[Craig64]

Being an Aussie have boarded Perisher/Thredbo all my life. Went to NZ in '94. Snowed everyday down to the Queenstown Lake....., epic conditions. Boarded Coronets and Remarkables.

So I find with my limited experience that there's not much different between Australia and NZ.

Doesn't seem to be much vegetation up high in the NZ mountains that I've been too.

I find now that I can't wait to spend my snowboarding trips in Japan.

 

[JDA]

The nice thing about Japan is the snow is almost guaranteed, especially during peak storm season. We went in 2016 and it was meant to be one of the worst seasons on record but we still got fresh snow 13 days out of a possible 17.

This year we got 2.5m of fresh in 9 days

 

[Phedder]

NZ is much steeper than Aus in general, and as you've noticed it's all Alpine style terrain, we don't get trees above 1000m, which means all the fun stuff are cliff drops, chutes, and wide open faces. Coronet peak is very mellow, and in '94 the Remarkables didn't have much terrain available, you definitely didn't see the best of it hah.

If you're looking for a different experience that you won't find anywhere else in the world, come to NZ, hire a 4wd, and do a tour of all the club fields. These are non-commercial ski fields, mostly run through the use of tow-ropes where you wear a harness and use a metal clamp to hold onto the rope as it pulls you uphill. You avoid the crowds, get to see the best terrain has to offer, and many of them have on-mountain accommodation options. Typically dormitory style, and everyone helps muck in for lunch and dinner service. My favourite place on earth is Mount Olympus on a powder day, and their lodge for Apres. It has the highest hot tub in NZ, and a gigantic dress ups box, and alcohol is so cheap is should be illegal. Cheapest beer is $2.50 a can, $5 mixers or shots etc.

Some pics I put up a few years back - http://www.snowboardingforum.com/photography-video-other-media/184217-new-zealand-spring-riding.html

Aaaaaand a big write up I did for a different forum;
club fields nz | Boardworld Forums | Australia's Premier Boardsports Community
The video in there was the season we only had our rope tow open for 5 days because of low coverage, and in those 4 or 5 runs in that video I managed to completely destroy that board. Conservative riding because it was all rock underneath... The 2017 season we had it open literally every day of the season, with a few very good dumps on it. Imagine that face with 30cm of fresh on it with a good base :grin:

 

[Manicmouse]

I doubt any aussie resort comes even close to the awesomeness of Cardrona! Great for boarders.

A rare powder day not closed to high winds on Mt Ruapehu is pretty sweet, epic off piste on the glaciers.

Will never go to Australia for snowboarding, I'll stick to your beaches.

 

[auben]

...
So I find with my limited experience that there's not much different between Australia and NZ. :chin:

wow that is high praise indeed for Oz, i was not expecting that - i just assumed because of your warm climate that it would've been a bit ho hum especially with the number of ockers coming over to Queenstown in the school holidays.
it's good to know & will keep it in mind.
where would you recommend in OZ? & when's the best time? if i was over there at the right time i'd be keen to check it out.

 

[JBM]

Boarded Coronet today 99% off piste ..was epic best ever early season pow in the 18yrs I've been going up>>

Have been to Canada --all the major South Island fields

Never ever even contemplated going to Aussie ..Aus mates that grew up in the Vic fields didn't rate them outside the very few decent dumps and not to steep ..

the Bulk of the NZ fields you have to hike for the really good parts steeps/bowls /shoots etc

Cardies great fun mountain had a few seasons passes over the years .. not as many advanced sections great park great family mountain (will be taking the kids up during season)

Yes NZ mountains don't have the endless pow or monster size ..but they sure are fun as I found out again today in the back bowls

 

[NT.Thunder]

Aussie boarders - what are some of the better accom options around some of the local mountains this season? Again I know why I look OS after spending the morning looking at prices for a weeks accom in some pretty basic lodgings on the mountain that come in around $3.5k not even looking at airfares, transfers and passes. Man it so expensive here in Aus.

Anyone point me in the right direction either Vic or NSW?

I'm going to hit up the in-laws to see if his mates place is available at Buller, stayed there a few times on the mountain and they're getting a bit old and starting to use it less and less but otherwise I'm interested in other options. Was hoping to not hire a car for 7 days but if I do maybe it's cheaper to stay somewhere like Berridale and drive an hour each way everyday.

 

[Craig64]

We have a 2 bedroom house at Crackenback (20km before Thredbo) and it rents for around $2.5k for 5 nights midweek peek to $3k in school Hol's (it's over $4k for 7 days school Holidays). Staying at Thredbo on the mountain is like $800- $1000 plus a night for a nice unit with parking.

