Coronet Peak
Coronet Peak is the most popular ski resort on the South Island of New Zealand, probably due to its proximity to
Queenstown. It is on the outskirts on Queenstown, and a major drawcard is the sealed road all the way up to the resort, which is incredibly rare for the South Island. Also impressive are the spectacular views from the resort across Lake Wakatipu, Lake Hayes, and The Remarkables.
In regards to the
ski terrain, Coronet Peak is pretty impressive as an all-rounder. It is an excellent mountain for beginners and intermediates with long wide trails such as the M1. The fall line is perfect, and considering the high-quality grooming, the Powderhounds have awarded Coronet Peak with the “best cruisers” in New Zealand. For the extreme skier, when the snow is good there are some great off-piste runs to the back of the resort. This is not advised if the visibility is poor as there are some huge rocky outcrops and cliffs.
The capacity of the resort is amazing. With a very efficient lift infrastructure, it is not obvious that thousands of skiers and snowboarders flock to Coronet Peak. There are no lift queues, and the new day lodge has a well organised equipment rental shop and cafeteria. The resort copes with the crowds incredibly well. The only downside of crowds in any ski resorts is that powderhounds might miss out on fresh tracks, but with only 2 meres of annual snowfall, the chances of fighting over freshies are slim.
The minimal snowfall is not an issue for most skiers though, as the resort can operate on a very small base because there are only grassy tussocks under the snow. Combined with quality grooming and very extensive snow-making, the snow cover is fine.
Coronet Peak has limited on-mountain accommodation located at the base of the lifts in a small ski club lodge, however most people stay in
Queenstown which provides the flexibility to ski at other resorts. Shuttle buses provide transport from Queenstown to Coronet Peak, so it’s not an issue to stay off-mountain.
If you can’t get enough of Coronet Peak during day-light hours, you can also go night skiing on Friday and Saturday nights. Or if there is a powder day or you want fresh ‘roys, you can sneak up for First Tracks from 8-9am before everyone else arrives.