Glenn Cullen outlines the ultimate New Zealand road trip for skiers and snowboarders, and names Australia’s top six destinations.
North Americans and Europeans have long embraced the idea of the winter road trip and Antipodeans can, too. While Australia has its share of well-structured resorts, it’s hard to top New Zealand when it comes to the ultimate do-it-yourself winter adventure. Try this for size: 25 resorts spread over two islands. Heli-skiing. Cut-price carving on funky non-profit club fields. Riding on active volcanoes and mountains that start where Australia’s end. And it doesn’t stop with the ski fields, either. There are 1,001 activities to break up your slope time, from wineries to walking on glaciers and whale watching. So as long as you are prepared to be flexible, don’t mind driving on a few hairy mountain passes and enjoy doing your own thing, New Zealand is the perfect winter ski destination. The destinations listed below can be visited separately or linked in the order they appear for one long, fantastic winter road trip, flying into Christchurch and leaving from Auckland or Wellington.
This central South Island city is the starting point for most winter pursuits. For skiers and boarders, the key selling point is Mt Hutt, about an hour and ten minutes drive from downtown Christchurch.
Big, bald and with a better outlook than Anthony Robbins, Mt Hutt is generally regarded as the most reliable mountain in New Zealand in terms of snowfall. Hutt is usually the first to open (late May) and the last to close (late October), and has some terrific natural bowls for snowboarders and steep runs for advanced skiers and our one-planked brethren.
On the negative side of the ledger, Kiwi wits have labelled the hill ‘Mt Shut’ because occasional westerly winds sweep across the surrounding Canterbury Plains and close the resort down.
Things don’t start and finish at Hutt. There are another seven ski areas in the Canterbury region, all within two hours of Christchurch. They range from the small, commercial ski area of Porter Heights to club fields such as Craigieburn and Mt Potts — where for $320 a day, you can share a ski field with 12 others and, snow gods willing, ski or board fresh tracks for six hours. The main accommodation centre is the rural town of Methven, about 30 minutes from Mt Hutt.
Kaikoura gets little press in Australia but it’s a gem, especially if you’re just two hours south in Christchurch. It’s a popular crayfishing spot in summer and you can engage in most of the activities it offers in winter, including swimming with dolphins, whale watching and golf.
The jagged ranges meet the Pacific Ocean at Kaikoura, making for a stunning backdrop, as well as further skiing at nearby Mt Lyford. Its proximity to the coast means the snow can be heavy going but it also gets a lot of sunshine, which is a boon for fair-weather skiers.
If you are progressing north and like a tipple, it’s worth driving another hour and a half to Blenheim, where you’ll find the pick of NZ’s wineries. The likes of Cloudy Bay and Montana will ring bells with most, but you’ll be equally rewarded with a trip to boutique wineries such as Huia, which does a handy sauvignon blanc.
Ski Time Lodge, Methven Tel: 64 3 302 8398
There are five-hour drives and there are five-hour drives. While most snow tragics travel by night and ski or board by day, the journey from Christchurch to Wanaka is worth doing in the waking hours for the views alone.
Travelling south on Highway 1, you’ll peel off onto SH79 and then you can soak in the majestic massifs of the Mackenzie country. Stop for a lamb curry at the Old Library in Fairlie, then ski at Mt Dobson, or continue south to Twizel, where you can access the small commercial resort of Ohau.
Then there’s Wanaka. It’s more than just Queenstown on valium, from its stunning lake to nearby Mt Aspiring — ‘the Matterhorn of the south’. The town relies more on its natural charm and aesthetics than Queenstown’s jaw-dropping adventure activities.
The two main ski areas are Cardrona and Treble Cone, an hour’s drive from each other but eons apart in terms of personality. ‘TC’ is the wild beast of NZ skiing — with 40 per cent advanced/ expert riding, it’s not a mountain for rookies. But if you are a strong intermediate or above, it’s pretty hard to go past the Saddle Basin and Boundary Ridge Chutes just after a snowfall.
