With stunning views, renowned terrain park and plenty of space for beginners, Cardrona is the perfect place to get your ski or snowboard game into shape. The southerly aspect of the resort keeps the snow light and powdery for longer, while a varied natural terrain including steep chutes and cliff-jumps means plenty to explore.
Where: Just over an hour north of Queenstown or 30 minutes south of Wanaka
Terrain: 25% beginner, 25% intermediate, 30% advanced, 20% expert
Altitude: 1670m – 1860m
Average annual snowfall: 2.9m
Beginners
For those taking their first steps (or turns) into the wonderful world of skiing and boarding, Cardrona is the perfect place to start. One of the best beginners' areas around, a dedicated space with wide, gentle slopes will get you going in no time. Once you’re ready to start exploring more of the mountain you’ll find that there is plenty of variety with at least one beginner level piste accessible from each chairlift.
Intermediate
Already know what you’re doing? Cardrona has some wide, open slopes that will get you cruising along nicely. There are some fantastic longer runs and a large number of pistes that are ideal for the intermediate skill level, no matter your age.
Advanced/Expert
Pow-seeking boarder or skier and more interested in exploring the back-country? Though Cardrona may not be as well known for its advanced level terrain or deep powder you’ll still be able to find a whole lot of fun off-piste to explore. The top picks for expert level riders looking for some decent off-piste include Arcadia Chutes, Tulip Chutes and the off-piste from the Captain’s Express chairlift. These are great if you’re looking for varied slopes and can have some nice pockets of powder if you hit them at the right time.
Terrain Park and pipes
Freestyle riders looking for big air and a resort where they can pass hours in the park need look no further. Home to the New Zealand Park Team, Cardrona is one of the southern-hemisphere’s best park terrains so you will be playing amongst the best. There are four parks of various levels to keep you busy and many international freestyle events are held in this park each season.
Beginner, freestyle pro or park lover, there’s a good reason why Cardrona is known as a great all-rounder resort.
