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 #1 New Zealand Season 2006 Posted 17/02/2006 @ 04:11 |
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Revision #1 (Last edited: 05/05/2006 @ 08:29) |
ello all
Mr and Mrs Sloth are heading off to NZ for the season this year and want to get our season passes sorted while the early bird prices are on. But which pass should they choose?
Several options available on the NZ Ski site (we're planning on living in Queenstown). Has anyone ridden Mt Hutt - is it worth getting the nzski complete pass that covers there as well or are we good with just the Queenstown only one?
Shame there's not one pass that covers Treble Cone too, but that's owned by different people.
Opinions welcome on what's best over there...and dunno if anyone knows best season insurance to go for (except that it's gotta be Australian-based cos that's where I live now) - all seems very very pricey compared to the UK  .
Seen there's a few of you gonna be out there this season so will have to meet up at some point.
10-4
Sloth |
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Everyone's hung their boots up. Arse. |
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| #2 Re: New Zealand Posted 17/02/2006 @ 09:53 |
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| #3 Re: New Zealand Posted 17/02/2006 @ 11:43 |
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| In reply to post #1
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If you're living in queenstown I'd make sure that you get a pass for the remarkables and coronet peak. Don't bother with Mt. Hutt it's too far away. Treble Cone would be about 2hrs from queenstown.
The closest ones outside of the queenstown area are Cardrona and Snowpark NZ roughly 45mins to 1 hour away. |
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| #4 Re: New Zealand Posted 03/04/2006 @ 01:51 |
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| In reply to post #3
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I'm just getting serious about spending July and August in New Zealand. It seems a hell of a long way to go to snowboard, but, well there are a million reasons to go to new zealand so I won't start posting them all here. What I really want to know is what's the best way to get to lots of freeride terrain while I'm there without moving around and staying in hotels and spending all my money on hire cars and overpriced accomodation. I know I'm gonna have to get used to 45min-1hr drives to the slopes as opposed to walking out of a chalet and getting on a lift up to the top of a huge mountain.
Mountain? TC I presume, I'm going to be doing alot of hiking and might also spend a week on a course to climb mt cook or one of the other peaks.
Season passes?
Where to stay? Wanaka for access to a number of places I guess
What accomodation will I be able to get? Would be happy sharing a flat/room with some other boarders but have had no luck looking round on the net.
Travel? Bus, Hitch, buy cheap car and sell it on leaving?
I figure I'm going to need about £3000 for while I'm there for accomodation, travel, food, passes. Is this enough or am I totally clueless?
Anyway advice from those who live there, or who've been is desperately needed so I don't end up living in a cardboard box 6 hours drive from a mountain, on the other side of the planet.HELP PLEASE! |
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| #5 Re: New Zealand Posted 03/04/2006 @ 01:57 |
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| In reply to post #4
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can't give you much more info till i'm there, but that's only 2 weeks today, so will be posting back up on here as they happen
sloth |
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Everyone's hung their boots up. Arse. |
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| #6 Re: New Zealand Posted 03/04/2006 @ 09:51 |
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Hey,
Definitely get the coronet peak/remarkables pass (it also covers ohau, btw), but i wouldn't bother with the mt. hutt pass, its too far away from QT to justify it. Also Hutt realistically offers nothing you won't find locally at coronet, remarks, cardrona, snowpark and TC.
What kind of riding are you into? cos if you're a park fiend a snow park pass would be worth considering but i dunno what they go for at the minute, dollar-wise. Also the Remarks park is pretty respectable these days.
T.C. is the place to be on powder days if you've got transport. Its awesome. But i've always based myself in QT and just popped over to TC and Cardrona a coupla times a season.
There's usually good stuff to be found on any given day at either Remarks or coronet.
The higher hills - Cardrona and T.C. - can get severely bottle green during cold dry spells.
Also you've got night boarding on Fri and Sat at Coronet which is cold, icy and dodge at times but lets you get the hours in.
I've been here in QT for the majority of the last four years so fire away with any more questions you might have about the place. More than happy to help.  |
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| #7 Re: New Zealand Posted 03/04/2006 @ 09:59 |
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| In reply to post #4
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hey tristar,
for what you wanna do, Wanaka seems the likely option. You're close to TC and also the aspiring and Mt. Cook national parks.
It can be harder to find work in Wanaka. Its far quieter than QT these days.
£3000 should see you through. I arrived in QT with a grand that saw me through my first season. I worked in a hostel for free rent and did a bit of cleaning for extra dollar and hitched up the hill all season and managed to board prob. 5 out of 7 days.
Don't worry about sorting out a house or long term accomodation before you arrive. just book in to a hostel for a week and find something while you're here. There'll be lots of ppl just like you doin the same.
Transport- get a cheap motor if you can (just hope i dont spot it first  ), if not, hitch. ppl are much more generous here than blightyboundfolk it seems. Dont bother with the buses, they're a rip off, they're dangerous (more than one has gone off the remarks road in the last coupla years), and they're buses and buses suck. |
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| #8 Re: New Zealand Posted 03/04/2006 @ 10:48 |
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| In reply to post #7
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If I were you, I'd stay in Wanaka and ride TC and Snow Park all day long.
We were over there for a season 3 years ago and I'm still stuck on this side of the world. However, we luckily got hold of an all NZ ski field pass for the same price as one for TC! I think they've stopped that as they realised they'd be losing loads!
