Ski Queenstown New Zealand                                          

Page updated: 4 October 2011

Free skiing for kids and Spring Carnival fun at Coronet Peak

Queenstown’s Coronet Peak ski area is celebrating spring and the final weekend of the 2011 season with a range of fun events for all the family.

It’s also the weekend all children and youths aged 17 years and under will ski or ride for free.

The Coronet Peak Spring Carnival will be held on the mountain this coming Saturday and Sunday (October 8 and 9) and will include a full range of fun activities and spectator sports for all ages.

For the kids, Spike and Shred will be out both days enjoying the spring weather too, and for families starting the New Zealand school holidays it’s their last chance for some snow time until next season.

Kicking off the weekend in colourful style, there will be free face painting on the Coronet Peak deck between 11am and 12 noon on Saturday. Then from midday daredevil skiers and boarders are invited to dress in their wildest and wackiest outfits for the Pond Skim, held right in front of the base building.

Coronet Peak will be filling up an icy cold pond with a lead-up ramp for contestants to attempt to ‘skim’ across the water without going for a dunking.

Entertaining-plus and a great spectacle for all, contestants will be judged on costume and style, the longest distance, and (of course!) for the best crash.

Entry is free and contestants can sign up on the day at guest services.

At 1pm the focus will shift to a new event, the Red Bull King of Bob.

Red Bull is looking to crown a new ‘king’ in an event that’s described as ‘boardercross meets tobogganing.’

In this inaugural Southern Hemisphere event, racers will fly down a purpose-built course in the snow on the smallest sled there is – The Bob. Little more than a child-sized sled, there are guaranteed thrills and spills as contestants navigate berms and bumps on their way down the course.

Sunday October 9 is Hawaiian day. Coronet Peak can’t think about spring without introducing an element of the tropics, so skiers, boarders and spectators young and old are encouraged to get dressed up in their loudest and brightest your Hawaiian gear and look forward to some long summer days.

Once again there will be free face painting on the deck, then at 11am the Streets Mini Shred will see young skiers and riders showing off their tricks in a specially-constructed terrain park at Coronet Peak after this event was moved from The Remarkables.

Categories include youth male and female Under 12, Under 14, and Under 16, both ski and snowboard.

Registration is between 9 and 10am at Coronet Peak guest services. Entry is free, but a $20 bib deposit is required.

Queenstown ski areas review closing dates

Queenstown’s Coronet Peak ski area will extend its opening dates for skiers and boarders to enjoy an extra week of skiing and riding, thanks to fantastic spring snow conditions.

Coronet Peak was originally scheduled to close this weekend but will now stay open until its final day on Sunday October 9. However snow conditions mean The Remarkables ski area will bring its closing date forward and will now shut on Sunday October 2.

NZSki CEO James Coddington said the Queenstown season had been “like no other” with variable snowfalls even from one side of the Wakatipu Basin to the other.

“Past records and our planning are all built around running only one area in the final week, because of snow conditions and an expected drop in the number of guests,” he said.

“Usually this would be The Remarkables as it traditionally has the better snow conditions at this time of the year thanks to its higher elevation, but this year Coronet Peak has consistently been blessed with plenty of great snow.

“Coronet received another 10cm of new dry snow just a few days ago and overall has much better conditions than The Remarks, so it makes sense to swap their closing dates.

“Overall it’s a great way to end the 2011 season.”

Mr Coddington said The Remarkables season pass holders would be welcome to ski at Coronet Peak for the final week of the season with lift access provided on their mypass cards.

“We know there are Remarks skiers and riders who are addicted to the terrain parks there so the team at Coronet will set up some features for the final week.”

The Remarkables Spring Carnival will be moved to Coronet Peak for the weekend of October 8 and 9 so no-one will miss out on its fun-filled events and crazy antics.

“Unfortunately, thanks to changes to New Zealand school holiday dates because of the Rugby World Cup, we’ll be closed for the majority of the holidays, so to give the kids a last chance at the snow all children and youths aged 17 years and under will ski for free for that last weekend,” said Mr Coddington.

Coronet Peak scheduled to close on October 9 and The Remarkables is scheduled to close on October 2 – subject to weather and snow conditions.

Children and youths (17 years and under) can access lifts for free at Coronet Peak on October 8 and 9.

English rugby team managers have a blast skiing fresh snow at Coronet Peak

Eight members of the English rugby team management took to the snow yesterday finding 20cms of fresh snow over the past few days too much to resist.

The skiers were in good hands with the NZ Snowboard team coach Tom Willmott playing tour guide for the day.

It’s been a return to winter on Queenstown’s ski areas this week with lots of new snow providing superb skiing and riding conditions for spring visitors.

Posing with the view from left to right are:

Tom Stokes

Tom Willmott (NZ Snowboard team coach)

Mike Hughes

Gerard Murphy

Dave Silvester (front)

’The Remarkables receives glorious new ‘winter’ snow

Spring skiing conditions returned to glorious winter snow in the resort town of Queenstown with The Remarkables ski area welcoming a good dump of the white stuff overnight (September 12).

