The best places to ski near Queenstown
With travel restrictions easing, Australians can once again experience the magic of a ski season in New Zealand.
Winter is almost upon us, and many Australians are already dreaming of crackling fires and the delectable crunch of fresh snow underfoot.
While trips to local ski fields offered a welcome reprieve from the monotony of the past two pandemic years, for diehard skiers, the Friday Flats and Easy Streets of Australia can’t satisfy the snow lust.
But now, thanks to the recent lifting of New Zealand’s border restrictions, Australians can freely explore the powdery slopes of our antipodean neighbours.
Ski fields on New Zealand’s South Island – home to some of the world’s most picturesque winter vistas – kick off their 2022 season in mid-June ahead of most North Island slopes, which open from early July.
Queenstown, which opens its Coronet Peak and Remarkables ski fields on June 17 and 18 respectively, has become one of the best destinations for skiers in the southern hemisphere to explore. Both Coronet Peak and The Remarkables are less than an hour’s drive away from the town centre, which is a drawcard for skiers and snowboarders alike thanks to its wealth of accommodation and dining options. From the slopes to après skiing, we break down the best Queenstown has to offer this ski season.
Queenstown
Located at the foot of the towering mountains and on the banks of the expansive Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown is a New Zealand marvel that offers much more than your typical ski resort towns. In fact, the Kiwi adventure capital also doubles as one of its most impressive gastronomic cities, offering world-class food for weary skiers.
From gourmet eateries like Rātā and Boardwalk to gutsy institutions like Fergburger, there is more than enough to keep you well-fed and happy along the chilly boardwalks and intimate streets of Queenstown.
As far as accommodation goes, Azur Lodge, located right on Sunshine Bay just out of the centre of Queenstown, is a go-to with incredible views of the surrounding landscape, simple yet chic private villas and rooms, and excellent service all on offer. Closer to the heart of Queenstown, Eichardt’s combines the town‘s quaint charm with modern luxuries, making it our favourite boutique stay in the region.
Coronet Peak
Just a 20-minute drive from Queenstown, Coronet Peak is the closest skiing you’ll get to your home base. It’s also the most popular and historic mountain in the region — for better or worse — with four lifts servicing around 40 kilometres of ski runs, the majority of which are blue and black difficulties.
Coronet Peak’s crown jewel, however, is made apparent after dark. As the home to the region’s night skiing, skiers and snowboarders can experience the slops with a whole new perspective on Wednesday and Friday nights.
Adult daily lift passes are currently on sale for around $127 here. The mountain is slated to open from 17 June.
The Remarkables
A bit further out from the city you’ll find The Remarkables. Smaller than Coronet Peak but with tight chutes for advanced skiers, beautiful bowls for beginners and an incredible Burton Stash park — one of only six around the world, and the only one below the equator — for tricksters to explore, there is more than enough here to discover.
It’s a great peak to get away from the crowds and explore another side of the famous Queenstown valley.
Adult daily lift passes are currently on sale for around $127 here. The mountain is slated to open from 18 June.
Heli-skiing
It’s easy to appreciate the grandeur of Queenstown’s mountain range from the window of a helicopter, but to truly feel awed by its scale, try jumping out of said chopper onto one of its snowy peaks.
While they may make day passes look like pocket change, the heli-skiing experiences on offer are worth every cent for those looking for the ultimate adrenaline surge.
Operating out of Queenstown, companies such as Harris Mountains Heli-Ski and Alpine Heli-Ski will take you to peaks unreachable by foot, lift or snowmobile. Untouched bowls, spines and chutes can become your playground, with trips operating out of Queenstown as far as Mount Cook and as wide as Mount Aspiring giving you access to over 400 pristine runs — some of which, particularly around Mount Cook, are 1200m long.
New Zealand’s border was open to Australia at time of publication, but be sure to check here for any updates.