Mt Hutt is miles away from QT/Wanaka and often closed due to weather problems (ie: Mt Shut) Coronet Peak has a really icy front face (ie: Concrete Peak) and the Remarkables has some good steeps, but gets pretty wind affected (ie: the Unremarkables) Cardrona is OKish, but pretty flat in places and good for beginners (ie: Cardiganona)
Its Treble Cone all the way, but it IS the most expensive. While you're out there, go heli-boarding, its cheap and easily the best thing I've ever, ever done.
Have a blast. |
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| #9 Re: New Zealand Posted 03/04/2006 @ 22:48 |
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| #10 Re: New Zealand Posted 03/04/2006 @ 23:46 |
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| In reply to post #9
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Sure ripperjon can answer that but I hope so cos I'm in the same boat - finally got myself into the park after 6+years of riding last year so defo want more of that.
According to their website tho, there's plenty for everyone "From first time park riders to the most advanced, Snow Park NZ offers something for everyone. Always a popular element of the park, the beginner jumps and boxes allow for easy and fast progression. If you don’t think you are ready for the Superpipe check out the learner’s pipe and hit the beginner boxes on your way back to the lift."
http://www.snowparknz.com/site/terrain/ |
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Everyone's hung their boots up. Arse. |
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| #11 Re: New Zealand Posted 03/04/2006 @ 23:51 |
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| In reply to post #6
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ripperjon
Cheers for the info...we got the QT pass in the end - gonna be there in under 2 weeks 
Buying a car
What do you reckon our chances of buying a car in QT? Are there many for sale down there? I know we'd be better off going up to Christchurch, but that's quite a mission!
Also...any recommendations for mtb trails down there? Been 6 months off the bike and can't wait to get out there before it gets to winter! |
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Everyone's hung their boots up. Arse. |
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| #12 Re: New Zealand Posted 04/04/2006 @ 00:14 |
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| In reply to post #11
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just took a look at the pricings and noticed the students pass. Does it have to be a NZ school? I have a UBC student card that says i'm a full time student till august 2008... think it'll work??
Might just get the nz pass if the student discount will work, as $500 CAD for a seasons pass isn't bad at all! and then i can be flexible as to where i end up.
One last dumb question that i probably could look up, but what are the other big ski areas that aren't covered by the nz pass and should i consider getting passes to them instead? Just seems lilke the nz pass is just for one company of resorts, is this true? |
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| #13 Re: New Zealand Posted 04/04/2006 @ 00:20 |
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| In reply to post #12
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I'd just email them about that - they came back to me straight away with my Q's |
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Everyone's hung their boots up. Arse. |
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| #14 Re: New Zealand Posted 04/04/2006 @ 03:54 |
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Hey all,
With regard to buying a car: probably the earlier you arrive the better so if ur here in 2 weeks u should be able to find something to suit your needs. The cars here seem to be a little bit dearer than a coupla years back. I bought an awesome little toyota corolla that flew up the mountain for $500 a coupla years back. I just bought a Ford laser 1.6 16v for $1100 a coupla months back for this season.
Some mates of mine 2 seasons back splashed $6000 on a subaru legacy (or subaru cl*toris as they're known here) for the mountain, with the intent of reselling for slightly less. That was total overkill and bit em in the as$ come the end of the season. All you really need is a nice little hatchback. Stick ur boards on the back seat.
At the mo cars are averaging $1200 for a good 1990ish saloon. Up to prob $2500 for a camper or 4wd hiace. A grand more for a 4x4 (which is nice but not necessarily necessary). But you can still get all sorts of good cars under a grand if you check the notice boards at the internet cafes and ask around in the hostels.
One thing to bear in mind is snow chains. A good brand new set is about $100 here from Repco so a car that comes with them will save you a little bit (so long as they're not knackered).
Cars are cheaper in Chch but give urself a bit of time to look around here and you'll find something to suit.
Phew...sorry if that was a bit of a rant...
As far as kickers of the not huge variety go: I didn't hit snow park last year but the year previous, the small kickers were still quite large as i remember. I'm sure they've prob sorted that by now. The website should give you an idea.
The Remarks park has improved a lot over the last coupla years. They have an entirely separate bunch of small kickers to learn new spins n grabs on which are prob only 6foot high. Then there are some intermediate ones with easy landings. And then there are prob two big uns which get bigger as the season progresses (so hit em early or you might not hit em at all) which have nasty raised knuckles but are super sweet if hit right. There are also a few good rails there - kinks, rainbows, boxes etc.
There's a terrain park at coronet as well now which i doubt would have any black kickers. Their park is usually small and not too extreme but good for learning stuff.
On the other hand: build ur own kicker. There's loads of spots at the back of coronet with good down-flat-down terrain to build ur own little wedge of doom to session out of the prying eyes of the wannabe pros hecklin from the lifts
Anyways hope that helps a bit |
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| #15 Re: New Zealand Posted 04/04/2006 @ 04:04 |
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| In reply to post #14
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nice one - was reckoning i'd be spending around $2000 on the car, so from wot you've said that should get me something good enuf
As long as it takes at least 2 ppl and 2 boards that's good enuf for me, and me+bike the rest of the time. |
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Everyone's hung their boots up. Arse. |
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