Cardrona is tamer, but the customer service is the best of any of the South Island ski areas, and it also has some on-mountain accommodation (a rarity in NZ). A beer (if not a night’s stay) at the quirky Cardrona Pub is a must.
It’s a good three hours north, but when it comes to mountains, Mount Cook is NZ’s crowning glory. At 3,755m, it’s the highest peak in Australasia and the training ground for Sir Edmund Hillary before he conquered Everest. About a third of the surrounding national park is under permanent snow and glacial ice. In mid-winter, you’ve a decent chance of seeing the entire village blanketed in white.
There are various walks and heli-hikes available but if you’re cashed up and keen, you could do worse than ski or board the Tasman Glacier. It’s more eye-catching than hardcore riding, but it’s worth it for the vistas alone. If your plastic is still accepted after that $650 foray, the Hermitage is the place to stay — primarily for its stunning views of Mt Cook.
Edgewater Inn, Wanaka Tel: 64 3 443 8311
Peter Jackson filmed much of Lord of the Rings around here, AJ Hackett began his bungy dynasty just out of town and Bill Clinton played a round of golf and inhaled the mountain air while he was still president in 1999. Queenstown: if you can’t get a buzz here, then you ain’t got a pulse.
Besides the myriad adventure activities, there are two more-than-passable ski areas. Coronet Peak is the closest and the local favourite. Easy access and good facilities mean it gets busy. A solid mix of terrain and spectacular back bow skiing when the snow’s good but a low base elevation (1,220m) means rain can come into play.
The Remarkables, the spectacular mountain range seen from Queenstown proper, is the other hill, about 40 minutes from downtown. Its base is at a similar elevation to Coronet’s zenith and as such, generally has better snow. Much of the better skiing is available with short hikes from the lifts.
Milford Sound, possibly NZ’s best known tourist attraction, is worth the 3.5 hour haul each way from Queenstown, even if you’ve only got a spare day. While you can still walk the legendary Milford Track in winter, it’s best avoided unless you are travelling with experienced guides. Instead, spend a day on the sound, itself. A number of cruises are available, or you can rug up and get in a kayak. Less well known but equally spectacular is Doubtful Sound, about 100 km south.
Queenstown Lodge
Tel: 64 3 442 7107
How mighty Mount Ruapehu became an afterthought for Australian skiers heading to New Zealand is a matter of conjecture. A few volcano eruptions, a couple of dud seasons and a lack of press in the 1990s didn’t help, but it’s now safe to say the North Island resort is back.
Comprising two major ski areas on each side of the volcano (Turoa and Whakapapa), Ruapehu is actually New Zealand’s biggest ski area, with the largest vertical drop. Last season, it had enough snow to open up over summer and the terrain, particularly on the Turoa side, is consistently rated the best in the country. The hike and ride back from Crater Lake is also a must.
On the negative side of the ledger, Ruapehu is not flanked by a mountain range like the Southern Alps, leaving it exposed to all kinds of weather. Most reliable is September onwards, when things settle down. At this stage, the two ski areas aren’t linked, and your options for a base are the national park side (Whakapapa) and the township of Ohakune (Turoa).
As far as distance goes, it’s not as far as it seems to get here from the South Island. The ferry from Picton (South Island) to Wellington (North Island) takes about three hours and costs about $179 for a vehicle. A four-hour drive should just about get you to Ruapehu. Alternatively, if you arrive in Auckland, it’s four-and-a-half hours on the road.
Taupo, one hour 30 minutes further north, is the gateway to Ruapehu. While not quite Queenstown, it’s also getting a reputation as an adrenalin centre, with most of the usual heart-in-mouth activities available. Nearby Huka Falls is an impressive side-trip and the trout fishing in Lake Taupo is probably the best in the land. Then you can always travel another hour or so and get a heady sulphur fix at volcanic Rotorua.
Whakapapa: Skotel Alpine Resort, Whakapapa Village
Tel: 64 7 892 3719
Turoa side: Powderhorn Chateau, Ohakune
Tel: 64 6 385 8888
Like the idea of driving to a ski resort but don’t want to fork out the airfare to NZ? Check out Australia’s big SIX.
Australia’s Big Six
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