Wānaka & Queenstown Skiing
Cardrona & Treble Cone Mountain Info
What you need to know about our two ski areas
Cardrona Alpine Resort
Ski and ride NZ's biggest ski resort
A welcoming world-class ski resort in New Zealand for everyone, from first-timers to professional athletes
Over 600ha of skiable terrain
Ski across multiple basins with wide-open slopes, heaps of groomed runs and soak in the endless alpine views
World-class snow sports school
Refresher lessons or starting from scratch, you’re in safe hands with our seasoned professional instructors
The home of park and pipe action
Ski, ride, or spectate at the most extensive terrain park in the Southern Hemisphere
About Cardrona
Highest lifted point: 1860m
Over 600ha of terrain across 5 basins
47 groomable runs
6 chairlifts, 3 carpets, 1 T-bar & 1 platter tow
5 terrain parks
2025 Winter Season Dates (tentative):
Cardrona: June 14 – October 5
Treble Cone: June 28 – September 28
2024/ 25 Summer Season Dates & Opening Hours (Cardrona Only):
December 14, 2024 – March 2, 2025 (closed Christmas Day).
Half-day passes are valid from 1pm to close.
Off-peak:
14 – 24 December, 2024 & 21 January – 2 March, 2025
Open 5 days per week (closed Tuesday & Wednesday)
10am – 4pm (Monday, Thursday, Saturday & Sunday)
TGIF (every Friday): 12pm – 8pm
Peak
26 December, 2024 – 20 January, 2025
Open 7 days a week
10am – 5pm (Saturday - Thursday)
TGIF (every Friday): 12pm – 8pm
Base Area Elevation: 1,670m (5,479ft)
Highest Lifted Point: 1,860m (6,102ft)
Vertical Rise: 600m (1,969ft)
Average Annual Snowfall: 2.9m – snowmaking supplements natural snow in the Main, Captain’s, Arcadia & Valley View basins.
Cardrona boasts over 600 hectares of terrain, with plenty to offer for all abilities.
With the introduction of Soho in 2025, Cardrona becomes the largest ski resort in New Zealand.
25% Beginner
25% Intermediate
30% Advanced
20% Expert
We welcome our adaptive guests, with many facilities to help you enjoy the mountain, including:
Priority parking
Accessible toilets in Base Café
Accessible food and beverage at Base Area (Base Bar, Base Cafe & The Lounge)
Wheelchair available at Captain's Pizzeria for ski-in/ ski-out adaptive guests
Sightseeing is available via McDougall's Chondola (in gondola cabins)
Adaptive rental equipment
Adaptive ski/ snowboard programme with qualified instructors and volunteer support
Fuelling Your Adventure
Cafés & Restaurants
Food & Beverage
The Mezz
Famous for: Eggs bene and fondue Fridays
Location: Upstairs above Base Café
Opening hours: Open from 7.30am
Food & Beverage
Noodle Bar
Famous for: Asian-inspired deliciousness
Location: Upstairs from Ski Kindy & The Den
Opening hours: 10am - 3.30pm
Food & Beverage
Captain's Pizzeria
Famous for: Pizza by the slice
Location: Captain's Basin - ski in via Highway 89
Opening hours: 9.30am - 3.30pm
Food & Beverage
Little Meg
Famous for: The fastest coffee
Location: By the Valley View carpark
Opening hours: Open from 8am
Food & Beverage
The Lounge
Famous for: Pastries and mulled wine
Location: Base Area across the courtyard
Opening hours: 8am - 4.30pm
Food & Beverage
Base Café
Famous for: Mountain meals that fuel you up
Location: Downstairs in the main Base Building
Opening hours: Open from 8am
Food & Beverage
Base Bar
Famous for: Delicious allergen-conscious options
Location: Between Base Café and rentals
Opening hours: 7.30am - 4.30pm
Food & Beverage
Vista Bar
Famous for: Mumm champagne on a beanbag
Location: Top of McDougall's Chondola
Opening hours: 10.30am - 3.30pm
Food & Beverage
Carol’s
Famous for: Real fruit ice cream inspired by our flamboyant friend Carol Little
Location: Cardrona Courtyard
Opening hours: Changes daily
Cardrona Basins
Main Basin
Our Main Basin offers 9 trails for all skill levels, from beginners to advanced, 7 inviting cafes, and a dedicated Beginners’ Area. The Main Basin is home to the Southern Hemisphere’s most extensive terrain parks and halfpipes, with 5 progressive parks, 2 pipes, and 1 Big Air jump.
