Snowolf

Awesome report there NZ...keep em coming! With two hemispheres we can keep the snow stoke going year round. My first international trip (other than going to Canada which is really like going to another state) is going to be "down under" I am talking to some trucking companies about driving the land trains in Australia for a year or two so I can be down there to ride your terrain. Do you know if there are many Trucking jobs in kiwi land?

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nzboardlife

Personally i don't know, But there are a shit load of trucks, quite alot of logging/milk tankering and then theres just the general highway 1 truck'n. I am in no way they person to ask though

nzboardlife

Mt Ruapehu. Made me laugh. -Snow.co.nz

Simply^Ride

Stupid skier

Hey is that a recent shot?

nzboardlife

Think so, Latest one in Pre-Season 08 section of their site

"Cardrona Valley Gondola Approved

Press Release by Snow Park NZ at 6:24 pm, 14 May 2008

The Lee family in the Cardrona Valley received approval today to build the first gondola in New Zealand to access a ski resort.

The $16.6million gondola project will service Snow Park NZ, Waiorau Snow Farm and a third planned ski area, Roaring Meg Resort.

The 3.8km-long gondola will ascend 975 vertical metres from the Cardrona Valley floor to the ski facilities on the Pisa Range. It will transport up to 1000 people per hour in gondola cars each holding eight passengers.

This is a landmark decision for the future of snow holidays in New Zealand said Sam Lee Snow Park NZ manager. "We have world class facilities available and can now deliver the whole package to ensure safety, ease of passage and an enjoyable mountain experience to our visitors. It is immensely important
we can develop not only the ski fields but the means of access to them. There are so many benefits, we are thrilled," he said.

The proposed 300-hectare Roaring Meg Resort will offer downhill skiing and an expansive beginners' area. With five chairlifts and the longest run covering 1800m the resort will exponentially add to the freestyle and cross
country snow sports already on offer.

The approved proposal, submitted in July 2007, carries very few amendments relating to the engineering, design and environmental aspects. The consent's key conditions focus on the development of public walking tracks around the top gondola station and across the valley. All of which have been agreed to.

The plans will now include the creation of an ecological walk around the top gondola station and to link with the Thouy's Gully DOC track, information cards in each of the gondola cars educating passengers about the history and important ecological sites along the gondola path and to allow the Cardrona Valley trail connecting Cardrona township to Wanaka crossing the Lee family property.

Suburban Blend

That's the smartest thing I've ever heard. No more sketchy rides up to the ski field with your hand on the door knob ready to jump out.

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Suburban Blend

nzboardlife

It probably also helps quite alot with any parking issues

NzGnu

mainfreight is one of the big shipping companies down here, or atleast in the south island...which is where the best snow is anyway
Yeah that gondolas definatly a good idea considering that road is used as a rally track for the race to the sky in summer....its definatly pretty sketchy in the snow with 2wd.

EDIT: also coming soon to snowpark is one of these bad boys BigAirBAG | Home
should be pretty insane...am thinking of going up to check it out once theyve got it...could be some carnage trying to get off it though?

nzboardlife

Yeh but i think because its at a very low air pressure it allows you to slide down a side at your own will, landing smack bang in the middle might be a bit of a challange to get off from. I can see some knob end smacking him/her self in the head with their own skis

Gustov

that picture is great. pretty intense looking wipeout for such a gentle slope.

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