Is it the unique Snowgum covered rolling Alps of Australia or around the eye watering lakes and raw peaks of the Southern Alps in New Zealand?
Oh, and there are two major resorts on the volatile volcano Mt.Ruapehu, in the middle of the North Island of kiwi land?
Starting Gypsy travels from The Whitsundays in the slime green ‘hoon-mobile’ is always Fast n’ Fun and Uber Annie certainly put the hammer down getting me to the station.
Excess baggage (3 bags) = the torturous train trip before the Plane, (that got cancelled) then re-booked, but gave me more play time in Sydney!
The Sydney Boat Show, Moulin Rouge, supper at La Guillotine, and shopping for Cat Tracks and a mini Ski Boot dryer at Paul Reader and INSki exhausted my day.
Eventually crashing in the ‘Hip’ Capsule Hotel in central Haymarket, ensuring a traffic-easy exit for the 6 hour drive south to glamorous THREDBO.
After collecting chains in Jyndabyne (obligatory for all vehicles accessing the Kosciuszko National Park) we arrived in the ‘twee’ Thredbo Central Village, and timely for my ski boot adjustment (ankle blowout) at “Gravity” Sports with guru Tom McKendry. It worked, thank you.
Our (pinch me) expensive accommodation was up in the gods on Banjo Drive, in Lantern Apartments which enjoy a stunning balcony vista over the compact village and Thredbo’s ski trails. Add friendly bus drivers, a regular 5 minute commute down to the Valley Terminals three lifts and it’s “get ya skis on mate”!
My ski buddy Darryl is a good skier, fit n’ healthy and always keen to push the envelope.
So it was game on…under cool denim skies, crispy dry pow, and a good winter covering for our six day “ski hard and fast” blast.
The Kosciuszko Chairlift leads to perfect warm up slopes in The Basin, then the options go up to the highest lift point in Australia (ring the bell!) or across on the Village Trail to the Crackenback glades and Snowgums Chairlift protected slopes.
Or ride the higher Sponars and Antons T Bars for more open and steeper drops in the Central Spur area.
At the top of the Snowgums Chairlift (tucked in the gums) is the busy Black Sallees Restaurant and coffee n’ cake stop. The gregarious staff are always fun, and their signature Hot Chocolate ‘warm me up’ with cookies is famously decadent.
Thredbo is a complete International Resort and has a dedicated race arena under the pivotal Snowgums Chair. This services their busy ski and board programs and offers excellent ‘fall line’ skiing to the public after the sticks are pulled.
Merritts cosy Gondola also leaves from the orderly Valley Terminal and has a Mid Station. Exit for progressing learners down to Friday Flats. Finishing at Merritts Mountain House Restaurant and the bottom of the Cruiser Chair’s swoopy and fun intermediate slopes.
There’s lots of good ‘snowgum protected’ terrain off the Crusier and Gunbarrel chairlifts.
Through the Glades, down Pegasus, Dream Run, or The Schuss, and the thigh aching High Noon offer endless steep lines (and bumps) before ending up in popular Friday Flat Beginners Area. Then it’s “Giddy Up” and do it again…nonstop!
From the top of Gunbarrel, you can access the popular FROSTBITE Kiosk-Deck with a warming open log fire. Its’ the Locals hangout and offers excellent creamy coffees with locally baked cakes, yummy Aussie Sourdough Toasted Sandwiches (try the popular veggo and fetta combo) and real smoochy Hot Chocolates with a kick.
It’s enthusiastically run by Deb and her cheery entourage and the perfect Apre “Cin Cin” stop, anytime. Remembering there is only one way down, ski, ride or…slide!
Eventually the spring-ish weather (in mid winter?) broke and we were done. 6 days of memorable and varied skiing, endless social options, good company, and conducive chatter everywhere bonding my thoughts.
Thredbo is “Up There” with the best International Resorts. Yes, it’s ‘Swiss Expensive’ but they do deliver in a palatable and unique Aussi Style and offer value for ya $$$s.
Air New Zealand’s direct flight from Sydney to Queenstown was a no-brainer, as the the supervisor checked my ‘Kiwi’s only’ Post Covid Arrival Documents, allocated me a front seat and squeezed my large ski bag through the scrum to the Over-Size counter.
A tasty lunch n’ larger, then amazing views of the Southern Alps before touch down and a friendly reception with Biosecurity (with two D.I.Y. Covid test kits) completed my welcome home.
Driving to Wanaka over the Crown Range and past the iconic Cardrona Hotel takes a good hour, before STOP.-ing at the magical lake front view.
