Cardrona Ski Resort Guide
Cardrona, New Zealand
Rated: 4/5 (from 6 ratings)
| Recommended For | Expert Skiers, Intermediates, Beginners, Snowboarders and Apres-Ski! |
|---|---|
| Highest Lift | 1,894m |
| Resort Height | 1,504m |
| Nearest Airports | Wanaka and Queenstown |
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Cardrona
A youngish resort, established in 1981 but with alot of new building in 1995, locally famous for friendly staff, dry southern snow and terrain suited for all abilities. The slopes are South East facing to retain the snow well, important as there's little snow making.
Cardrona offers terrain suited to all ability levels and is famed for its wide open, undulating terrain that is perfect for beginners and intermediates, whilst the Arcadia and Tulips chutes offer extra challenge for more advanced riders. Trails are up to 1.5km (just under a mile) in length, the toughest being the Arcadia chutes. Uplift includes quads and magic carpets for beginners.
Cardrona is located in the Crown Range between Queenstown (57kms/60mins) and Wanaka (34kms/35mins) in the South Island of New Zealand.
Cardrona Summary
The New Zealand ski resort of Cardrona is at an altitude of 1,504m.
Cardrona has direct access to 23 marked pistes, served by a total of 7 ski lifts.
The ski resort itself is at 1,504m, so skiing or boarding back to the resort is usually possible.
Skiing in Cardrona
There are a variety of pistes to suit all levels of skier ability, from Beginner to Expert.
Cardrona Snow Forecast
When will it snow in Cardrona?
The next notable snow forecast for Cardrona is 6cm, expected on 24 September, with around 92cm forecast over the next 7 days.
See our Snow Forecast for Cardrona for the latest update, or Join our Snow Mail Here
Snow this week
| Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | Mon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snow to base | Snow to base | Snow to base | Snow to base | Snow to base |
Ski Area Stats
Cardrona Ski Area
| Black Pistes Expert Trails | 8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Red Pistes Intermediate Runs | 8 | |
| Blue Pistes Easy Trails | 4 | |
| Green Pistes Beginner Runs | 3 | |
| Ski Lifts Number of Lifts | 7 | |
Cardrona Altitudes
Cardrona Ski Area Height
| Highest Lift | 1,894m |
|---|---|
| Lowest Piste | 1,669m |
| Resort Altitude (Cardrona) | 1,504m |
| Max Vertical | 390m |
Cardrona Rated
| Expert Skiers | |
|---|---|
| Intermediate Skiers | |
| Beginners | |
| Snowboarding | |
| Snow | |
| Apres-Ski |
Cardrona Overview
Notable Ski Runs
The most difficult run is the 'Arcadia Chutes'.
Snowboarding in Cardrona
Cardrona is home to New Zealand’s premier terrain parks, with up to four half pipes, a gravity cross and a range of beginner freestyle features.
Location and Map
Where is Cardrona?
Cardrona is in Queenstown Lakes, Otago, New Zealand.
Map of Cardrona
Tap 
for Full-Screen, or see J2Ski's Map of Cardrona.
How to get to Cardrona
By Air
The nearest airports to Cardrona are Wanaka, Queenstown and Invercargill, all within three hours drive. Queenstown and Wanaka are just one hours drive away, in good driving conditions, so you can be on the piste quickly.
Infrastructure
Ski Lift Capacity
The seven ski lifts of Cardrona are able to uplift 7,000 skiers and snowboarders every hour.
Snow Making
Cardrona is able to make snow, with 1 snow cannons.
Cardrona Season Dates
When is Cardrona open?
We don't currently have confirmed season dates for Cardrona.
Open.
Usual opening is Mid June, and usual closing is Early Oct.
NOTE:- Lift and Piste openings are always subject to Snow Conditions in Cardrona.
COVID-19 / Coronavirus
We don't yet have specific details of the COVID-19 precautions being taken in Cardrona, but they are likely to include most of the following :-
- Face masks required on lifts, and in shops.
- Social distancing in public areas.
- Reduced lift capacity.
- Extensive disinfection / sanitization.
French Ski Resort COVID-19 Measures describes further measures that may also be applied.
Visit the Cardrona Tourist Office for the latest.
Talking about Cardrona
Mentions in recent J2Ski News Items and Snow Reports from our users...
