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Treble Cone

Treble Cone Ski Area is the largest ski resort on the South Island of New Zealand. The resort covers much of the upper reaches of Treble Cone Peak (2,076 m / 6811 ft), an impressively steep and rocky mountain. Like Canadian resorts Kicking Horse and Revelstoke, the mountain’s vast area is serviced by just two chairlifts (plus one poma lift), which operate roughly from June until October. In contrast to nearby Cardrona Resort, which is more about freestyle, Treble Cone caters to big mountain skiers who aren’t afraid to bring their touring gear to the resort and put forth a little effort to ski the best terrain (Motatapu Basin) on the mountain. Experts seeking to explore Motatapu should expect long runs, followed by a skin back to the lift. The resort covers 550 hectares (1,359 acres) and 700 m (2,297 ft) of vertical. However, most of this terrain lacks groomed runs; there are only 16 groomers at Treble Cone. The rest of the mountain is off-piste and features many open faces, cliffs, and couloirs, all devoid of trees.

Treble Cone Ski Area, New Zealand

Location

Treble Cone Ski Area is in the Otago region of the South Island (Te Wapounamu) within the Queenstown Lakes District. The peak overlooks many other prominent mountains in the Southern Alps, including Mount Alta (2,347 m / 7,700 ft), Black Peak (2,289 m / 7,510 ft), and Mt. Aspiring (3,033 m / 9,951 ft), as well as Lake Wānaka. The closest city is Wānaka, a half-hour drive to the west. To the east, south, and north are vast expanses of alpine wilderness consisting of some of the most dramatic peaks in the Southern Alps. Mount Aspiring National Park, a sprawling preserve covering much of the coastal Southern Alps, is a seemingly endless expanse of mountain ranges and lakes.

Getting to and Around the Ski Resort

While Wānaka is the nearest city to Treble Cone, it’s not a major transit hub. There is a small airport in Wānaka, but most visitors come by car. If you plan a trip to Treble Cone from outside the country, you will most likely want to fly into Dunedin International Airport. From here, you can drive or take a connecting flight to Queenstown or Wānaka. Flights run a few hundred dollars ($NZD), depending on the time of year. On the other hand, it’s four hours by car from Dunedin, although the scenery is marvelous.

Treble Cone Ski Area, New Zealand

Aside from the picturesque views along the way, the benefit of driving is that you’ll have a car to drive to the resort. It’s about 35 minutes from town along the Wānaka Mount Aspiring Road to the resort. Treble Cone also operates a free shuttle up the road to the resort that runs daily and another that runs to Wānaka on weekends. Even if you rent a car, this shuttle can be helpful on days with fresh snow, when the resort road may be closed to vehicles without tire chains. If you plan on staying in Queenstown, you will probably have to rent a car to make it to Treble Cone.

Season

The lifts at Treble Cone start spinning mid to late June and run until late September or early October. Opening and closing days depend on snowpack, which has been variable in recent years. During low snow years, the resort may not open until early July and may close mid-September. Because Treble Cone only makes snow on roughly 10% of the terrain, the resort depends on natural snowfall to keep the lifts spinning.

If you’re from the Northern Hemisphere, one of the benefits of skiing in New Zealand is the timing of the Austral winter. Many visitors to Treble Cone come to fill in the gaps in their season and keep making turns year-round. Resorts in the southern latitudes don’t have to deal with the ridiculous crowds typically seen around Christmas and New Year's, but there are still busy times here. Lift lines at Treble Cone are the longest during school holidays (most of July and part of August).

Treble Cone Ski Area, New Zealand

Kea bird at Treble Cone ski field mountain

Because this is typically when the snowpack is weakest, I suggest visiting the mountain later in the Austral winter. By late August or September, the mountain’s snowpack will be thicker and rocky lines will be more filled-in than in July. Plus, lift lines are much less of an issue once the school holidays end, and you’ll have a lot more terrain to yourself.

Snowfall and Weather Conditions

Researching snow conditions at Treble Cone can be sketchy, to say the least. Some sources report that Treble Cone sees five or more meters of snow yearly. The resort’s high elevation and proximity to the coast create the potential for big powder storms, sometimes producing more than 65 cm (26 in) of snow. This isn’t an incredible amount when compared to places like Japan and Utah, but for New Zealand, it’s substantial.

