One Month to Go – Cardrona and Treble Cone Gear up for Winter 2024

Mountainwatch | Press Release

Wanaka, May 15th: Today marks one month before the 2024 winter kicks off at Cardrona Alpine Resort, where a summer of preparation is wrapping up, with a focus of on-mountain experience ahead of becoming New Zealand’s biggest ski area in 2025. 

This summer, Cardrona began work on the Soho Basin development project, which will make it New Zealand’s biggest ski area when the new lift and terrain open in Winter 2025. With 150ha of new terrain to explore, the Cardrona experience will become unique in New Zealand – multiple basins, different views, and terrain for skiers and snowboarders of all ability levels to enjoy.

With the additional capacity the Soho Basin project will create, the Cardrona team remain focused on maintaining an outstanding guest experience on the mountain. The first key strategy has been to upgrade existing facilities, including a multi-year project improving the resort’s Base Area.

“There are many touchpoints, from our roads and carparks to food and beverage facilities, to our lifts, where we can have an impact on the experience of skiers and snowboarders on our mountains,” says GM of Cardrona and Treble Cone Experiences, Laura Hedley.

“Our goal is to improve all possible pinch points, so our guests flow through them smoothly and get onto the slopes, having a good time every step of the way.”

This summer, the team has modernised Cardrona’s Rental facility, improving guest flow, capacity and the overall experience as skiers and snowboarders rent their equipment on the mountain. The development includes a new ski and snowboard workshop, with a top spec tuning machine – some of the best technology the industry has to offer.

The Cardrona team have also increased snowmaking capacity for early-season confidence and added 200 spaces to the Valley View carpark on the lower mountain. Over at Treble Cone, the focus continues to be on season reliability, with even more snowmaking on the ski area’s “Triple Treat” trail, the main arterial route of Treble Cone’s Home Basin.

While ski area expansion will lead to an increase of skier days, Cardrona and Treble Cone continue to focus on guest experience as a priority. They remain the only ski areas in New Zealand to actively manage capacity through limiting pass sales.

“It’s important to us that everyone who visits our maunga has an incredible time with us, and last year we saw an improved on-mountain experience as we introduced capacity management,” says Hedley.

In 2023, Cardrona’s first year actively managing capacity, the ski area saw a 36% reduction in lift queue wait times on its busiest days.

“This season we will continue to closely monitor numbers and limit the number of passes sold for any given day – so we encourage our visitors to lock in their desired days as early as possible, particularly in our peak season.”

Guests who purchase in-season day and multi-day passes will be asked to choose which days and which mountains they will be visiting. For skiers and snowboarders looking for the most flexibility, the “Flexi” 5-day pass can be used on any day of the season, at either mountain. And new for this year – skiers and snowboarders who want a taste of Treble Cone can add-on a day there with their Cardrona multi-day pass.

Sustainability also remains a key priority for Cardrona and Treble Cone. The ski areas will continue their free access road shuttles this winter, as well as their zero-landfill waste initiative – no landfill products will be sold at any of the food and beverage outlets at either mountain, and skiers and snowboarders will again be encouraged to pack-in/pack-out their own waste.

Cardrona is set to open on June 15, with Treble Cone following two weeks later on June 29. Winter holiday makers and locals alike can find out more and lock in their winter at https://new.cardrona.com/lift-pass-packages