Wanaka town is a compact and walkable shopping centre, butting up to the lakefront drive and fortunately nestled below the creeping kiwi styled ‘nouveau’ suburbia?
Treble Cone is the Locals ‘preferred’ ski resort, a 20 minute drive around the lake and then a good 15 up a widened goat track to limited car parks (use 4x4s or chains).
There are NO busses or shuttles from the paddock parking (hitching works) or from Wanaka Town centre? Hardly sustainable, but we can dream of a phantom Cable Car option, and no muddy car parks.
Surprisingly there are only 2 chairlifts and a short poma at T.C. However, add the consistently steep pitches, groomed race smooth pistes, natural half pipes, gullies, chutes and easy access to regular fresh tracks, or the tricky Off Piste in Motatapu Basin…to enjoy the best skiing and riding in the region.
On day one my host and aspiring level 9 protegee Chris, introduced me to the Seniors ‘hard core’ group, who dominate the front car park, order the first delicious coffees and then commandeer the 8.30 chairs on the Home Basin Express for a spirited warm up ritual.
This included many of the International Rookies Academy groups (with a sprinkle of locals) huddling around their trainers, before blitzing the steep groomed slopes for the first tracks.
When the higher Saddle Basin Quad opens (and Ski-patrol Safe), this ritual continues…but only a good wax and a lot of Beef for the traverse will get you on the first chair and into the untracked Basin steeps. Or take the Summit hike and plunge ‘which way’ your choice, in the pow?
Eventually, the lift line gets a bit Ho Hum and its coffee time, or a brunchy pizza in a deck chair at “Altitude Cafe”… with a view.
The Treble Cone Base Restaurant and out door patio are wonderfully kiwi…old school. Friendly and chaotic, busy but not pushy and the staff is always energetic and helpful. And this ‘social’ Deck is a great spot to score and test the latest performance skis from knowledgeable distributors and Wanaka’s best retailers.
Skiing in New Zealand does have a few negatives. The inconsistent maritime weather patterns (now erratic due to Climate Change) combined with NO Trees on any slopes is my bug. A lifelong tussle wrestling with poor light and zip visibility helps, but bad weather, foggy mist, flat light, yardy da da…sucks, enough said.
T.C. skiers can suffer in bad weather with poor light, as the safety reference points, poles and trail flags can be difficult to see. Always carry a low light lens!
This season Saddle Back Basin also had an unstable base due to the fluctuating
temperatures and early season rains. Making its usual high-quality snow more avalanche prone and the tempting Off piste slopes unpalatable or closed.
With accurate early morning weather predictions this Senior’s cartel knows the score and if Treble Cone is scratchy or ‘on hold’ they detour down to its sibling Cardrona.
It’s is an easy 30 minutes drive south of Wanaka, then a 17 k. grind up to the resort base, hardly sustainable but their Grand Future Plans have already started?
Including a new commercial Base Village in the Crown Pass above the iconic Cardrona Pub and a whopping BIG Gondola to make the resort vehicle free.
And that makes a lot of sense to me. Bravo!
Cardy (youth slang) is the Freestyle Capital of New Zealand. It has a good aspect -location about halfway between Queenstown and Wanaka and the new Willows Basin proves they can expand their inbound free skiing and adventure terrain + ?
It’s busy, with a Gigantic terrain park, endless Features, an International Super Pipe and Race training beside the BIG Air jumps.
There is easier parking below the hectic Base Area and on busy days these spots provide quicker early access to many good slopes from the lower Little Meg station.
However, the Base Area is the heart of Cardrona, with plenty of options off the Chondola or the Whitestar Express chair. And the Captain’s Express slopes all lead back to the bulging Captain’s cafe and its raucous (happy) food service.
Get there early for lunch!
Aching to be a real Tourist and not use a vehicle, I missed the early bus from Wanaka to Cardrona! Then Chris graciously drove me to the bottom car park to catch the Free Bus up the messy road to the ticket office. No Hassles and No Parking!
Coffee n’ cake in the civilised “Lounge” retreat was great and then I skied non stop to earn an early pizza lunch on the Captains deck.
From the top of the Captain’s quad it’s easy to traverse across to Skyline Ridge and drop into the new Willows Bowl. It’s mostly un-groomed, and the off-camber bumps to the chair were tricky as. All good fun and eventually I was done.
