Challenges can be found at Cardrona

Press, 3 September 1986, Page 26

Challenges can be found at Cardrona

VIEWS FROM THE TOP

by

Tim Dunbar

Some slightly condescending types down Wanaka way have tended to refer to Cardrona as a “car-park ski-field.” Such remarks are made because of the smooth, relatively easy slopes in the main Cardrona basin which suit learners and intermediates so well. The short walk to the ticket office is an extra bonus. But more advanced skiers, too, are finding some challenging trails if they bother to explore the mountain properly — especially now that a quad chairlift has been put into Captain’s Basin. The basin is named after a particularly frisky rodeo horse who used to graze there and skiers are finding it an equally good place to unwind. Trying out the back basins, Arcadia and Captain’s, was the big aim when I visited the ski area early last week and being provided with a guide who knew them intimately helped. Kay Jackson, formerly a Cardrona ski instructor and now in charge of marketing the ski area, took me on some most enjoyable runs. We ventured off the ridges a couple of times — includ-

ing a testing, little bit between some rocks — and also found some fine powder. Observed, but not attempted, were the steep runs of the arcadia chutes. Apparently one Treble Cone friend of Kay’s withdrew previous unkind remarks about Cardrona after tackling them a while back.

Captain’s Basin has some interesting rock formations and plenty of moguls at the top, lefthand side of the new quad chair.

“The basin has got character,” said John Lee, managing director of Cardrona Ski Area, Ltd. “It’s away from the car-park and has a wee bit more wilderness feel. There is a whole variety of terrain.” . By contrast the area in the vicinity of the base

lodge was fairly bland, he said.

With the installation of its third chairlift Cardrona has an uphill capacity of 6000 skiers an hour and although our visit was on the first Monday of the school holidays there were no significant queues, except perhaps, at peak times, the one for the ladies. Mr Lee said that the ski j area, almost two fields in one, could now handle a crowd of 2500 quite comfortably. The maximum would be 3000 skiers, meaning lOmin waits in queues.

Unfortunately Cardrona has not been blessed with good weather this winter. Wind or fog have meant 37 per cent closed days and at one stage it had a really bad run with eight days closed in nine. One thing about Car-

drona is that travelling on the chairs can be a little chilly unless one’s ears are well covered. Temperatures are starting to warm up now, though.

“Cardrona is the coldest of all the fields round here. We hold snow quality,” Mr Lee said. Traditionally, Cardrona starts to come into its own past the middle of August. “I believe that people don’t want to ski in July,” Mr Lee said. “The days are too short and skiers leave in the dark and arrive home in the dark.” Nowadays Cardrona is a big operation with 130 on the staff, yet the friendly feel about the field remains. Christmas was being celebrated that day, August 25, and the amiable fellow who had been a car-park attendant a little earlier was sizzling the sausages. The man giving children skidoo rides was the operations manager, Shaun Gilbertson. Mr Lee farms in the Cardrona Valley and apparently holds staff parties in the cowsheds. Long slope While Cardrona is now providing some good skiing for experts the other Wanaka ski-field, Treble Cone, is doing more for beginners. Treble Cone has always prided itself on being "a skier’s mountain,” but it is now looking for a wider market. Since last year a new learners area has been created, running from the day lodge past the base of the bottom T-bar. On the Sunday before last the area was well patronised and at 4.25 p.m. ski-field staff were still running the platter which services it. With an average slope of 7deg. speeds are kept in reasonable check.

Spring growth Appearances might deceive but the trees near the bottom of the Green Gates treble chairlift at Coronet Peak seem to have grown quite a bit lately, giving Coronet some of the aspect of a North American ski area. According to the ski area manager, Sugar Robinson, the 30 pines were planted about 30 years ago. They won’t be planting any more because of Lands

and Survey Department regulations. There is solid evidence that things grow fast on the mountain. The plaque on the outside of the new dayroom reads: “Destroyed (by fire) July 2, 1986. Reopened July 12, 1986.” Ator just surf A German woman who was ski-ing at The Remarkables, Queenstown, last' k, appreciated the chan to use chairlifts

again. She now lives in Hawaii, on the island of Maui, and has only one choice of ski area. This is Mauna Kea, a volcanic mountain 13,796 ft high (round- 4200 metres) on Hawaii, the biggest island in the group. The mountain, she said, was not properly developed and there was a shuttle service — truck or car — to shift skiers uphill. Apparently some of the best skiing is in April when there is some lovely spring com. Ski-ing on a volcano (even an inactive one) must make a nice change from all that surf.

Treble notes They put things quite succinctly at Treble Cone. For example, the message last week on the blackboard at the bottom of Tbar 2 which read: “Missing, pair of Lacroix skis, 195 cm. Check your feet.” Another notice, at the bottom of the double chairlift, asked that skiers refrain from putting their poles through the chair

slats. Broken hire poies, it added, would be charged for. Free heel racing Head-to-head ski racing is nothing unusual these days, but the people speeding through the gates at The Remarkables field on Saturday morning will be on telemark skis with free heel bindings. It is the final of the Karhu telemark series and between 20 and 30 skiers should take part. Among the starters will be Whitney Thurlow, the North American (read "world”) telemark racing champion for the last three years and head of the Cardrona ski patrol. Others to compete will be Jef Desbecker, head of the Nordic programme at The Remarkables, Roo Thomas, also a prominent speed skier, Lee Ryan (The Remarkables), and Guido Leek and Robina Bodie, both of Queenstown. The dual slaloir course will be set up ir the Sugar Bowl basir which has been opened uj this year.