Spring Skiing in Lake Wanaka

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Boarders enjoying spring snow conditions at Snow Park NZ. Credit: Dillon Ryan

SPRING SKIING IN LAKE WANAKA

Springtime at Lake Wanaka’s four ski areas offers some of the best ski conditions with warm and sunny climates, great travel deals and uncrowded slopes, the season continues through until October giving snow lovers an extension on their fun and enjoyment in the alpine resort.

Spring accommodation, rental and travel specials provide good value holidays to tempt snow enthusiasts to the mountains. With internet bookings, great last minute deals and more direct flights to the Southern Lakes region, spring ski trips do not need to be planned too far in advance.

The warmer climates and longer hours of sunshine allow for more action on the mountain and with the July school holidays over there is rarely a queue for the lift. Previous years at Cardrona Alpine Resort has seen three times more skiers take to the slopes during the July school holidays than in September.

The winter months’ natural snow fall, and extensive snow-making capabilities at all the mountains during the colder months ensures the ski fields build a solid base which lasts them through to the end of the season. The average snow depth recorded in September over the past years at Cardrona and Treble Cone has been 100 cm at 1750m.

Both Snow Park and Treble Cone have tiered ticket pricing for day passes with rates varying according to the time of the season, this pricing structure offers great value spring riding with adult day passes as low as $55 at Snow Park and $89 at Treble Cone.

A fun mix of events on and off the mountain continue throughout September. At Treble Cone the Swift Coffeetime/Volkl Ski Masters race will be staged 1-2 September, and will also be the start line for the mountain to mountain race (9 September), with the finish line at the Snow Farm. The Coca Cola Cardrona Games (2-4 September) will challenge skiers and riders in the superpipe, slopestyle and boarder/skier X. Across the valley Snow Park NZ continues the fun for the Chop Washed Up Cup (7 September) and Armadageddon (15 September) both demonstrating great freestyle action and Snow Farm will host New Zealand’s first Biathlon ski race (15-16 September) on their newly built range.

Bringing the town’s lakefront alive with music, parades, food, wine, fireworks, sports and crazy antics is Wanakafest (12-16 September), the annual community festival. It is a chance for both locals and visitors to join in the celebrations with plenty of kids’ and family activities to entertain.

John Alldred, CEO of Lake Wanaka Tourism believes Spring is an excellent time to visit Lake Wanaka, “You get the best of all seasons and can enjoy a variety of activities from skiing and snowboarding in the morning to mountain biking, wine tours and lake cruises in the afternoon, the climate makes for a well rounded trip,” he said.

For further information, visit www.skilakewanaka.com.

ENDS

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