TL;DR
The Remarkables is adding new inbounds terrain for winter, bringing the Scarpa Bowl - known locally as the Toilet Bowl - into its lift-accessed network after years as backcountry-only ground. The roughly 500 metre run is reached by bootpacking from the top of the Sugar Bowl chairlift, with a shuttle picking skiers up from the road at the bottom. It's a smaller, faster addition than the resort's planned Doolans expansion, though the new terrain hasn't opened yet due to a lack of snow this season.
The Remarkables is opening up a long-time backcountry run to lift access
The Remarkables has added the Scarpa Bowl - known to locals as the Toilet Bowl - to its inbounds terrain for winter, after years of the run being accessible only to backcountry skiers. The bowl has a vertical of around 500 metres, putting it in the same range as a typical heli-skiing run, and it's a separate, faster-turnaround addition alongside the resort's larger Doolans expansion, which was announced this past spring and is now going through an expedited review process.
Getting in and out
Skiers reach the Scarpa Bowl by bootpacking from the top of the Sugar Bowl chairlift, rather than via a lift line of its own. Once at the bottom, riders make their way back to the road, where a shuttle picks them up and returns them to the resort. It's a set-up more in line with sidecountry access than a standard groomed run, which fits the terrain's steeper, more technical character.
Not open yet
Despite the announcement, the new terrain isn't open for skiing at this stage - like much of New Zealand, The Remarkables started the season short on snow, and the bowl needs a solid base before it's safe to access. Queenstown skiers and riders keen to get into the terrain will need to wait for enough snowpack to build before bootpacking up for a run.
About the author
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
