cardrona resort guide

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A relaxed, friendly resort located between Wanaka and Queenstown in the Southern Alps of New Zealand.

Resort Information

“Higher, Drier and Naturally Better” is the slogan of Cardrona Alpine Resort, a high resort with wide open slopes, renowned among skiers and snowboarders for dry, natural snow, and a reliable season. Cardrona has an extensive ski area, large open basins, halfpipes, gravity cross course and terrain park trails, making it a popular playground for freestyle skiers and boarders.

Resort details:

• Located between Wanaka & Queenstown in the Southern Alps of New Zealand
• High resort renowned for dry, natural snow
• Wide open slopes
• Purpose built facilities
• 2 terrain park trails
• Pipe park with 4 halfpipes
• 800m culpted gravity cross course
• 1000m terrain park consisting of rails, fun boxes and a range of jumps and table features
• Base elevation of 1670m above sea level
• Season runs from June to October
• Cardrona hosts a number of national and international events throughout the season

course options

9 Week Courses:

Ski/Snowboard: NZSIA Certificate of Snowsports Instruction & Stage One

Date range: Jul - Sept

Suitable for: Strong intermediate to advanced levels. You must be able to ski or ride with confidence and control on intermediate and advanced terrain.

Ski Instructor Course brief programme outline:

Week 1:

• Introduction of the course and exam procedures
• Discussion of exam outlines, expectations and standards
• Introduction of movements
• Freeskiing

Week 2:

• Freeskiing with a focus on Basic position as well as fore and aft movement
• Progression from 1st time – Gliding wedge
• Focus on demo and basic position
• Practice presenting for adults and children with a focus on class handling and safety

Week 3:

• Freeskiing with a focus on turnshape.
• Introduction of rotation movements
• Progression from wedge - final form wedge turn
• Wedge turn demonstrations
• Practice presenting for adults and children focusing on fun, movement and enthusiasm

Week 4:

• NZSIA Certificate in Snowsports Instructing exam

Week 5:

• Freeskiing with a focus on lateral balance
• Introduction of lateral movements
• Progression from basic wedge turn – wedge Christie
• Practice wedge Christie demonstrations
• Practice presenting for adults and children focusing on progression and pacing

Week 6:

• CSI exam debrief
• Freeski focusing on performance and all terrain
• Progression from wedge Christie – parallel turns
• Parallel turn demonstrations
• Practice teaching
• Introduction to skier analysis

Week 7:

• Freeski focusing on performance and short turns
• Progression from parallel – advanced parallel
• Short turn demonstration
• Practice teaching
• Skier analysis practice

Week 8:

• Freeski all terrain
• Demonstration practice
• Practice teaching
• Skier analysis practice
• Stage One exam preparation   

Week 9:

• NZSIA Stage One Skiing

Snowboard Instructor Course brief programme outline:

Week 1:

• Introduction of the course and exam procedures.
• Discussion of exam outlines, expectations and standards
• Progression from 1st time
• Introduction of movements
• Freeriding

Week 2:

• Freeridiing with a focus on Basic stance as well as fore and aft movement
• Progression
• Focus on demo and basic stance
• Practice presenting for adults and children with a focus on class handling and safety

Week 3:

• Freeriding with a focus on turnshape and lateral movements
• Introduction of rotation movements
• Practice presenting for adults and children focusing on fun, movement and enthusiasm progression and pacing
• demonstrations

Week 4:

• NZSIA Certificate in Snowsports Instructing exam

Week 5:

• CSI exam debrief
• Freeride focusing on performance and all terrain
• Progression
• Demonstrations
• Practice teaching
• Introduction to movement analysis

Week 6:

• Freeride focusing on performance and changing radius
• Progression
• Demonstrations
• Practice teaching
• Movement analysis practice

Week 7:

• Freeride all terrain
• Progression
• Demonstration
• Practice teaching
• Movement analysis practice

Week 8:

• Stage One exam preparation  

Week 9:

• NZSIA Stage One Snowboarding