Home > Our Publications > New Zealand Outlook > 2002 > May

PERHAPS surprisingly, for an island stuck in the South Pacific, New Zealand has several excellent ski fields, in both North and South islands.
With the season from June to October in both New Zealand Australia powderhounds can literally ski all year round.
Resorts have halfpipes for snowboarders and for something different you can go heli-skiing at most resorts.
The North Island has the country's two largest ski areas at Whakapapa and Tauro on Mount Ruapehu, while the South Island has Mt Hutt, Treble Cone, Cardrona, Coronet Peak and The Remarkables, both of these are world class.
All of the South Island resorts, except Mt Hutt are clustered around Queenstown - New Zealand's adventure capital.
The star quality of the Remarkables has a lot to do with its rugged good looks.
This is real mountain country and you feel like you could be high on Mount Everest, except all the comforts of resort skiing are just around the corner ... chairlifts whizzing past, gurgling cappuccino machines and a warm base lodge that serves fast food and sells souvenirs.
Despite the ruggedness of the terrain, the Remarkables has to be highly recommended for beginners.
North-facing beginner slopes provide warm and sunny skiing or snowboarding. The car park is right next to the novice slopes and the base lodge is right there too.
Once you step up in ability, though, the ski runs increase at sharp angles. The names tell the story ... the Intimidator, the Terminator and Gallipoli, so named because everyone falls down.
The tough stuff is giving the Remarkables a cult following, according to ski area manager Hamish McCrostie. He says there are many chutes just outside the resort boundary that skiers and boarders like to tackle.
But if you want a taste of this, without putting your neck right in the noose, there is the Homeward Bound run that starts near the top of Shadow Basi and drops into the valley below.
The constantly steep off-piste pitch ensures the traffic never gets too heavy and chances of untracked snow are as high as if you were on an expensive heli-skiing excursion.
The Remarkables is the smallest ski resort in the stable of nzski.com which also operates Coronet Peak and Mount Hutt. Opened in 1985, the Remarkables comprises three bowls: Sugar Bowl, Alta and Shadow Basin.
Officially 30 per cent beginner, 40 per cent intermediate and 30 per cent advanced, but particularly good at the two extremes: very advanced skiers and novices. The base lodge has licensed self-service cafe, snow shop, ski and snowboard school, licensed creche.
There is also ski, snowboard and clothing rental, storage, ski and snowboard repairs. Live music is featured regularly in the cafe. The resort also has a snowtubing park.
It's a peculiarity of New Zealand skiing that most accommodation is off the mountains at nearby townships. In this case, the base could not be better.
Queenstown is 45 minutes' drive away and is a town with endless adventure options like bungy jumping, river rafting, paragliding and jetboating. There are 100 eateries ... all are small, intimate, dimly lit and warmed by roaring log fires (none of the gas fakes that are so dominant in North American resorts these days).
Another bonus of Queenstown is that Coronet Peak ski area is only 25 minutes away. Daily shuttles operate to the Remarkables and Coronet Peak.
There's plenty of accommodation in Queenstown, ranging from backpacker to five star and serviced apartments.

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