We were going to buy a nice 2 bedroom self contained unit with parking there as they are around $600+k but they cost like around $25,000 a year in fees/rates/insurance etc which is around 1 month peak income. If you stay there at your own place for a week you lose like $5000 rent. This is why Snowboarding/skiing is expensive.

What you have to watch this year is there are limited lift tickets available so you have to make sure you have all your tickets prebooked online before you have your accommodation finalised.

 

[MountainMystic]

Aussie boarders - what are some of the better accom options around some of the local mountains this season? Again I know why I look OS after spending the morning looking at prices for a weeks accom in some pretty basic lodgings on the mountain that come in around $3.5k not even looking at airfares, transfers and passes. Man it so expensive here in Aus.

Anyone point me in the right direction either Vic or NSW?

I'm going to hit up the in-laws to see if his mates place is available at Buller, stayed there a few times on the mountain and they're getting a bit old and starting to use it less and less but otherwise I'm interested in other options. Was hoping to not hire a car for 7 days but if I do maybe it's cheaper to stay somewhere like Berridale and drive an hour each way everyday.

Mate, driving an hour there and an hour back each day is the anti-christ. any extra money you spend to stay on mountain is offset by the extra riding time and being able to relax at the end of the day, IMO (does depend what the cost difference is though TBH)
that being said. NFI how it will all work with corona. I would still probably be inclined to stay on mountain.
Jeez, if the Buller place is not being used much, I say go for it. it's not like you have to deal with rooms that randoms have stayed in and staff have hopefully cleaned properly.

 

[NT.Thunder]

Yeah the Buller place is great and I do need to check availability, we've stayed there a couple of times when the father-in-law has joined us but I think he's hanging up the ski's so will need to test the water.

The lift tickets I'm still trying to work out, I can't book anything yet as the border here whilst being open still requires 14 days mandatory isolation for CV. By the time NT opens back up with unrestricted travel my gut says NZ will be open for travel so maybe the original package I had booked can still go ahead.

 

[Craig64]

Yeah the Buller place is great and I do need to check availability, we've stayed there a couple of times when the father-in-law has joined us but I think he's hanging up the ski's so will need to test the water.

The lift tickets I'm still trying to work out, I can't book anything yet as the border here whilst being open still requires 14 days mandatory isolation for CV. By the time NT opens back up with unrestricted travel my gut says NZ will be open for travel so maybe the original package I had booked can still go ahead.

What is the price difference for you to go to either Australia or NZ.

 

[NT.Thunder]

What is the price difference for you to go to either Australia or NZ.

Return airfares (Darwin to Queenstown), 7 nights accomm Copthorne Hotel Superior Lakeside room, breakfast, 6 days Queens/Mt Hutt pass, transfers, ski-hire for daughter $5k

Pretty good value, struggling to see anything comparable here

 

[Manicmouse]

Prices are good now too, especially accommodation and rental vehicles. I hope we open up for you guys soon!

NZ is on 1 active case, everyone else has recovered. No new cases for 11 days. 👍

 

[NT.Thunder]

Just saw the daily lift pass price for Thredbo - $160 FFS

 

[Manicmouse]

$125 got bumped up to $145 on Mt Ruapehu with half the lifts closed for the season. I haven't checked the South Island fields.

 

[NT.Thunder]

$125 got bumped up to $145 on Mt Ruapehu with half the lifts closed for the season. I haven't checked the South Island fields.

So what's that, about $130 AUD. Are they still doing multi-day passes though?

 

[Myoko]

After doing Japan for so many years I just can't bring myself to go back to NZ (forget Australia). I'd rather go on a surfing trip to Yamba or something and wait for Japan or Canada to open up again. Sorry, but I think I will give USA a BIG miss.

 

[Manicmouse]

So what's that, about $130 AUD. Are they still doing multi-day passes though?

Just checked the website, it's actually $149 NZD so that's $137.50 AUD. Couldn't see any multi-day passes for sale online.

After doing Japan for so many years I just can't bring myself to go back to NZ (forget Australia). I'd rather go on a surfing trip to Yamba or something and wait for Japan or Canada to open up again. Sorry, but I think I will give USA a BIG miss.

We definitely don't have scale of the big resorts in the northern hemisphere that's for sure. Check out the heli-boarding in the South Island though, that looks amazing! Watch the NZ scene at the start of That's It That's All at 5 min 30s and you'll see what there is outside of the ski fields.

 

[NT.Thunder]

I did see the Remarkables/Coronet pass was being advertised for $110NZD

 

[Manicmouse]

Not bad, that's where I'll be in July. We've changed our Wanaka accommodation booking to Queenstown.

My wrist has been out of a cast for two weeks now and I have five weeks to get some strength and mobility back. My hand therapist says it's a good target!

If I can't snowboard then I'll take the kids' gear at least.