A Truly World-Class Ski Field

It is hard to describe The Remarkables, in Queenstown New Zealand in just one sentence as an opening line. This is because it is just not one type of mountain if anything The Remarkables has something for everyone! Fun, adventure, off-piste challenges, family orientated... A park with massive jumps to rival anything in the world, wonderful learners areas and intermediate cruising slopes perfect for the family, and an off-piste playground with chutes enough to challenge any expert skier or boarder.  Hopefully this 'A Guide to Skiing the Remarkables' will answer a few of the more pressing ski and boarding questions!

And 2024 has seen some exciting changes at The Remarkables.  Here is our rundown on getting to grips with the Remarkables - from transport and parking to après ski and everything in between!

What's New?

Well the main talking point is the new SHADOW BASIN chair lift is up and operational - according to NZSki the new chair will "open up more trails and faster laps  for 2024. Bigger, faster and longer, it will be twice as quick to ride as the old chair, and opens up nearly 50% more lift-accessible terrain in Shadow Basin".  Gotta say, that brings a smile to all of our faces here at Spinnaker Bay Apartments!

Parking in Car Park 1, at the top will be reserved for cars with 4 or more people in it to encourage car sharing.

Getting from Spinnaker Bay Apartments to The Remarkables Ski Field

The entrance to the Remarkables is on State Highway 6A (long your left) as if you were leaving Queenstown heading South to Invercargil. From Frankton cross over the “new bridge” towards Kelvin Heights and keep veering left. It will take approximately 30-40 minutes to drive from Spinnaker Bay Apartments to the top of the Remarkables ski area, Queenstown, NZ

Some consider the road a bit treacherous but in reality, NZSki (the skifield owners) have invested heavily in recent years in sealing the majority of it and providing barriers where there are steep drop offs. If you are not keen on driving then there are a load of bus options in town - some departing directly opposite Spinnaker Bay Apartments. Just ask us for assistance.

Top Tip: 

if catching the bus, aim to be on the earliest one you can.  They fill up pretty quickly.  Travellers who have done this trek often feedback that it is easier to catch a public bus into town, and then catch the Ski Bus up the mountain from outside the NZSki offices as you'll be assured a seat.  You can, of course, ask about being dropped off at a stop closer to Spinnaker Bay Apartments on your way back down.

Bus Passes are not cheap, unfortunately, but for the most part, they are hassle-free. Follow this link to understand all thing transport with regards to The Remarkables Ski Field

On Arrival:

Our biggest piece of advice is get to the Remarkables early. There is not enough parking spots close to the ski field so it is strictly a first come first serve (unless you have an Electric Car as there is a charging unit right at the very front within a few metres of the front door - although you can't park there all day!). Once you arrive the options are to use the drop-off zone to dump the gear and the kids or simply park straight away and wait for the handy free shuttles that will take you right to the door.

Regardless of whether you took the bus or drove yourself you will enter through the basement of the main building where you'll instantly find everything you might need - a shop on the left for forgotten gloves and helmet, a full rental area on the right to rent everything you don’t have, and ski school sign up right there too.  Customer Services and lift tickets are also found on this basement floor.

Head upstairs to the massive airport-like transit area, complete with a cafe and 'restaurant' offering a choice of hot chips and sandwiches, good coffee, a la carte breakfasts and more complete meals via the restaurant.

Going skiing:

Getting kitted up in the cafe with a coffee and the most spectacular views leads to anticipation and excitement!. The skiing is right out the front door. The learner's area is right in front of you with several easy “magic carpets” to get you started.

A learner's and intermediate Skier's Paradise:

The Remarkables has an incredible amount of easy terrain for learners and progressing intermediates. And, it is the ideal Queenstown ski field and mountain for families. If you're ready to explore beyond the magic carpet then head to the Alta Chair. This chair connects with several slightly more challenging runs that can help you progress to the upper chairlifts. From there ski "skiers right" to the Sugar Bowl chair. Not only is this home to some longer easy runs, but it is also the base for the huge park. Big jumps attract freestyle skiers and boarders from all over the world. To the far "skiers right" of this is the Burton Park - a steeper run full of natural and manmade features. It's great for grabbing a few off-piste runs on a powder day - but best left for higher intermediate and advanced skiers.

Beginners and intermediate skiers can make their way down the long cruising Casterways run. For the more advanced skiers and boarders, there are numerous run variations to challenge you and keep it interesting.

The ‘main’ chair is Curvy Basin - a new high speed 6 seater. This provides two main longer intermediate runs bringing you back to the base building - for coffee or lunch! Curvy Basin also accesses several easier off-piste areas skiing down to Lake Alta (that's the big white flat area you can see out to the right as you travel up the chairlift).

The Remarkables Ski Field is also an advanced and off-piste playground:

Once you have mastered Curvy Basin next stop is the Shadow Chair out to the right-hand side of the mountain (or skier's left). This is a playground of advanced runs and off-piste. For those who are prepared to hike a little the Shadow Basin boasts some of the best chute skiing anywhere in the Southern Hemisphere. Hike up on skier's right and choose between several Chutes taking you back down toward Lake Alta with names like Escalator and Elevator.

For the family, a hike directly behind the top of the Shadow chairlift is worth it to get unparalleled views over Lake Wakatipu and back towards Queenstown.

On skier's left is the almost famous Homeward Run. A large basin of often untracked snow leads you back down to the main access road where a free shuttle runs you back up to the skifield building. Do this run a few times and the legs will be well and truly burning.

The Remarkables ski resort should be on everyone's Queenstown ski itinerary. It is the perfect place for families to get going and for the advanced skier, a bit of effort is rewarded with incredible off-piste skiing. The new base building (2015) is a joy with a variety of food and always lots of room to sit and relax. We give the Remarkables a huge tick of approval!

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