But while large storms may have been the norm historically, the mountain has received far less snow in recent years. A more accurate snapshot of Treble Cone’s weather is that of feast or famine. Treble Cone’s snowpack has been deep in the past, and it’s known locally as a powder resort. But warming patterns due to climate change have caused more and more of Treble Cone’s precipitation to fall as rain rather than snow. If this pattern keeps up, winter sports at Treble Cone could be at risk.

Overall, the weather at Treble Cone is relatively stable. July tends to be the coldest month. July and August tend to produce the most significant storms, although September is often steady with smaller, more regular snow showers.

Treble Cone Ski Area, New Zealand

Ski Resort Map

Treble Cone’s map is straightforward. The terrain all shares one aspect, descending from a single peak. But the lack of chairlifts, long traverses, and expanses of ungroomed terrain can confuse newcomers.

There are a few critical places beginners to avoid, or else you might find yourself in a maze of very steep, technical terrain, followed by a long hike back out. When in doubt, downloading the PeakVisor app to navigate the resort is always a good idea.

Looking at Treble Cone Ski Area’s map, you will probably notice the absence of trees. Treeline is very low in the Southern Alps compared to other ecosystems around the globe, and large treeless expanses of snow and rock characterize the resort’s terrain.

The resort sits on Treble Cone Peak's east/southeast flank and is split by a prominent ridgeline down the middle. Other minor ridgelines divide the resort’s terrain into four named basins (from left to right): Motatapu Basin, Saddle Basin, Home Basin, and Matukituki Basin.

The mountain’s base area, parking lot, and only lodge sit at the bottom of Home Basin. This part of the mountain has the most gradual slopes. It is defined on the looker’s left side by a ridgeline that begins at the TC Headwall and runs along the Powder Bowl Chutes to the resort boundary near the Solitude backcountry gate.

The face below the Powder Bowl Chutes is a steep, open pitch that drops into a thin ravine called the Gun Barrel. The Gun Barrel winds from the TC Headwall to the mountain’s base area. The right side of Home Basin is dense with groomed runs, ending at a much more gradual ridgeline.

Beyond this point to the looker’s right is Matukituki Basin, accessible by a traverse from the top of Home Basin Express. This area is often overlooked because it’s not as big as the expansive area to the left, but it offers some high-quality off-piste steeps and cliffs, including a rocky outcropping in the middle of the basin. Beyond the ski area boundary, this bowl is defined by a series of parallel ridgelines that form narrow gulches.

Treble Cone Ski Area, New Zealand

Returning to the looker’s right, looking directly above the Powder Bowl Chutes, you can see the summit of Treble Cone Peak. The peak and the snowfields below it are all in-bounds, although there is no lift access to get there. In classic Treble Cone fashion, skiers willing to put on touring skins and hike a little further are rewarded with some of the best open-face skiing on the mountain, just below the summit. The skin track starts at the top of Saddle Basin Quad and climbs to the right along a gentle slope.

Looking to the right of the summit at a ridgetop, you’ll see a rocky outcropping called The Towers. This ridge defines the resort’s upper boundary and is accessible by bootpack or skin track. Directly underneath the Towers ridgeline is Saddle Basin, the middle area of the resort. To get into Saddle Basin, traverse to the looker’s left under the Powder Bowl Chutes and across the central ridge of the resort. There are only two or three groomed runs in this part of the mountain, but many large areas are accessible to more advanced skiers willing to venture off-piste.

Saddle Basin is much steeper than Home Basin and has a lot of medium-to-large cliffs and small chutes to check out. One of the most straightforward features is the SuperPipe, a natural half-pipe that winds parallel with the Powder Bowl Chutes headwall to the lower ski boundary. Mine Shaft, a local favorite and intense ride through a daringly steep funnel, is directly under the lift. The entire basin is roughly funnel-shaped, directing traffic to the bottom of Saddle Basin Quad. It’s difficult to get lost here.

