New Zealand Snowboard Week: Cardrona, Wanaka and Queenstown with Blaise Rosenthal

The trip runs 5–14 September 2025, with departure from the USA on Friday 5 September and arrival into Queenstown required before 4:00 PM local time on Sunday 7 September. You fly home on Sunday 14 September. Airport transfers to and from Queenstown are included.

Riding covers five days with resort lift tickets included, based around Cardrona, Wanaka and Queenstown. Blaise Rosenthal hosts, alongside local hosts who know the South Island resorts. The ability level required is intermediate — you need to be comfortable on blue runs, but there is no requirement to ride switch or to have hit a rail before. In September the South Island typically serves spring conditions: fast groomers in the morning that soften to slush by afternoon, with the chance of a cold front dropping fresh snow.

Beyond the riding, the week includes an e-bike winery tour through Gibbston Valley with a tasting and a cave visit, a trampoline session in Wanaka, a skatepark visit, and a group dinner at Skyline Queenstown Gondola. Optional add-ons include heliboarding and bungy jumping, paid directly to the operator. The schedule is deliberately flexible and can be reshuffled for weather, snowfall or local events.

Accommodation is in modern three-bedroom houses at the base of Cardrona Valley, a short walk from the Cardrona Hotel. Each guest gets a private room within a shared house, with shared living space and a jacuzzi. Transport around the region is by 4x4 van.

Blaise Rosenthal hosts the trip. He is a snowboarder with a 5.0 rating on the listing and runs the Blaise Boot Camp series, which has previously run in Japan, Slovenia, Bear Valley and New Zealand. The hosts on this trip are there to ride with the group and keep the crew moving rather than to deliver formal coaching — the listing is explicit that this is not a replacement for instruction, and points anyone wanting formal coaching towards the Mt. Hood summer camps.

A pro filmer and photographer document the week, and guests receive a session recap video afterwards. Sponsors and partners for the gathering include Capita Snowboards, Spring Break Snowboards, Union Binding Company, New Greens, HOWL, Dang Shades, Autumn Headwear, Donut Shoppe, Slush Magazine, Spiral Wax Co, High Cascade Snowboard Camp, Mid Life Crisis Snowboarding and Cardrona Valley Apartments.

What's included

- Transportation to and from Queenstown Airport (arrive before 4:00 PM local time) - 8-day fully hosted trip with local hosts and pro riders throughout - 7 nights in private rooms in shared houses, jacuzzi included - Transportation with 4x4 vans - 5 days riding with resort lift tickets - 7 breakfasts - 2 group dinners (Welcome dinner and Skyline Send-Off) - E-bike winery tour, tasting and cave visit - Site trampoline après session and skatepark visit - Pro filmer and photographer capturing the week - Session recap video - Local Kiwi snacks and drinks stocked in every fridge - Welcome swag package

What's not included

- Flights to and from Queenstown - Alternative early arrival or longer stay in Queenstown - Travel insurance (required) - Equipment - Lunches and dinners (all lunches, 5 dinners and additional meals) - Drinks, alcohol and bar tabs - Adventure, après or evening add-ons such as bar covers, hot springs or spa visits, bungy jumping and heliboarding - Costs associated with dietary restrictions beyond what the operator can accommodate