Visiting The Remarkables Ski Field | Queenstown Ski Field
The Remarkables is a large mountain range and one of the most popular locations for skiing in Queenstown, The Remarkables is a popular winter destination for skiers, snowboarders, and snow lovers locally and internationally. Covered in snow during winter, ski season on the Remarkables runs from June to October, but exact dates can vary depending on snow fall. The Remarkables are accessible throughout the year as long as the road surface is deemed safe.
Also known by their indigenous Maori name, Kawarau, they are located 28km southeast of Queenstown, easily towering over the small tourist town. The Remarkables create a spectacular backdrop for any scenic photos in the region, especially when capped with snow.
Remarkable History and Facts about Kawarau
Kawarau / The Remarkables were first surveyed in 1857, when Alexander Garvie took out his compass and realised that this South Island mountain range ran directly north to south. Kawarau is only one of two mountain ranges in the world which do this.
The mountain holds several small lakes, Lake Alta, Lake Te Kohua, and Lake Hope. Lake Alta is the only lake on the mountain with an official and safe walking track. The track to Lake Alta is only 3.5km but due to the elevation, it takes around 1.5hrs1.5 hours to reach the lake. This hiking track is only suitable for experienced hikers who have all the gear, as alpine weather can drastically turn without much warning.
The highest point on the Remarkables is Single Cone at 2319 meters, that’s nearly the height of 3 Burj Khalifas’ stacked on top of each other.
Visiting The Remarkables During Summer
You don’t have to miss out on seeing some spectacular views over Queenstown just because you’ve visited during Summer. The Remarkables road is open as long as the road surface is deemed safe and is easily accessible for anyone with their own vehicle. You can find out whether the Remarkables road is open by clicking this link.
We drove up the Remarkables at the end of ski season, so there was still a bit of ice, sleet, and snow but nothing you would expect during winter. The road was still a bit icy so we had to watch our speed but we didn’t need chains on our tires. The views from the top ski field were almost null and void, the cloud was so low we couldn’t see anything more than 10 meters ahead of us. But halfway back down the mountain the views were incredible looking back over towards Queenstown and beyond! We managed to get some great photos, and no one else was up there so we didn’t have to fight for a spot for the best pictures.
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Driving to the Top of the Remarkables Ski Area
Our drive to the base of the Remarkables Ski area started pretty well, it wasn’t until we started getting higher into the mountain and snow began falling that I began getting a bit nervous. Thick fog had settled on the mountain, covering the last 3rd of our drive to The Remarkables ski base.
The road barrier ended at the same time we were welcomed into the fog which is where I began getting nervous.
I was clenching the inside door handle like my life depended on it. My fear of heights is pretty manageable until my fear of the unknown comes into play, and not being able to see past the edge of the road and down the mountainside made my anxiety spike faster than Trump claiming ‘fake news’.
We drove to the base of the ski field and were greeted with more sleet, snow, a small waterfall, and plenty more fog. The only amenity open was a small porta-loo, which had seen better days. The fog made the view from the top extremely underwhelming, so we made our way back down the mountain to a larger section of the road where there was plenty more snow to play in. After a quick photo op and an attempt to drive over some snow, we were back in the car making our descent down to warmer weather.
Visiting and Skiing The Remarkables During Winter
It’s wouldn’t be appropriate to write about The Remarkables without making mention of the popular ski field on the mountain (maunga).
The Remarkable ski field is made up of 385 hectares; incorporating 8 lifts which take you to any of the 8 different ski parks on the mountain. These parks range in skill levels from easy to difficult, including a park specially designed for kids and young families.
The 2021 winter season is expected to be open from late June to early October from 9am -4pm daily. Up to date reports on this South Island mountain range can be found on The Remarkables website. This includes the road status (whether it is open or closed), weather reports and how much snow is currently on the mountain and how much is expected to fall.
