Cardrona climb, Peak to Pub descent | Time Out 2021-22 Queenstown

Today was time to try the Cardrona Ski Field climb. Plan was to ride the road up and then take the 'Peak to Pub' mountain bike trail descent.

Drive_Queenstown_Cardrona

The Crown Range

Getting there requires a drive over the Crown Range; a road I've driven and cycled before and spectacular itself.


Back in 2003 we cycled it heading towards Queenstown. In 2004 I climbed it heading West; memorable for being the first ride after a couple of weeks holiday and then having to pedal just as hard down the other side thanks to a stiff westerly headwind!

Top of the hill, it's down from here! | Milford Wilderness 2003
The Crown Range climb, quite a challenge for day 1 of the ride! | West Coast Escape 2004

In 2016, down for a conference, I flew in on the dramatic Crown Range approach to Queenstown Airport (below left). I also joined a mountain bike adventure from the summit down to Arrowtown (right) but we had a spectacularly easy climb to the top that day!

The Crown Range Road from Queenstown flight | 2016
The Crown Range MTB Ride | 2016
Crown Range Summit MTB Adventure | 2016

The road starts near Arrowtown with the infamous switchback section. They lead to a viewpoint with spectacular views towards Lake Hayes and beyond.

Crown Range Road Switchbacks
Arrow Junction Lookout | Crown Range Road

There was no traffic, fun revving the Bravo through the gears on the climb, mostly in second and third using the revs. That twenty-year-old five-cylinder engine still sounds so good when exercised.

Bravo HGT & Crown Range Road
Crown Range Road to Queenstown

Had the radio on and was sad to learn P.J. O'Rourke died. Often didn't agree with him but always liked hearing his views and humour.

P.J. O'Rourke, R.I.P. | Reason

No one did more to mainstream libertarian ideas about peace, love, and understanding over the past half-century than P.J. O'Rourke, who has died at the age of 74...

I thought about riding the 'Race to the Sky' road but after clearing the rush hour traffic on the Waiorau Nordic (Snow farm) Road found the gates locked, road closed.

Rush hour on Waiorau Nordic (Snow farm) Road, Cardrona

Cardrona climb

So Cardrona it is, parked at the bottom, ready to ride.

Ready to roll up Cardrona Skifield Road

The road was well graded and wide, ready for all those winter sports.

Cardrona Skifield Road

Heading up.

Cardrona Skifield Road

I was listening to Alan Alda talking to Abigail Vieregg about a bizarre way they observe Neutrinos, particles from space, in Antarctica:

Clear and Vivid | Abigail Vieregg: Seeking Cosmic Messengers

Dangling from a balloon the size of a football stadium miles above the South Pole, a payload built by astrophysicist Abby Vieregg peers down at the ice looking for messenger particles from the most energetic places in the universe

No need to use the chain bay today!

No chains today | Cardrona Skifield Road

Felt like I was riding to the sky.

Riding to the sky | Cardrona Skifield Road

Looking back across Cardrona Valley.

A road travelled | Cardrona Skifield Road

'Fools Corner', felt like a long way up but not even halfway there.

Fool's Corner | Cardrona Skifield Road
Cardrona Skifield Road

Yes, the gradient in places was... yeah

Yes, the gradient | Cardrona Skifield Road

This is half distance but nowhere near half effort.

Halfway! | Cardrona Skifield Road

The scale of nature

Crouched down to frame this photo, looking back to where I started, and noticed a photo bomber mid-frame. The S21 zoom picked him, or her?, out.

The scale of nature | Cardrona Skifield Road
The scale of nature | Cardrona Skifield Road
The scale of nature | Cardrona Skifield Road
The scale of nature | Cardrona Skifield Road

Switchbacks to the sky

Cardrona Skifield Road

The fine white dust mostly wasn't a problem. I only saw a few vehicles, but it took only one to learn to stop on the windward side of the road as they passed...

Letting the dust subside | Cardrona Skifield Road

Life is everywhere | Cardrona Skifield Road

Life is everywhere | Cardrona Skifield Road

I just had to park...

I had to... | Cardrona Skifield Road

Chukka Corner 2km to go.

Chukka Corner 2km to go | Cardrona Skifield Road

Plenty of up left...

Plenty of up left | Cardrona Skifield Road

The last push.

Cardrona Skifield Road

Near the top I got first view of the other side, looking towards Queenstown.

The other side | Cardrona Skifield Road

Dusty road, clear sky.

Hairpin | Cardrona Skifield Road

Cardrona Ski

Defended by Snow Artillery?

Snow Artillery | Cardrona Skifield Road

Snow makers at rest waiting for the wintry weather to arrive.

Snow makers at rest | Cardrona Skifield Road

The village was quite busy, people cycling and riding 'mountain karts' on trails in the ski area.

Cardrona Skifield

Chair lifts taking freewheel mountain karts up for people to ride down.

Cardrona Skifield

Peak to Pub descent

There's a series of mountain bike trails from the peak straight down to the Cardrona Pub.

Peak to Pub Trail Map
The pub is down there | Cardrona Skifield Road

I decided to ride a bit of the road before joining the 'Peak to Pub Trail

Heading down | Cardrona Skifield Road

Off the road, onto the trail. Awesome downhill, 617m descent, but quite demanding in parts.

Down! | Cardrona Peak to Pub Trail
Cardrona Peak to Pub Trail

They were doing trail maintenance in a couple of areas but most of the run was clear.

Cardrona Peak to Pub Trail
Cardrona Peak to Pub Trail

A few bridge type obstacles but mostly natural trail.

Yump | Cardrona Peak to Pub Trail

The last part is a fast downhill run to the pub.

Cardrona Peak to Pub Trail

The Pub!

It was about half three by the time I got here but didn't have time for a drink. Had to get back to Queenstown to meet up for a drink with a TWL colleague who was down working. The photo was taken by a couple of road cyclists after I'd taken theirs for them. They were heading over the Ranges for Arrowtown.

The Pub! | Cardrona Peak to Pub Trail

Loading up to head back over the Ranges to another pub.

Racing back to another pub | Cardrona Peak to Pub Trail


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