Cardrona Alpine Resort is about to become New Zealand’s largest ski area. The resort is officially adding Soho Bason to their ski area.
A new six seater high speed chairlift will be installed to create a lift accessed Soho Basin in Winter 2025.
The new terrain is the equivalent of 150 rugby fields and will increase the resort’s skiable terrain by 24%. Cardrona will officially offer 615 hectares, making them the biggest commercial ski area in New Zealand.
Foundations for the Soho Basin Express, a Doppelmayr six-seater chairlift, will start in February 2024, with the towers and stations installed the following summer between December 2024 and May 2025. The lift is due to be completed in time for the 2025 winter season.
“New skiable terrain in New Zealand is incredibly rare, and we’re so stoked to finally be able to give people the news they want – Soho Basin is officially happening.” says GM of Cardrona and Treble Cone Experiences, Laura Hedley.
“Soho Basin opens up a whole new world and experience for skiers and snowboarders at Cardrona. We can’t wait to ride Soho and share it with all of you – it’s just so good!” she says.
To support the additional guest capacity the Soho Basin Express will attract, Cardrona is upgrading other facilities over the next couple of years. This summer, the Valley View carpark will be extended, and the on-mountain Rentals department will be upgraded.
“It doesn’t stop there – we’ll be upgrading our snowmaking, food and beverage, retail, and other carparking offerings to make sure we continue to deliver a great experience at Cardrona with the addition of Soho Basin,” says Hedley.
Cardrona’s newest offering will open up an area similar in size to, and directly behind, Captain’s Basin. Soho Basin is the massive area directly below the resort’s existing “Queenstown Return” trail. It will have a mix of playful intermediate terrain alongside more technical, advanced lines – plenty for confident skiers and snowboarders to explore.
The Soho Basin Express installation is part of a multi-year commitment to development at Cardrona that has included a total redesign of the resort’s base buildings using existing infrastructure, the McDougall’s Chondola, and the first steps into Soho in 2021 with the Willow’s Quad chairlift.
“After a challenging few years, it’s so exciting to continue along our vision for Cardrona to be a truly world-class ski and snowboard destination, right here in New Zealand,” says Hedley.
Before work begins on the new lift, Cardrona will undertake steps to look after the landscape, flora and fauna in Soho Basin.
Keen skiers and snowboarders can keep up with process on the Soho Basin Express installation and other developments on Cardrona’s social media channels and at cardrona.com/soho.
