Five things you didn't know about skiing in Queenstown

1. Coronet Peak is home to Night Ski

Coronet Peak’s Night Ski is a must for every skier’s bucket list. Enjoy a front-row seat to Whakatipu Basin’s incredible sunsets before night falls. As the lights come on, shred down wide-open trails until your legs can’t take another lap. Night Ski runs from 4-9pm every Wednesday and Friday night until the end of August.

It’s après-ski, Queenstown style! The team at Coronet Peak ensures there is an exciting lineup of live music acts and DJs, with lots of mulled wine and cool beer to sip on between runs. Non-skiers and non-borders are also welcome, with outdoor fire pits to keep toasty and a great atmosphere to keep you entertained. Keep up to date with Coronet Peak's night ski here.

2. The Remarkables is home to life-saving dogs and alpine parrots

The endangered kea is one of the smartest birds on the planet. These alpine parrots have beautiful green and orange plumage, with a cheeky attitude that has given them a reputation as the clown of the Southern Alps.

The Remarkables has a partnership with The Kea Conservation Trust to rejuvenate the kea population at the ski area. Through this partnership, The Remarkables funds research and education while also ensuring the mountain is a habitable environment for kea to enjoy.

Back in 2019, the Remarkables Ski patrol team recruited quite possibly their cutest staff member yet - Bomber the curly-haired retriever. Bomber and Rudi are Queenstown’s only fully certified Avalanche Search and Rescue dogs both based up at the Remarkables. 

Watch the video to meet Brad and his trusty sidekick Bomber.

3. Queenstown boasts the best backcountry skiing in New Zealand

Seeking the best ski touring in New Zealand? Access a whole new world of challenging terrain, sunlit peaks and incredible descents in the home of big country: Queenstown.

Whether you’re an experienced backcountry skier or discovering ski-touring joys for the first time, there are hundreds of kilometres of terrain to explore. You can read more about the plethora of backcountry skiing options in Queenstown here.

4. Cardrona is officially New Zealand's Biggest Ski Area

With the new addition of the Soho Basin Express this winter, Cardrona Alpine Resort has opened up 150ha of skiable terrain on the mountain. 

Imagine using ‘sleep-in’ and ‘first lift’ in the same sentence. Cardrona’s luxurious apartments can make this a reality. Cardrona’s Alpine Resort’s Alpine Apartments are located above the ski rentals at Cardrona, a 1-minute walk from the ski lifts – perfect for a group of ski-obsessed friends or a family, accommodating anywhere from 2-10 people. The resort lies 1.5 hours drive from the town center, so these cosy apartments are the perfect solution to enjoy all Cardrona has to offer while skiing in Queenstown.

The apartments book out for the ski season pretty quickly so if this sounds like a little bit of you get in quick.

5. Treble Cone: showstopping views and incredible terrain

With beautiful views of Lake Wānaka and an incredible panorama of the Southern Alps, Treble Cone’s outlook is second-to-none.

In addition to an array of perfectly groomed pistes for all levels, TC is packed full of natural halfpipes, playful features and off-piste runs to challenge the most demanding skiers and boarders. There is also a free-to-use learners area, making Treble Cone the perfect place to take a group of varied abilities.