Arcadia Basin
Arcadia is known for its diverse and challenging terrain, featuring 8 thrilling trails for intermediate to expert skiers. The chutes are highly favoured on a powder day and face east, making them among the very first runs to catch the morning sun.
Captain's Basin
With 11 trails ranging from beginner to expert, Captain’s Basin offers wide undulating terrain ranging from beginner to expert, all serviced by the Captain's Express chairlift and complemented by the convenient ski-in Captain's Pizzeria.
Valley View Basin
A favourite among Queenstown and Wānaka locals, Valley View Basin features a mix of fun intermediate to expert trails, challenging off-piste terrain, and quick bites at Little Meg Café. Valley View also has its very own car park. More time on the slopes, less time in your car.
Willow's Basin
Located on the southern face looking towards Whakatipu Basin, Willow's features two expansive bowls with rolling intermediate and advanced terrain. Serviced by the Willow’s Quad, this playful terrain is one of our best-kept secrets.
Treble Cone Ski Area
South Island's longest run
Ski the 4km groomed run at Treble Cone
Longest vertical rise
1960m highest lifted point
Legendary off-piste terrain
Epic powder faces and drops
Unrivalled Views
Uninterrupted views of Lake Wānaka
About Treble Cone
550ha of skiable terrain
22 groomable trails
2 chairlifts
4km long run
Summit slopes accessed by hike
2025 Winter Season Dates (tentative):
Treble Cone: June 28 – September 28
Cardrona: June 14 – October 5
You are welcome to travel up the access road and park in the car park.
The TC Gate is kept locked in Summer, but public access is permitted. The Gate Code is 2711 (key in the box alongside the gate).
Please close & lock the gate behind you.
Please do not attempt to enter any of the resort buildings, and keep clear of any machinery. Maintenance and development work is carried out all summer, so please be mindful that you are entering an active work site.
There may be times when the road is shut due to essential road repairs or natural hazards (such as landslips after heavy rain). The access road has multiple hazards, and drivers proceed at their own risk:
Please obey all closures and signage.
Please close the bottom gate behind you.
This is a working farm. Give livestock plenty of room and leave all gates as you find them.
The road is unsealed and can be loose and bumpy. Drive cautiously and slowly, and use a low gear for descending.
Be prepared for unmarked hazards on the road, and always drive to the conditions.
Be prepared for snow, ice, and rockfall, especially in Spring & Autumn. Chains must be carried.
No stopping zone around the bridge & bluffs area.
Summit Elevation: 2,088m (6,850ft)
Lift Elevation: 1,960m (6,430ft)
Base Elevation: 1,260m (4,110ft)
Lift Serviced Vertical Drop: 700m (2,321ft)
10% Beginner
30% Intermediate
40% Advanced
20% Expert
Fuelling Your Adventure
Cafés & Restaurants
Food & Beverage
Altitude Bar
Famous for: Craft beers and pizza with a view
Location: The top of Home Basin Express
Opening hours: 10.30am - 3pm
Food & Beverage
TC Bar
Famous for: Espresso coffee, beverages & snacks
Location: In the base building
Opening hours: 8am - 4pm
Food & Beverage
The Southern BBQ
Famous for: Meats cooked low and slow
Location: In the base building
Opening hours: 11am - 3pm
Food & Beverage
Grab & Go
Famous for: Pies, fries and chicken tenders
Location: In the base building
Opening hours: 8am - 3.30pm
Treble Cone Basins
Home Basin
With a 6-seater lift and full facilities, TC’s Home Basin is home to some of NZ’s longest groomed runs and a perfect split of intermediate and advanced terrain. It also offers arguably NZ’s most scenic Beginners’ Area, serviced by a platter lift. The basin's views of Lake Wānaka and the Southern Alps make every run memorable.
Saddle Basin
The Saddle Basin is the home of New Zealand powder day fervour. It’s an intermediate to advanced riders' paradise, featuring great snow, iconic runs, and the badge-of-honour Summit Slopes. The basin offers both pristine resort skiing and exciting backcountry gateway opportunities.