A southerly weather front currently working its way up the South Island is responsible for the 5cm to 10cm dump at The Remarks with snow continuing to fall throughout today (September 13).

Ski Area Manager Ross Lawrence said the fresh snow fall and further snow in the forecast set the ski area up for some sensational spring skiing.

“Skiers and boarders are just loving the new snow conditions today with fresh powder all over the mountain, including the chutes and Highway,” he said.

“Once this front passes and the visibility clears a bit the riding will be absolutely sensational.”

People heading to the mountain tomorrow (Wednesday September 14) can head over to Shadow Basin and watch The North Face Freeski Open Big Mountain qualifiers where some of New Zealand and overseas top-ranked big mountain skiers. The event is a three star qualifying event for the Freeride World Tour earning top finishers valuable points and cash prizes.

There is also plenty to be part of this weekend with The Burton Snowbroads camp on Saturday and the Gathering at The Stash on Sunday.

Parklife Invitational rocks Queenstown with tricks and spills

More than 40 of New Zealand’s top freestyle skiers and riders showcased their best ‘tricks’ in front of thousands of spectators at the Parklife Invitational rail jam in downtown Queenstown on Friday August 12.

Riders and skiers dropped down a specially-built 27-metre-long snow ramp, going head to head on a purpose-built stair feature covered by snow trucked down from nearby mountains.

The event was held as part of the opening ceremony of New Zealand’s ‘100% Pure Winter Games’.

The Remarkables terrain park crew set up the ramp and features for the iconic downtown event which thrilled a crowd of up to 3,000 with spectacular tricks and spills.

Wanaka freeski brothers Jackson and Beau James Wells, among the youngest competitors at just 13 and 15 respectively, showed off their skills with gravity-defying 720-degree spins while The Remarkables’ Nick Hyne also shone.

First prize overall and $2,000 cash went to snowboarder Nick Brown while the gong for best trick was taken out by Thubga Josayama (TJ) of Wanaka.

Top skier was Gus Kenworthy of the USA, first female boarder was Jen Brown from the UK, a Snowsports instructor at The Remarkables, and first female skier was Jule Seifert from Germany.

The Remarkables ski area manager Ross Lawrence said he was delighted to have delivered a fantastic free event that had everyone in town buzzing.

“The Parklife Invitational for 2011 has been the best yet, in talent, crowd and atmosphere,” he said.

“The talent’s right here and it’s great to have this sort of spectacle in town for everyone to enjoy.

’s been a crisp and clear night, lit by a full moon which just adds to the atmosphere.”

d this fall heralds promising snow cover for the New Zealand school holidays which start at the end of next week (16 July). Loads of people are already here enjoying the slopes and with more white gold falling we’re delighted our season is now cranking up.”

Local ski areas 2011 season, scheduled opening dates. Coronet Peak-  The original A short 20minute drive from Queenstown Status: OPEN Snowbase: 105cm - 130cm spring conditions ski vote & profile Snow report Remarkables - Some nice chutes 40minute drive from Queenstown Status: OPEN Snowbase: 70cm - 80cm packed powder ski vote & profile Snow report Cardrona - Renowned for superb snow Depending on road conditions about 1 hour from Queenstown Status:OPEN Snowbase:100cm - 120cm spring conditions and excellent cover ski vote & profile Snow report Treble Cone- Beeeg mountain 30 minutes from Wanaka 1.5 hours from Queenstown Status:OPEN Snowbase:46cm great cover upper spring lower slopes ski vote & profile Snow report SnowFarm- Cross country Nordic field 35 km from Wanaka and 55 km from Queenstown. Status: OPEN Snowbase:100cm spring ski vote & profile Snow report Snow Park- New School 35 km from Wanaka and 55 km from Queenstown. Status:OPEN Snowbase:95cm ski vote & profile Snow report The Remarks has some sweet park features

Missing Queenstown? Need that feeling back?
If you are missing Queenstown and need that feeling back from one of the most beautiful places in the world take the time to take a photo tour of some fantastic and very moody panoramic photos taken by our resident mountain photographer Peter Laurenson. These are worth the download time folks they are special check them out! The links are below these tasters we recommend you check them out the tasters do not do it justice!




Follow these links!
(each image is around 120k) All copyright Peter Laurenson.

Coronet Peak Panorama

Glenorchy Panorama

Wakatipu Panorama 1

Wakatipu Panorama 2

Queenstown New Zealand Queenstown New Zealand is one of the most beautiful places in the world. If is a spectacular place to base yourself for your New Zealand ski and Snowboard experience. The are two ski fields close to Queenstown and more a little further away. Coronet Peak 'the original' is not a huge field but it does offer some fantastic terrain and runs. Highly recommended by Powderhound. Queenstown is New Zealand's best ski resort town. It offers a true alpine style holiday experience. There is a huge range of accommodation and a wide variety of bars and restaurants. If you are looking for a alpine resort style ski and snowboard holiday in New Zealand this is the place to go.     Coronet Peak is a convex hill and it therefore offers a variety and type of terrain that is quite uncommon. Lots of man made snow at times but still pretty wicked.