Snow Park, New Zealand
Encyclopedia
Snow Park is a dedicated snowsports terrain park
in South Island
, New Zealand
. Describing itself as the "first dedicated freestyle terrain park in the world" when it opened in 2002, it features a number of half-pipes, jumps and rails, instead of traditional ski runs.
On-mountain accommodation has been available since 2006, prior to which people needed to commute daily from Wanaka
or Queenstown
. The site shares an access road with nearby Snow Farm
.
A recent gondola proposal has been submitted, which would allow Snow Park to install a gondola running from the valley floor (near the Cardrona Valley Road) to the current base of the park. Stated reasons for this include dust and visibility, carbon dioxide emissions, and environmental impact.
In summer, the same site operates as a freestyle mountain biking park, under the name Dirt Park. It also includes 2 downhill runs.
The park and surrounding land was owned by the Lee family for sixty years, before it was put up for sale in September 2008, for $30 million.
Terrain park
A terrain park is an outdoor area that contains terrain that allows skiers and snowboarders to perform tricks. Terrain parks have their roots in skateparks and many of the features are common to both. One of the first in-bounds terrain parks was the "Snowboard Park" built in 1990 at the Vail...
in South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Describing itself as the "first dedicated freestyle terrain park in the world" when it opened in 2002, it features a number of half-pipes, jumps and rails, instead of traditional ski runs.
On-mountain accommodation has been available since 2006, prior to which people needed to commute daily from Wanaka
Wanaka
Wanaka is a town in the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. It is situated at the southern end of Lake Wanaka, adjacent to the outflow of the lake to the Clutha River. It is the gateway to Mount Aspiring National Park. Wanaka is primarily a resort town but has both summer and winter...
or Queenstown
Queenstown, New Zealand
Queenstown is a resort town in Otago in the south-west of New Zealand's South Island. It is built around an inlet called Queenstown Bay on Lake Wakatipu, a long thin Z-shaped lake formed by glacial processes, and has spectacular views of nearby mountains....
. The site shares an access road with nearby Snow Farm
Snow Farm, New Zealand
Snow Farm is a ski area near Wanaka, New Zealand, dedicated to cross-country skiing. It features 55 km of trails, and the conference centre has accommodation for about 60 people. It is located on the Pisa range close to Cardrona, at an altitude of 1,515 m, 55 km from Queenstown and...
.
A recent gondola proposal has been submitted, which would allow Snow Park to install a gondola running from the valley floor (near the Cardrona Valley Road) to the current base of the park. Stated reasons for this include dust and visibility, carbon dioxide emissions, and environmental impact.
In summer, the same site operates as a freestyle mountain biking park, under the name Dirt Park. It also includes 2 downhill runs.
The park and surrounding land was owned by the Lee family for sixty years, before it was put up for sale in September 2008, for $30 million.
External links
- http://snowpark.allstartrips.com/
- http://www.snowparknz.com/
- http://www.dirtparknz.com/
- Snow Park Resort Review & Photos