At this point, we come to the big leagues. Treble Cone’s most isolated area, Motatapu Basin, is the most technical and biggest terrain. Getting into Motatapu Basin depends mostly on avalanche conditions. But when it’s open, it’s just a short ride to the looker’s left from the top of Saddle Basin through one of the three gates in The Meadows.

The terrain in this part of the resort looks like it was air-lifted and delivered from Alaska. Rows of jagged spines, forming 30 m (100 ft) or taller cliffs in some places, create a labyrinth of steeps, ridges, cliffs, and couloirs reserved for experts only. It is, without question, the most immense in-bounds terrain in New Zealand, if not in all of Oceania. It’s why Treble Cone is known as a destination for big mountain skiing.

Motatapu Basin is a nightmare for avalanche patrol, who have noted more than 300 paths in the cirque. But, thanks to their hard work, skiers can test their limits here with relatively low risk. However, the basin does often close to ensure skiers’ safety.

One thing that makes Motatapu Basin so exciting is that the terrain just above it looks nothing like it. You may ski through one of the gates into the basin, making easy turns over open meadows in Hollywood Bowl, and expect nothing of interest below you. But then, the slope increases dramatically, and rock spines rise out of the ground.

Depending on your chosen line, you could ski spines like you might see in British Columbia or stick to the low ground and straight line through narrow chutes. There are countless cliffs and drops of every size to challenge skiers of all ability levels.

Treble Cone Ski Area, New Zealand

Once out of the gun barrel, the basin opens up again into meadows, though much steeper than the ones above. Once at the bottom, you’ll have to hike back along the skin track to Saddle Basin Quad. To return to the Home Basin from here, hop on Saddle Basin Quad and take the high traverse to the looker’s right under the summit and TC Headwall.

Ski Lifts and Slopes

Slopes

  • Total number of named runs: 16 (not including named off-piste bowls, cliffs, and chutes)
  • Slopes total length: 22 km (13.7 mi)
  • Types of slopes: easy (blue) — 4 km (2.5 mi), 18%; intermediate (red) — 9 km (5.6 mi), 41%; advanced and expert (black) — 9 km (5.6 mi), 41%
  • Longest run: High Street to Triple Threat (4 km / 2.6 mi)
  • Popular slopes:
  • Total skiable terrain: 550 hectares (1,359 acres)

Ski lifts

  • Total lifts: 3 (1 high-speed six seater, 1 fixed grip quad, 1 platter lift or T-bar)
  • Lifts operating hours: 0830 to 1600, daily
  • Top station: Top shack of Saddle Basin Quad (1,960 m / 6,430 ft); highest point in-bounds: summit of Double Cone Peak (2,088 m / 6,850 ft)
  • Base station: 1,260 m (4,134 ft)
  • Difference between stations (max vertical drop): 700 m (2,297 ft)
  • Average height: 1,674 m (5,492 ft)
  • Lifts capacity: 4,500 skiers per hour

Treble Cone Ski Area, New Zealand

Other features and services

  • Artificial snow: Yes (about 10% of terrain)
  • Night skiing: No
  • Cross-country ski trails: No
  • Snowshoe trails: No
  • Freestyle terrain park: No
  • Sled slopes: No
  • Dog Sledding: No
  • Snow tubing: No
  • Ice-skating field: No
  • Ski rentals and bootfitting: Yes
  • Ski school: Yes
  • Ski guides and ski tours: Yes, offered by private guides
  • Outdoor stores: Yes
  • Kindergarten: No

Treble Cone Ski Area, New Zealand

If you focus entirely on lifts and groomed runs, Treble Cone starts to look like a tiny mountain. The resort has just three lifts (including a poma lift at the base area) and 16 named runs. For many skiers, the draw of Treble Cone is the terrain outside of lift access. Groomed runs here primarily serve as access routes for the off-piste sections in between. You can still have a lot of fun skiing groomers here but don’t expect world-class corduroy skiing from a mountain that leans so heavily into in-bounds backcountry terrain and powder skiing.

The majority of named runs are in Home Basin, including most of the resort’s beginner terrain. If you’re uncomfortable leaving the piste, it’s wise to spend most of your time in Home Basin. Either way, plan on starting and ending your day here.