Getting home was easy…the free bus down to the Hitch-Hikers designated sign, a few minutes wait, then a ride back to the Pod Palace in Wanaka with a chatty local…
Cardrona has great riding and skiing for everyone and plenty of challenging terrain. Find the Secret Bowl or the Raspberry-Tulips faces? The main base is chaotically quite fun with a real family vibe and as the speedy groomed slopes often converge, pay attention to them above!
After three weeks in Wanaka, it was time to move on. The temps were rising and the snow on the lower slopes of T.C. had become slick n’ fast with pushed sugar bumps or chicken neck crunchy off-piste? And they closed the Saddle Back chair due to avalanche issues and the ongoing murky weather and snotty snow.
Without wheels, staying in Wanaka’s Town Centre is ‘the only place to be’.
There are tasty restaurants, cafes, bars, and stars; including Scroggin eatery, Tarras Country Cafe (check out their carrot cake), Pembroke Patisserie, Beer n’ Burgers at Red Star, Cinema Pardiso, Cork for vino, The Fig on the water front and our group’s regular Thursday nights at Base Camp, with Pizza n’ Pinot by the Fire.
For take-aways, hit the busy Food Truck Village early evenings.
And many thanks to Jason Woolf at SOLE-Lab for my ski boot punch. “Cin Cin Mate”.
Pete picked me up in the dark at Pod Palace, AK. Wanaka Bothy and after first coffee in the already busy Cardrona Base Cafeteria we dropped into the Short Black face ‘eyes wide open’ and skied hard n’ fast on perfectly groomed slopes under the Whitestar Express chair.
Eventually finishing our endless carving short turn challenge on the Little Meg quad and in the softening off-piste bumps.
Done, we loaded the lux-ute and Pete became the perfect kiwi tour guide. Stopping to wet our whistle in the iconic Cardrona Hotel (they have rooms too) before meandering down the steep pass via historic Arrowtown to Q.T. (that’s Queenstown to visitors).
Queenstown really is a Jewel. Coronet Peak is only a 20 minute spin from the interesting lake wharf and the poseurs choking the glam down-town centre.
Being dropped and collected at the Base Foyer steps is definitely the GO, but if rising early to secure a designated all-day park, grab a rotating shuttle.
C.Peak is a little bit low (topping out at only 1615m) but the terrain is interesting with plenty of rhythmic swoops and natural features of the Greengates Express and under the fast Coronet 6 pack. All wrapped up in world class snow making and grooming.
From the summit, there are challenging drops and Back Bowls to the Rocky Gully
T Bar and the busy FIS. Race Arena. Heidi’s Hut anchors this area with classic euro pizzas (woodfired) and delicious mulled wine. It’s a quaint warming hut for racers, and popular with thirsty locals as an Apre Bar with the OMG. lake views…
My gang says the best approach is; “with a day pass buy a First Tracks (8 till 9am) ticket, then ski till around brunch time and finish your day at the Bespoke Kitchen downtown”.
Heads Up…travelling lite? Brown’s Ski Shop on Shotover street has earned its
reputation with 40+ years service. Premium rentals, Specialist ski boot fitting, and Expert edge-base-wax repairs. They are the professionals and get the job done fast. Many thanks Rowan.
Q.T. is much more than just skiing. It’s a “Full On” destination One Stop, with endless activities…at a $$. To embrace all the regional beauty a vehicle is de rigueur and a parking space is obligatory if staying in the centre.
HYDRO attack took my fancy. Perfect for a speed freak…check it out Online.
Or visit our mates at The Great Glenorchy Alpine Base Camp for amazing 4×4 tours and custom Heli Lifts to Adventure and Wilderness Camps from their unique Lodge.
The waterfront Hostel Absoloot has outstanding accommodation for solo travellers in the heart of Q.T. and Suzie’s Mosaics in Hobart Street is unique and very stylish.
Late August is also the colourful Winter Pride Festival in Queenstown. So grab your rainbow flag and enjoy all the Snow, Apres, and Pride Parties in Q.T. ‘Boogie in the Bumps’ at Treble Cone and party-on at the ‘Mountain du Jour’ day at Cardy.
My last two weeks were tagged for our annual spring fling on Mt. Ruapehu, with ski-in-out lodging at Whakapapa and relaxed club accommodation in Ohakune.
Early September these two North Island resorts did not have any lift-accessed snow…NONE. I jumped ship, paid the extra booty and went home to the beach.
So where is “The best skiing Down Under”?
THREDBO is the most complete resort.
The best consistent steeps are at TREBLE CONE.
CARDRONA has the most varied slopes and snow Features.
Best FUN in the Sun and Apre everything is CORONET PEAK.
Murray Sandman.
Gypsy Ski Travels.