Food and drinks are available for purchase from the café, restaurant or either of the 2 bars. Ski and snowboarding related equipment, clothing and safety gear can all be hired or purchased from on top of the mountain, and lessons are available for anyone that isn’t overly confident or wanting to learn to ski/snowboard. So there’s really no excuse to say no to a winter holiday in the South Island
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How to get from Queenstown to the Remarkables Ski Field
There are several ways to access the Remarkables mountain. Driving yourself from Queenstown to the Remarkables ski area is easier during the warmer months as the risk of sliding off the road due to ice is reduced, but ofcourse you should be fitting your tires with chains if that’s the case. However it would be irresponsible of me to leave out accessing the mountain during winter, since that is the most popular time for tourism in Queenstown.
Queenstown to the Remarkables Lower Carpark
Driving from Queenstown to the Remarkables ski field will take around 12 minutes along 10.6km of road. The drive is pretty easy and the roads aren’t too windy. Head North out of Queenstown and then East past Kawarau Falls. Remarkables ski field should be sign posted from here so it should be too hard to find.
Lower Remarkables Carpark to Upper Ski Field and Base Facilities
Now, this is where the fun…or fear begins; driving from the lower Remarkables carpark to the top base facilities was probably one of the most nerve-wracking drives of my life, and I’ve been a passenger on Nurburgring! This 19.9km drive will take anywhere from 36 minutes to infinity. That’s if you accidentally look down the side of the mountain and freeze out of absolute fear.
But in all honesty, the drive is fine as long as you keep to a safe speed and fit your tires with chains if you’re visiting during winter. Otherwise, you can always grab a seat on the Ski Bus from Queenstown; I will talk more about this below!
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Driving to Remarkables Ski Field
Driving from Queenstown to the lower carpark on The Remarkables is quite simple; head south on state highway 6 from Frankton Queenstown. Look out for signs for The Remarkables ski field and turn left into the main lower carpark. From here and depending on whether you arrive during winterthe season you can either catch a bus up or drive yourself, you can find out more about the Remarkables ski bus here. Since we visited the Remarkables after ski season had finished we drove up to the top which got a bit sketchy when we got higher into the clouds.
Chains must always be carried when driving the mountain during winter, even during Spring it can get a bit sketchy the higher you travel so it wouldn’t hurt to carry them. For further winter driving tips on the Remarkables: https://www.theremarkables.co.nz/media/1107/winter-and-alpine-driving-tips.pdf
Remarkables Ski Bus
The ski bus only runs during snow season, so check The Remarkables Snow Bus website for more details.
The snow bus starts at the Snow Centre in Queenstown on Duke Street and operates every 20 minutes from 8am to 11:30am. Returns from the top of The Remarkables begin at 1:30pm onwards. depending on passenger count there are several designated ski bus stops along the route to The Remarkables which you can also catch the bus from, so be prepared to wait during busy times in case buses are full.
Further information and ski bus routes visit The Remarkables Ski Bus Page.
Other Ski Fields in Queenstown
If you’re an aid skier or snowboarder and want to make the most of your time in Queenstown then you definitely need to check out as many of the snow fields as possible.
Coronet Peak Ski Field
Coronet Peak is another great mountain to explore in both summer and winter. Winter hosts the usual activities such as skiing and snowboarding, but Coronet peak is the place to go if you want to explore the mountain with a mountain bike, play frisbee golf or go hiking. The cafe and bar at the base of the mountain is open for lunch so you wont be short on food.
The Coronet Peak ski field is a 22 minute drive from Queenstown, so the perfect day trip and also not too far from home if you do find you have left something at home.
Cardrona Ski Field
No doubt you’ve seen the Cardrona clothing store in Queenstowns CBD, Cardrona ski field is slightly further out than Coronet Peak or The Remarkables but it has some incredible summer time activities; from mountain karting and plenty of walking and hiking trails. Cardrona is extremely popular during winter and they now offer free shuttles from the bottom of the mountain range to help with sustainability and reduce emissions!
Cardrona ski field is a 50 minute drive and sits between Queenstown and Wanaka. The drive is beautiful and well worth it especially during winter!
Even if you choose not to drive up The Remarkables, Kawarau can still be enjoyed from afar as the view from Queenstown is still spectacular especially during sunrise.