Every day at Treble Cone starts with a trip up Home Basin Express. If you’re new to the mountain, I recommend getting to know this area. Beginners will enjoy the laxity of the slopes, and intermediates will find pleasant detours off the beaten path like Gun Barrel, Dream Weaver, and Side Winder. Experts may want to venture further out and check out the Indicator Chutes or traverse a little higher to the looker’s left and drop into the Powder Bowl Chutes. If the main face is busy, experts may also drop into Matukituki Basin. These short, steep runs are fun and easily accessible.

If you’re feeling ready to branch out from Home Basin, the obvious choice is to take the Saddle Track/Pete’s Treat Traverse to the looker’s left into Saddle Basin. If you’re not comfortable skiing off-piste yet, your options are much more limited on this side of the resort. A few long, fast groomers like South Ridge, Saddle Back, Bullet, and Raffils Run are great for beginners and intermediates to become more comfortable with high speeds. Other than that, the basin is almost entirely off-piste.

Experts and intermediates that want to spend all day off-piste will love Saddle Basin. The upper meadows like The Meadows, Wide Glide, Boundary Ridge, and Upper Cloud Nine are fantastic powder runs that develop into mogul fields in the late season. The line directly under Saddle Basin Quad is one of the most intense pitches at the resort, directing you either into Mine Shaft or Drop Off and Payback. Both options will be on visiting experts’ shortlists.

Backcountry Skiing

Treble Cone is famous for its non-lift-accessible terrain, both in-bounds and out-of-bounds. The resort does a great job of helping riders access their backcountry terrain by offering a backcountry pass for NZD 65. This pass gives you three lift rides, so you can ride up, ski down, tour back to the bottom of the lift, and do it all over again. For lift-assisted backcountry skiing, it doesn’t get much better than that.

Having areas like Motatapu Basin or the Summit Slopes under avalanche control allows adventure seekers to safely step into terrain that would otherwise only be accessible to people with tons of training, gear, and experience (and with much higher risk). All you have to do to access it is bring your touring equipment and have the skills to handle the skiing.

Treble Cone Ski Area, New Zealand

Motatapu Basin is serious big mountain terrain with some bucket list objectives for enterprising adventure seekers. Features like The Diamond and The Fickle Finger of Fear would easily be rated triple black diamond runs at a mountain like Big Sky in the US. They include large no-fall zones and often involve mandatory air. Ideally, you would want to wait for powder conditions to ski features like these. You’ll also want to bring a complete touring kit, including a beacon, just in case something goes wrong.

If you’re after something a little mellower, skinning to the summit of Treble Cone Peak is a great option. It’s a short skin track (or boot pack) that rewards you with views of Mt. Aspiring National Park. Plus, you’ll ride through one of the best open powder fields at the resort on your way back down.

The actual out-of-bounds touring at Treble Cone is a little different. Naturally, there is no avalanche control outside the ski area boundary, so bring all your equipment and avalanche know-how, and never ride alone. The two main touring areas outside the resort are below the looker’s left side of Home Basin and below Matukituki Basin.

There are five backcountry access gates in the resort. Solitude and Sun Dance sit just below the ridge in Home Basin and service a wide area of gullies and ridges that meander down to the road. Outer Limits and Matuki Wave sit on the east face of Matukituki Basin and drop into a series of steeper ridges below.

The last backcountry gate is the Matukituki Ridge Gate, which drops onto the mountain's backside into another basin entirely. Returning to the resort from this aspect is much more involved and will take longer. However, this is the best place to find untracked powder at Treble Cone.

Ski Pass and Discounts

The first thing to know about buying a pass to Treble Cone is that the resort shares passes with Cardrona Alpine Resort. So if you get a single-day, multi-day, flexi 5-day, or season pass, you can use them at both resorts. Since the two are so close together and with such different terrain, this creates fantastic opportunities for ski trips to New Zealand.

