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New Zealand Halfpipes

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COskier
Posts: 1066 - Karma: 131
I tried posting this in regionals but I didn't get much of a response. I am planning on going to New Zealand for about 2 months to ski this July/August and am trying to figure out where to go. I am going there mainly to ski park so I want a good park and in particular a good 22' pipe. From what I understand the best options are Cardrona and Snow Park. Is one of them better and how is living at each one.

If I am going to get a pass at Cardona, I only have 24 hours to get the early season rate which they extended until tomorrow for me.

Thanks
May 1 2011 9:22PM
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S.C
Posts: 3068 - Karma: 2,285
All i know is that most pro's go to snow park, so there must be a reason why.
May 1 2011 9:26PM
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AWALLRUS.
Posts: 5762 - Karma: 223
pipe is hard
May 1 2011 9:28PM
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saucybiscuits
Posts: 2554 - Karma: 173
i went to New Zealand for a month a few years back for skiing. snowpark is small, but they have an outstanding pipe. park too. Unfortunately, their international reputation has caused them to be quite crowded most days. but Cardrona also has some excellent park features and all. If you are going for 2 months, I might just buy a pass for both. just make sure you have a way to get there. both hills are about an hour from Wanaka.
May 1 2011 9:31PM
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Baskilla
Posts: 409 - Karma: 201
SNOWPARK IS THE SHIT! MY FAVORITE PARK MOUNTAIN I HAVE BEEN TO! either way you will basically live in Wanaka and the resorts are only like 30 mins away.


BUT CARDRONA HAS A MORE LEGIT PIPE...WITH A MILLION PEOPLE HIKING IT ALL DAY ERRYDAY
May 1 2011 9:36PM
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COskier
Posts: 1066 - Karma: 131
Hmmm, interesting. I just saw on their website that Snow Park is trying to improve their pipe this year too so that complicates things. Is there a general consensus that Cardrona's pipe is better like what that^ guy said?
May 1 2011 9:56PM
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COskier
Posts: 1066 - Karma: 131
Also, can you stay any closer to either of them than Wanaka? An hour each way is brutal, the gas money alone would be annoying. I would hope to be within like 15 min.
May 1 2011 9:58PM
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--ski--
Posts: 1670 - Karma: 817
Whoever has the best pipe used to very from year to year but at the moment Cardies has the best pipe.
And no sorry, Wanaka is the closest place to stay. I wouldn't say it's an hour each way they though, also if you can't be fucked driving and paying for petrol it's easy as to hitch up.
May 1 2011 10:09PM
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toominator
Posts: 4792 - Karma: 120
You can stay on the mountain at both, but if you've got issue with paying gas then I doubt you'd want to pay to stay on the mountain! It's more like 30-40 min from Wanaka. Cardrona has the best rep for pipe at the moment, but SnowPark are stepping up their pipe game this year. And if you do hitch, be nice and offer to chip in for gas.
May 1 2011 10:27PM
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starsky_hucks
Posts: 394 - Karma: 62
its more like 45min. welcome to skiing in nz!

the ski areas are well above the residential areas. Dont worry man wanaka is freaking awesome hey..

theres a free bus too, but that will probably take 45min, but yeah as said above, just hitch.. its encouraged actually, less cars less pollution/damage to the enviro
May 1 2011 10:28PM
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sick-as-aids
Posts: 3453 - Karma: 1,007
youll understand when you get here bro, it'll be 10000x mellower than you think!
Hitchhiking also isnt a possibility to be rapped, its pretty much just another accpeted form of transport around here

snowpark used to be mad busy, then died down a fuck load with the crowds moving to cardies...snowpark is rebuilding under new management so this season should be a good one for them

in terms of pipes, both are pretty similar... i personally hate cardrona in general though, the lift that accesses the park/pipe is one of the main lifts on the hill, and in the school holidays/weekends, you basically dont want to ski, unless you dont mind standing in ques for over an hour...snowpark is mellow 24/7
May 1 2011 10:30PM
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ghick
Posts: 429 - Karma: 149
cardies is much more crowded
May 1 2011 10:32PM
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--ski--
Posts: 1670 - Karma: 817
quote for emphasis
May 1 2011 10:35PM
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BillyTJames
Posts: 1 - Karma: 10
Cardies now has a surface lift beside the pipe and Big Air jump
May 1 2011 11:28PM
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LIL_WAT
Posts: 1900 - Karma: 475

Snowpark is chill, fun and about 30 minutes away. Cardies is slightly further away, more expensive and crowded. However, I'd recommend getting both passes. If you stick to Snowpark you would begin to get bored with it after a while, as awesome as it is. Going to Cardies will let you mix things up a bit, get out of the park for a while and try out their sick set up and multiple pipes.

May 1 2011 11:39PM
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Schoellkopf
Posts: 1300 - Karma: 122
Pretty much everything has been said already:

Wanaka is sick, lots of fun, plenty of people to chill with (unlike staying at the mountains).
Hitching hiking is easy as.
Both mountains have legit park set ups (although when I was there last nz winter, Cardies pipe was a little bit better).


The only thing I have to add is that I think there is some deal where if you have a Cardrona seasons pass you get a discounted day pass at Snowpark. If that is the case I would definitely go with Cardies, if that is false you pretty much have to decide if park is literally ALL you want to do. Snow park is super awesome, but if you're looking to have a couple fun pow days or just do some charging then Cardrona has a much larger area to explore.

Any way you choose you'll have a fucking blast though. Enjoy man, I wish I could go back already.
May 2 2011 12:15AM
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COskier
Posts: 1066 - Karma: 131
Thanks for all the input, it's been very helpful. But, fuck, it seems like this thread is about 50-50 on which is better. If you could only buy one pass and wanted to focus on pipe, where would you buy it. I would love to hear people just say that bit of info.
May 2 2011 1:18AM
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Treblegrogg
Posts: 182 - Karma: 227
yea i live in wanaka and i defianetely prefer snow park to cardrona. Way less people way better food way better accomodation. just all round better.
May 2 2011 2:49AM
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DanielDobson
Posts: 7 - Karma: 11
I got my pass for Cardrona, they sent out an email last week and it said that they are installing a new lift and moving the old one to the pipe so you dont have to hike up after every run. it claims "Having a dedicated Platter Tow for our pipes will help cement Cardrona’s 22ft halfpipe position as one of the best training facilities in the world" I think the early bird offers have ran out now thought.
May 2 2011 8:59AM
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.Roockley.
Posts: 3866 - Karma: 4,089
i'm doing a ski instructor course there this winter, would be cool to shred with a few people on the days off the course
May 2 2011 9:46AM
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