snowboarding
Picture a mountain with perfectly groomed
snow slopes and state-of-the-art terrain park within a
magnificent setting. Enthusiastic snowboarders are ripping it up
as outdoor amplifiers crank out hip-hop music across the park.
What a blast!
Snowboarding is one of the worlds fastest growing thrill
sports. It all began in 1964 when an American bolted two skis
together as a novelty for his kids. In 1994 snowboarding became
an Olympic sport and it has gained in popularity ever since.
New Zealand ski fields have responded well to the demand by
installing extensive terrain parks with massive groomed half
pipes and a variety of ramps and obstacles. The June to October
season entices many keen boarders to our slopes during the
Northern Hemisphere off-season. Our Southern Lakes ski fields
near Queenstown and Wanaka are particularly user-friendly for
snowboarders. Cardrona holds the New Zealand Open Half-Pipe
Competition, which attracts many overseas boarders. Competitors
get some serious air with somersaults and twists thrown into the
mix. Treble Cone is perfect for intermediate or advanced boarders
with great half pipes and lifts that reach the top of the
mountain in six minutes. Coronet Peak is a snowboarders
paradise with consistent gradients and many undulations on the
slopes and is minutes away from Queenstown. The Remarkables has
great facilities including one of New Zealands longest
sweeping runs called Homeward Bound. Whakapapa and Turoa on Mt
Ruapehu in the North Island are our largest and most popular
fields and offer great boarding facilities. Lift passes on all
the commercial fields are generally around $50-60 per day and a
snowboard and boots can be hired for a similar daily rate.
New Zealand ski fields offer a great variety in terrain, so you
will never run out of challenges to go faster downhill, higher on
the half-pipe and more daring on the ramps.
So grab a board and go to
the max! (also see Ski Areas & Heli-Ski Sites)
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