Otago · New Zealand
The Remarkables Ski Road
Frankton (SH6 junction) to Remarkables Ski Area base
A relentless switchback climb from the Kawarau valley to the Remarkables ski base, one of the highest roads you can drive in New Zealand.
From the Lake Wakatipu basin near Frankton the road leaves SH6 and immediately starts stacking hairpins up the flank of the Remarkables range. The lower kilometres are now sealed and the final stretch to the ski lodge is good gravel, but the whole way is a tight, exposed ramp climbing roughly 1,300 m to around 1,600 m, with the lake and Queenstown dropping away below you. It is short but unrelenting, and the views over the Wakatipu basin are some of the finest in the Southern Alps. There is no barrier on much of it and the surface switches between asphalt and loose gravel. Mind the sheer unguarded drops, the loose gravel on the upper hairpins, and oncoming ski traffic on the single-lane sections.
Scenery
Best seasons
In these collections
Where it runs8.0 mi · point to point
Navigate to the start: Apple Maps · Google Maps
Character
The most hairpins in New Zealand, by our count in the catalogue.
Corners
busiest around mile 1Elevation
under 4%4–8%over 8%334.4 – 1,604.2 mFrom the road
Points of interest2 stops
- Halfway RemarkablesViewpoint3.7 mi in
- Windy PointViewpoint2.5 mi in
Hazards
- Sheer unguarded drops
- Loose gravel on upper hairpins
- Single-lane sections with oncoming traffic
Sources
“The road is predominantly steep with numerous sharp turns—requiring the use of bottom gear.”
Verified route: mapped from real road geometry and fact-checked by a human editor. How roads get checked
Driving the Remarkables Ski Road: quick answers
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Nearby roads
The closest great drives to The Remarkables Ski Road.
