Roundhill, New Zealand

Dan from AUSTRALIA writes:

Access road: Adequately maintained and easy to negotiate.
Prices: Normal/on par with near-by ski fields.
Snow quality: Can be quite icy at times. Ski field closes often due to poor weather.
Terrain size: Small but has great views.
Trails: Mostly intermediate. Limited but very gentle beginners. Arguably no advanced. Queues are generally short in all areas. Virtually no waking required between car park and trails.
Other facilities: A small café with a limited selection of food.
Staff: A few were impatient and not friendly, if not rude. This ruined my experience.
Family friendly: Yes. Plenty of space for setting up picnics next to the Learner Area, too. The Learner Area is full of kids on weekends.

[Editors note: I agree with much of the above. It is important to mention that Roundhill has always had excellent advanced skiing for those prepared to hike up the high slopes of the Two Thumb Range. For the 2010 season, a new nutcracker rope-tow will allow easier access to the big mountain above the existing ski area. Although the sunny and exposed face is prone to being icy, when conditions are right and there is fresh snow, this slope offers excellent open faces and wide gullies at about 30 degrees and with only a few rocks. This exciting development will propel Roundhill from being New Zealand's most modest ski area to a place that offers something for everyone, including the advanced skiers and snowboarders who have previously ignored Roundhill as the headed to the challenging slopes of nearby Ohau. By our calculations Roundhill will soon have the longest and steepest rope-tow in all of New Zealand (in the World?) and the most vertical of any South Island resort, offering Ohau some serious competition and potentially allowing Roundhill to stay open longer each season. Last, I have to say that in 2008 and 2009 seasons, I found the lifties pretty helpful and friendly]

2009-12-22

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