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

Jump in ski pass costs

"A $70 increase in the Queenstown early bird ski season pass - to $649 - is regrettable but unavoidable, according to Southern Alpine Recreation boss Duncan Smith. Last year it rose $30 and the year before $50. The nzski.com pass rises to $749. Mr Smith blames 18-20 percent increases in energy costs, higher compliance, capital infrastructure and labour costs."

Hmmm wonder if it has anything to with shareholder returns? Certainly nothing to do with long time loyal customer satisfaction.......

Skifield to extend beginners' slope

Skifield to extend beginners' slope
By SUE FEA - The Southland Times | Tuesday, 20 February 2007

Coronet Peak will double its existing on-slope beginner section...

Blah blah blah

...Coronet Peak is scheduled to open on June 9.

Aaaaahhhhhhhhhh.

season passes on sail

yep it's the annual rush to your favourite fields website to lay down your hard won cash for the good old season pass. suck you dry spit you out and make you beg for more. easier than selling candy to a baby and more addictive than a packet of drum. season passes ....

they know the mortal snow addict is strung in to a lifelong obsession so really we should campaign for government intervention. or something.

bad news is? it ain't going to get cheaper :(

my advice. dont miss out. deals finish in march.

how to ease the pain? in the words of the great WIF Hunt - Te Kuiti farmer and dynamo of a man - "the first chairlift ride of the season costs the full price of the season pass and the rest are free"

Concern over Europe 'snow crisis'

While many mortal kiwis wander whats up at the beach spare a thought for our distant snow cousins across the globe ...... James Cove from the BBC writes about Europes snow crisis;

The French Alps are uncharacteristically lacking in snow

" Ski resorts across the European Alps are becoming increasingly worried as current bad snow conditions threaten the all important Christmas holiday period.

This autumn has been one of the worst on record with high temperatures and little snowfall.

Many resorts have had to postpone their openings and the main ski races have been cancelled because of a lack of snow.

With millions of skiers heading to the resorts over the next week there are concerns that the open runs will be very busy and people could be put off from booking again at Christmas and the New Year, costing the multi-million pound industry heavily in lost revenue, and threatening jobs.

Climate change

Many believe global warming is to blame for the lack of snow.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development warned that many low-level resorts could soon be unviable and predicted warmer temperatures in the future.

Already banks are refusing to offer loans to resorts under 1,500 metres as they fear for their future snow cover. Germany is threatened the most, followed by some Austrian and Italian resorts.

However, the picture is not as bleak as some say, with the high resorts having good conditions on some runs.

I am in the Swiss resort of Verbier and the open runs have good snow and more is set to open this weekend helped by artificial snow.

"We have many new snow-making cannons across our slopes and this has helped greatly," Pierre-Yves Deleze told the BBC.

"Some snow is forecast to fall next week and then everything should be OK. If not though, it will make us more nervous for Christmas."

'Higher ground'

The best skiing is to be found on the high resorts with glaciers: Tignes and Les Deux Alpes in France; Zermatt, Saas Fee and Verbier in Switzerland, and Obergurgl in Austria......

For the full report see;

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6185345.stm