Matukituki Basin
Matukituki Basin offers a diverse mix of challenging off-piste terrain, along with a range of intermediate runs for riders looking to push their skills. The area features incredible viewpoints overlooking the Matukituki Valley, making it a must-visit spot for those seeking both adventure and stunning scenery.
Motatapu Basin
The Motatapu Basin offers some of the most challenging in-bounds terrain in New Zealand, with varied slopes and exciting obstacles. It’s bucket list terrain for expert skiers and snowboarders, best known for its expansive open rolling terrain that leads into steep, complex chutes and tight couloirs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still need some help? Get in touch using our
Collect your ski pass from our pick-up kiosks. You’ll find them on-mountain in our ticketing office and outside our retail store or pick your pass up before you head up here at our town locations.
Definitely! If you’re time-savvy, you might like to pick up your passes, get fitted for rentals, and pick them up at our town locations before you head up the mountain. That way, when you arrive at the Base Building, you can head right onto the snow, or into the café for a coffee! (priorities, right?)
Yes, pre-booking the bus service is essential to ensure you secure a spot and avoid disappointment! Booking in advance helps manage capacity and guarantees your place on the bus, making your trip to the mountain smooth and stress-free.
Half day passes are subject to capacity and will be available for the afternoon only, from 12.30pm to 4pm.
You can contact our guest services team, who can defer your pass to our next open day or refund you if you can’t make the new date. Contact us here.
Unlimited Season Pass is the most flexible pass to ski and ride any day of the season at Cardrona and Treble Cone, plus benefits on and off the mountain.
A Saver Season Pass allows you to ski and ride at Cardrona only, any day of the season, excluding the blackout period from June 30 - July 11, 2025.
Yes – we have a ‘Chondola’ which is fitted with gondola cabins, perfect for sightseers who want to access the top of the mountain.
At Cardrona, we offer many facilities for wheelchair users and other adaptive guests, like priority parking, accessible toilets in Base Café, Accessible food and beverages at Base Area, including GF/vegetarian/vegan options. Wheelchair available at Captain's Pizzeria for ski-in/ski-out adaptive guests. Sightseeing is available via McDougall's Chondola in gondola cabins. Adaptive rental equipment, and adaptive ski/snowboard programmes with qualified instructors and volunteer support.
Absolutely, Treble Cone offers an uncrowded beginners’ area serviced by a platter lift – probably the best view from a beginners’ area in the country! We have a qualified Snow Sports School who can help you pick up confidence to tackle the rest of the mountain.
Every season, Treble Cone employs international experts to teach guests of all abilities how to ski and snowboard. Treble Cone offers Private Lessons only, so you can address exactly what you want to work on and progress faster.
If you're looking for somewhere to store your ski or snowboard equipment, clothing or valuables this winter, we have a range of storage options to keep your gear safe!
Ski Concierge
Ski Concierge is a great option if you're renting ski or snowboard gear from Cardrona for more than one day! If you've got a multi-day ski or snowboard rental, you can drop your gear into Ski Concierge at the end of the day, where it'll be stored and ready for you to collect the next day. Ski Concierge is in the rentals department and will store skis and snowboards – you'll need to take your boots home with you. It's included in the price of your multi-day rental – just to make things easier for you! Any unclaimed skis, snowboards or boots will be dropped back to Rentals each day at 10am.
8am - 10am for pick-ups
2.30pm - 4.30pm for drop-offs
Single Day Bag Storage
If you're just here for a single day and want to stow a few small things, we have three storage options to keep you covered:
Free to use, unsecured cubbies in Rentals
Free to use, unsecured cubbies under the seats in Base Café
Overnight options are available in our long-term storage area (see below) from 12pm - 11am
Day lockers are available to rent on the mountain, on the day
Long-Term Storage
Upstairs from Slopeside Guest Services, you can choose from day-long, overnight (12pm to 11am), 5-day or season-long options. Lockers are ski sized with boot dryers. You can hire double or family-sized ski lockers on the mountain with your RFID MyCard. Single-day double and 4-person ski locker rental also includes overnight storage.
There are just 40 double and 20 4-person ski lockers available for season-long rent, so get in quick to book your locker!
Still need some help? Get in touch using our
Elevate your Adventure
Treble Cone
Legendary off-piste terrain with some of NZ’s longest groomed runs
Explore Treble Cone