Advice on NZ trip please
some good advice snowslider..um I mean super dad
A.k.a. the love guru 
since you are already forking out a fair bit for the trip, might as well make it a great week for both 
Point taken fellas, she is trying her luck with a friend of her’s who is in corporate travel to see if we can’t get a good deal through her today. My preference would be for Qtown but like I said, havta balance up the dollars side of the equation. She does like snowboarding but she wouldn’t mind doing other stuff as well. Compromise…....... I just want to board the whole time ha ha. I dunno, she is going to hit her friend up and work out if she is completely up for it. If she decides no I might see if any of the boys are keen, that way it’s all boarding.
Relationship and marriage advice as well as snowboarding advice. Hey I did win most helpful board member
I guess I am proud of that it seems.
Diddnt I give tattoo advice as well.
man, when you hit 34 years of age I guess one has a lot to teach.
I always knew I would be a cool old man… So, when I get there and I’m 60, hopefully I will still be able to ollie and teach the neighborhood kids how to do a kickflip or a shove-it or something.
If I’m not at the hill teaching lessons on how to get on and off the chair lift, lol
Point taken fellas, she is trying her luck with a friend of her’s who is in corporate travel to see if we can’t get a good deal through her today. My preference would be for Qtown but like I said, havta balance up the dollars side of the equation. She does like snowboarding but she wouldn’t mind doing other stuff as well. Compromise…....... I just want to board the whole time ha ha. I dunno, she is going to hit her friend up and work out if she is completely up for it. If she decides no I might see if any of the boys are keen, that way it’s all boarding.
well good luck with the decision making man. its quite a tough one really but either way, im sure it’ll still be some great fun.
Late to the party, but thought I’d chime in.
Mt Hutt would be okay if you want to do it on the cheap. I haven’t spent much time in Methven (the olds live in chch) but it doesn’t seem like there’s lots to do on downdays, and as previously mentioned, it’s called Mt. Shutt for a reason.
I honestly think for the extra 5 hundy that Qtown would be a better option. On a good day it’s 25-35 mins up the road to Coro’s, nice enough to do an afternoon if she’s not feeling it. Plus there’s a little “Onsen” hot pools place at the foot of the mountain so you can dangle a bit of a carrot to get her up there! Not super cheap, but a good relaxing thing to do if the motivation is lacking or the body is a bit sore. Shred half a day and then relax in the hot pools.
Again, Coro’s has a decent lodge, so once you’re up there if you want to sit one out the coffee is good and the surroundings are nice. Hutt, not so much. Their base building is a little scungy. I hear Remarks has had an upgrade this year, so again Qtown wins on convenience etc.
With two mountains to choose from, you have slightly better odds of being able to pick a good day. From Methven you could get to Porter Heights pretty quickly, but if she’s only semi-keen on riding you don’t really want to push the issue and head to a place with only t-bars.
You know what else might work? Wanaka? It’s about an hour less drivetime than Qtown, you still get the same scenery (I’m trying to find some pics). Cardrona would be perfect for 4-5 days for both of you, and if she wanted to sit a day out you could go and check Treble Cone for some good, challenging freeride terrain. Plus you on either leg you could stop at Twizel (4 hrs from Chch, 1 from Wanaka, 1.5 from Qtown) and ride Ohau. The view from the field is one of the best in the world on a clear day, when the lake is still.
A general note about the roads - Coronet is the only one that’s paved. The others are gravel. They’re steep, and look a little intimidating, but honestly they’re not. If you’re going mid-winter and rent a car, ensure the rental includes chains, and please, please, PLEASE do a practice run fitting the chains in the rental car parking lot or at the hotel where your hands are warm and dry. You will thank me big time for this, as it’s no fun f*cking around halfway up the road in the snow and mud when you can’t figure it out. They’re not difficult to fit, all I’m saying is one practice pays off. Oh, and it also helps you check if the rental car groomers have f*cked up and given you the wrong size chains. It happens.
Seriously, the roads are not a big deal. On the way up, keep your revs up a little, your speed consistent and your driving as smooth as possible. If you’re in an automatic, shift the gears manually rather than waiting for the surprise kick-down that’ll jump the revs and lessen the traction.
Same thing on the way down, keep your driving smooth, manually shift the gears to control your speed, and brake early.
Oh, some motivators for the drive down:
Lake Pukaki, looking towards Aoraki (our highest mountain):
The road to Aoraki (Mt Cook) - a bit of a detour, but good on a nice day:
About 15 mins to go until the Ohau Lodge - one of my favourite photos (me) Boing! You can actually see the access road on the left.
Hope some of that helps.
Hooray for heel clicks!
Nice pics and contribution Zedd!
i wish I was going.
I know when the day comes that I do if can still get ahold of you, I will.
What a beautiful place.
just some questions….
when did Queenstowns nightlife being full of Australians (and poms) became an up point?
Qtowns cheaper to fly to then Cchurch? i thought it was the other way around?
The roards are pretty nuts, what ever anyone says. If the weathers crap and your in a shitty rental car, you need to be careful when the weathers bad (maybe take the bus up,even though one ran off the road at cadrona) , Ive lived and driven a lot in Scandinavia in really nuts road conditions, but there was one day in Nz at the remarks where i was putting along in our crappy rental watching a 4WD slide off the side, a camper and two other cars in the ditch and a bus come close( but like some one said, keep your driving smooth…dont brake if you can help it and DONT STOP going up hill on a slope and you should be ok)