Passes to Treble Cone are relatively expensive, and the mountain doesn’t offer many deals or discounts on passes. Single-day lift tickets start at NZD 160, but you can get better rates online. You’ll get a better deal if you buy a multi-day pass, which brings the per-day rate down to as low as NZD 112 on consecutive days at the resort. The flexi 5-day pass is another option for visitors. It gives you five days to either Treble Cone or Cardrona at NZD 144 each, which you can use whenever you want.

Treble Cone and Cardrona offer just one combined season pass. It runs NZD 1,649 for adults and gives full access to both resorts with no blackout days. Compared to many ski resorts in the United States, this is a good deal (roughly USD 1,000). If you have the time to explore both resorts for more than a couple of weeks, buying a season pass is the best option.

Treble Cone Ski Area, New Zealand

Dining and Après-ski

Treble Cone is much more stripped-down than other ski resorts but has all the essentials. The majority of the food and libations on the mountain are found at the base area. You can get breakfast, baked goods, coffee, and cocktails at the resort’s main bar; snacks on the go from a convenience store in the lodge; or you could sit down for a barbecue lunch at Southern BBQ. There is also an outdoor bar in the central area called Twelve Sixty, which serves hot and cold beverages on sunny days.

The other spot to catch your breath and grab a beer is the Altitude Bar at the top of Home Basin Express. This tiny spot serves hot food, ice-cold drinks, and fantastic views of Lake Wānaka and the mountains beyond. This is the best spot if you just want to pop in for a quick beer between runs.

Lodging

There is no guest lodging at the Treble Cone resort, so the best option to stay nearby is to find something in Wānaka. It may not be as lavish as having a ski-in-ski-out lodge, but there are some very nice options just a short drive (or bus ride) away that won’t break the bank.

On the low end of the price scale, you can find lovely, new guesthouses like this one for around NZD 90 per night. At around NZD 200, you’ll find apartments like this on Lake Wānaka with a porch, hot tub, and floor-to-ceiling windows. Not bad at all considering the price. On the high end, you can rent an apartment like this for around NZD 290 per night. It sleeps five, has full amenities, and would be more than adequate for a long trip with the whole family or all your ski buddies.

Treble Cone Ski Area, New Zealand

If you’re looking for the cheapest option and don’t mind staying in a dorm, hostels are the way to go in New Zealand. Not only are they affordable, but you meet fascinating people (and maybe some ski partners) from around the world. Wanaka has two hostels while neighboring Queenstown has dozens. However, you’ll have to drive to the resort if you stay in Queenstown.

Nearby Ski Resorts, Towns, and Cities

As I’ve mentioned, the only town within a reasonable distance is Wānaka, about a 30-minute drive to the east. Another 30 minutes south, and you’ll arrive at Cardrona Alpine Resort.

Cardrona is Treble Cone’s sister ski area. They share passes, and many locals ski at both resorts. But the experience you’ll have skiing at Treble Cone is nothing like what you’ll get at Cardrona. Where Treble Cone emphasizes slackcountry skiing, backcountry access, and bootpacking to big mountain terrain in-bounds, Cardrona is a hub for freestyle riding. It has the largest freestyle terrain park in New Zealand, and many of the country’s Olympians train there. One benefit of skiing at Cardrona is that they make snow across most of the resort, so if you visit New Zealand during a low-tide winter, Cardrona will have enough snow for skiing.

Treble Cone Ski Area, New Zealand

Cardrona Alpine Resort

Further to the south, you can also find Remarkables Ski Area. Remarkables is similar to Treble Cone, with off-piste terrain, a sizable vertical drop, and big powder days. Remarkables has a lot easier lift access than Treble Cone, making exploring easier for skiers without touring gear.

The next closest town is Queenstown, about an hour to the southwest. Beyond Queenstown, the Queenstown Lakes District of the South Island doesn’t have many large cities. The closest major airport is in Dunedin, on the west coast, about three and a half hours away by car. The nearby area is remote, rugged, and pastoral, although most small towns will have all the necessary amenities.

mountain lifts
Status Type Name
Opening Hours
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Home Basin Express
Start - End
1 263 m - 1 763 m
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Nice ‘n’ Easy Platter
Start - End
1 262 m - 1 315 m
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Saddle Basin Quad
Start - End
1 578 m - 1 960 m