The Remarkables facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Remarkables
The Remarkables and Lake Wakatipu from Queenstown.
Highest point
Peak	Double Cone
Elevation	2,319 m (7,608 ft)
Dimensions
Length	40 km (25 mi)
Naming
Etymology	Named for being one of two ranges in the world that faces due north and due south, explorers found it to be "Remarkable" .
Native name	Error {{native name}}: an IETF language tag as parameter {{{1}}} is required (help)
Geography
Location in New Zealand
Country	New Zealand
State/Province	Otago
Range coordinates	45°09′S 168°50′E / 45.150°S 168.833°E / -45.150; 168.833
Geology
Formed by	Tectonic uplift / glaciation
Type of rock	Schist, Greywacke

The Remarkables (called Māori: Kawarau by the Māori people) are a stunning mountain range in Otago, New Zealand. They are located on the southeastern side of Lake Wakatipu. These mountains truly live up to their name. They rise sharply, creating an amazing view behind the lake. You can see them clearly from the nearby town of Queenstown.

The highest point in this mountain range is called Single Cone. It stands tall at 2,319 metres (about 7,608 feet). There are also several small lakes on the mountains. One of these is Lake Alta, which is part of the Remarkables Skifield.

Why are they called The Remarkables?

The original people of this land, the Ngāi Tahu tribe, called these mountains Kawarau. They also gave the same name to the Kawarau River, which starts at the base of these mountains.

The name "The Remarkables" was given by Alexander Garvie in 1857-58. Some say it's because they are one of only two mountain ranges in the world that run exactly from north to south. The other one is in the Rocky Mountains. Another story from local people is that early settlers in Queenstown saw the mountains at sunset. They were so impressed by the beautiful sight that they simply called them "The Remarkables."

Fun at The Remarkables Skifield

During the winter, The Remarkables become a popular place for skiing and other snow activities. The ski area has three large mountain bowls. These bowls cover about 220 hectares (540 acres) of land.

Ski Lifts and Terrain

The skifield has eight lifts to take you up the mountain. There are four chairlifts and four "magic carpets" for beginners. The slopes are divided into different levels:

• 30% are for beginners,
• 40% are for intermediate skiers,
• 30% are for advanced skiers.

The skifield gets about 3.67 metres (12 feet) of snow each year on average. To make sure there's always enough snow, they installed special snowmaking machines in 2007. They also have a new machine called a snow groomer to keep the slopes smooth.

More Winter Activities

Besides skiing, you can also enjoy a snow tubing park here. In 2008, a special area called a terrain park was built. This park has jumps and obstacles for skiers and snowboarders. The Remarkables skifield is part of NZSki, which also includes Coronet Peak and Mt Hutt ski areas.

Recent Upgrades and Future Plans

In 2014, a brand new building at the base of the mountain was opened. A new fast 6-seater chairlift was also added. In 2020, another 6-seater chairlift was installed to replace an older one.

There are plans to make the ski area even bigger in the future. There are also ideas for an independent company to build a gondola lift. This gondola would take people directly from the Remarkables Town Center up to the ski field.

View from the top of the gondola into Queenstown, with Remarkables behind.

Panorama of the Remarkables and surroundings from their northern end.

The Remarkables mountain range, autumn 2015

This is the view toward Double Cone peak at The Remarkables when hiking towards Lake Alta, the glacier lake.