - Queenstown is like Blackpool 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thank you for the information. I have heard that the roads up to Remarkables and Treble Cone are quite bad. Do you know if you need 4W to get up there, or can we just get snow chains on a 2W drive? We will definitely not be staying in Queenstown then! Have enough of big cities, with staying in HK year round.
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4WD helps - we always get one, but chains and 2WD will work if you like chains, so to speak  Those roads can be scary. And the keas are even scarier!
Queenstown is actually quite a beautiful place - the Blackpool comment was kinda meant to be taken relatively. It's a stunningly beautiful, small but busy tourist town. Wanaka is a stunning beautiful , smaller, quiet, tourist town, much nearer TC, where the real skiing is.
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Hi there, I'm new here - live in Queenstown, thought I would chip in with some suggestions - it's nothing like Blackpool 
There's plenty of off-piste at all the mountains around Queenstown if you don't mind a walk. If you fancy something a bit different, there's a cat-skiing operation called Alpure Peaks near Tekapo, about 3 hours drive from Queenstown, which is loads cheaper than getting a heli for the day.
Got to say though, if you really want to score epic off piste conditions, still be able to afford to eat, and don't mind sketchy lifts and interesting access roads, then heading North to the club fields near Christchurch is the best thing to do. On a powder day, those places go off, with not many crowds and minimal grooming. There is cheap but basic lodge accommodation on the hill at most of them as well.
Snow's started to show up here anyway, bit more forecast for the next week, and it's supposed to be the coldest winter for 20 years, so you should have a great time wherever you go.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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hang11, welcome to Snowheads!
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Hi hang11, good to see another local here. Treble Cone has a reputation for advanced skiing within the ski area but as hang11, said there is great backcountry everywhere. If you are adventurous there is unlimited terrain near all our ski towns.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Clubs fields are wild if the snow is good. We stayed at Broken River a couple of years back, and I'd highly recommend. We didn't have the best snow. I'd love to be there on a decent year.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Thanks, hang11. I will have a look at that Alpure Peaks. Great to know that the season is looking good, as this is our first skiing trip to New Zealand.
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You know it makes sense.
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My Blackpool comparison was flippant, and meant to be taken relatively when compared to Wanaka and based on the fact that New Zealand is such a small country, and Queenstown is one of the most desirable tourist attractions (hence a little bit busy and flashy). The only other sense that Queenstown is like Blackpool is that it has lots of attractions, but most of these are provided by nature. It's a very beautiful place.
Blackpool is meant to be fun nowadays too tho!!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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jean,
Don't know if any of this infrmation is up to date or of use but.
We went skiing to NZ from HK about 15 years ago. The cheapest way of doing it was to get a package fromHK with air NZ which include flights to and from Queenstown via Christchurch with accommodation lift passes and bussesto and from the ski fields. The package for five days was only a little more than the flights alone.
We stayed an extra 10 days and took a campervan from Christchurch and toured the South Island a bit. This was almost as cheap as car hire as it was off season and meant we needn' t spend extra on accommodation or worry about it.
We didn't just ski but did a bit of sight seeing as well. We stayed in Wanaka and skied Coronet Peak and did a bit of heli skiing, both worthwhile.
Lack of the internet and advance information meant we only skied one of the club fields. If I was to do it again I would definately try Craigieburn /Broken River which have a fantastic reputation.
Chains for access to all ski fields is a must, the roads are narrow and windng and most accommodation is in the valleys.
Queenstown (at least 15 years ago) is nothing like HK and although a bit touristy is a welcome break from an HK summer. Have a great time.
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Poster: A snowHead
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It's early days, and the snow could easily melt before the season starts, but it's been puking snow on the south island mountains this week , although more in Canterbury than further South, but there's a massive storm brewing up that will hit this weekend, which could really sort the start of the season out nicely.
Sunday morning is looking nasty on these charts - http://wxmaps.org/pix/aus.slp.html
Broken River is well worth going to if the snow is good, so is Olympus, and Porters on a powder day can be really good too.
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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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Skiing,Snowboarding your get Dont expect anything like Europe.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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When living in Oz we did an 8 day trip to NZ starting and ending in Christchurch. First day was Mt Hutt, then drove down after skiing and spent a day each in Coronet Peak and the Remarkables based from Queenstown. Then onto Wanaka and a day each in Treble Cone and Cadrona. Then drove south and spent a day out on Millford Sound followed by a day heli hiking on the Franz Josef glacier. Final stop was at Craigieburn on the way throug Arthurs Pass back to Christchurch. It's a great, if rather hectic, 8 day tour for any keen skiers.
The highlight was Craigieburn, a club field a couple of hours from Christchurch. It's basically a big unpisted bowl and we got to it after a dump of about 30cm. If you manage to negotiate the 3 nutcracker tow lifts to get up (quite an experience), you can basically traverse around the lip of the bowl and pick your line down. It's just one bowl but it was steep and there were hardly any tracks - an off piste fans dream! And I think with a bit of touring you could also link up with some of the other club fields. It's one of my best memories of the trip.
We only had a day in each and weren't with someone who knew the terrain but while the Queenstown and Wanaka resorts all had pretty good snow, we found them pretty limited in vertical and scale, having been brought up on big European resorts. The scenery was pretty special though with the views of the lake.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Hutt is loaded at the moment - supposed to be about 2 metres on the upper mountain, although there is a fair bit of rain due over next weekend, but more snow after that as the storm passes over. CP and Remarks are looking pretty good too. The club fields in Canterbury will have loads of snow on them already as well. So far it's looking like a cracking start to the season.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Hi there, I also live in New Zealand - and ski the Canterbury ski fields all the time. The snow has arrived already. Its going to be a GREAT season I think. If you want more info on Broken River (where I mostly ski) check out:
http://www.squidoo.com/brokenriver
for an insiders view
for the official website see www. brokenriver.co.nz
I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have. Its a great spot, some fantastic offpiste skiing and lots pf powder. Its great staying on the mountain too - a great social scene. There is lots of potential for ski touring further afield.
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Well Coronet Peak is opening this coming Saturday and looking up at the mountain today lots of snow making happening onto a great natural base. Also forecasting snow to sea level for the south and east of the country tonight. Mt Hutt opened today with great conditions. Best May snow for over fifteen years. It is going to be a great season down here.
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I walked up to the top of coronet a couple of times last weekend - great cover for this time of year, and it looks like the storm just started to show up - should be pretty good next weekend if the snowmaking keeps going.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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snowing right now here in Canterbury - YAHOO!!! 
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It's been snowing a bit in Queenstown this morning too, though not much, there's a bit on the hill behind my house, and the sun has come out now. Off to do the long painful walk up to the top of Coronet this afternoon, it's looking mint up there
I'll have legs like Arnie by the time the lifts open next week!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hey have fun and do a few turns for all of us!
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FAQ
as I really enjoyed Queenstown both times I visited (in 1990 & 2004). I have never been to Wanaka, but heard it is very nice and more family oriented (and possibly less expensive) than Queenstown which has a good number of young adults and a more trendy, cosmopolitan scene (by South Island NZ standards). I pictured Blackpool as being bigger and more industrial than Queenstown which has a population of around 10 K and is on the shores of a beautiful lake with mountains around it...it gets some asian visitors, but can't imagine it being anything like HK.