direct to queenstown

thinking of crossing the ditch to play in the snow? my advice is fly direct to Queenstown. when it comes down to it why waste time flopping between planes in christchurch. we are here to ski and ride!

qantas are doing two flights a week from sydney, and 1 a week from melbourne and brisbane. air new zealand have something on the go as well this winter. ho hum.

coolest itinerary i would imagine for a mountainless sydnesider would be to fly friday morning direct to queenstown arriving about 3pm in time for some night skiing ( starts late july ) on coronet peak . party hard through the weekend then zip back Sunday night to be back at work for the new week. think it's going to happen? not unless you hire a corporate jet.

and thats not such a silly idea if you have a few spare readies. a quick chat to our friends at Jetcorp

http://www.jetcorpaustralia.com.au/

tell us that for a measly AUD$28,900 we can charter a BeechJet 400A and for AUD$53,000 you can travel in style on a Cessna Citation VII. Split that amongst 7 people and it's game on.

too early for most birds at TC

TC fanatics were up in arms with early bird season passes doubling this year to $1500. Wots more thats double any other equivalent season pass for Southern Lakes snow areas.

We know Treble Cone has the best vertical and some of the bigger powder falls for your hot show snow boarders and skiers but boy are the locals paying for it. Now if that Gondola was installed and we could all enjoy a top to bottom enclosed seat to relax in between mammoth vert runs then maybe....

don't miss the opening !

Wanna know when all the Southern Lakes snow fields are opening (and closing) in 2007? Put a date in your diary and make sure you are there. Heck how about trying to be at all 5 ?

Coronet Peak open June 9 and close on October 7

The Remarkables open on June 23 and close on October 7.

Cardrona Alpine Resort open on June 22 and close on October 7.

Treble Cone (hopes to) open on June 26 and close on September 30

Snow Park open (subject to weather) on June 22 and close on September 30.

new groomerzzzzzzzz

Coronet Peak's trails will be better groomed this winter after the arrival of two new snow groomers, ski area boss Duncan Smith said.

Two new Kassbohrer PB600 series snow groomers – the latest in snow-grooming technology from Europe – would ensure surfaces were groomed in a wider variety of snow and weather conditions, he said.

"The new groomers will enable us to maintain higher quality skiing and snowboarding terrain for our guests."

Mr Smith said Coronet Peak understood how important well-groomed slopes and varied and undulating terrain were to the skiing experience.

Coronet Peak had also invested in a new pump station including two new pumps that would boost snowmaking capacity by 20 percent.

"We recognise how important consistent, reliable and good-quality snow conditions are to our customers and to the Queenstown winter visitor industry." ..........

Full report in southland times