Dirt Responsibility Code

• Ride within your limits
• Ride only on marked trails or designated freeride zones
• Stay within resort boundaries
• Riding in closed areas will result in loss of pass
• Carry a trail map & cell phone – Dirt Patrol can be reached on +64 3 443 7341 ext. 721
• Be aware of unmarked hazards

Check out the Mountain Bikers' Code for more information.

Daily Bike Checklist

• Make sure your helmet is in good shape & adjusted to fit you. At Cardrona we recommend the use of full-face helmets
• Inspect your bike frame for cracks, dents or other damage
• Make sure you have enough brake pad to stop your bike on a steep downhill
• Front & rear axles should be tight
• Headset & stem should be secure with no movement
• Tyres should be in good condition, with no tears or cuts in the sidewall & plenty of tread
• Handlebars & grips should be tight (not spinning)
• Seat & seat post need to be fastened securely

If you’re not sure your bike is in good enough nick to be riding the trails, pop in and see our friendly Cardrona Workshop team. They can look after most usual repairs right on the mountain while you grab a bite and a coffee!

It always helps to bring a bag with water, sunscreen and windproof/waterproof layers for a day riding at Cardrona. Mountain conditions can change rapidly and it always helps to be prepared.

Make sure you warm up before you tackle anything too far out of your comfort zone – build up to more gnarly trails, take breaks and keep yourself fuelled. Mountain biking can be pretty taxing on your body, so you'll make the most out of your day if you pace yourself and ride within your limits.

We recommend heading out with the Bike School for a lesson! We have courses to cater for beginner, intermediate, and advanced riders.

If you have any questions about mountain safety, feel free to have a chat with one of our Patrollers!

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Summer 2021/22: December 9, 2021 – April 3, 2022 (closed Christmas Day).

Opening hours

• Regular (9 – 24 December & 17 January – 3 April): 10am – 4pm
• Extended-play (26 Dec – 16 January): 10am – 6pm
• TGIF: 10am – 8pm (except Christmas Eve & New Year's Eve)

Opening Days

• Off-Peak (10 – 24 December & 1 February – 3 April): Thursday – Monday (closed Tuesday/Wednesday)
• Peak (26 December – 31 January): Monday – Sunday (7 days a week)
  

The Peak to Pub trail is open daily to ride the lower bike park trails and join the historical "Persecution Road". This will take you all the way down to the Cardrona Hotel... boom! The whole Cardrona Peak to Pub trail is 10km long, and covers 1270m of vertical descent. Catch the shuttle back up for more laps or food and a beer to end your day.

This is an epic backcountry freeride experience on private land – just make sure it’s not your first time riding downhill; the trail is a mixture of single track and backcountry riding so some experience is essential.

Allow 30mins for confident bikers.

I'm a first timer to downhill biking: Yes you can ride at Cardrona! We highly recommend booking a lesson with one of our bike school instructors.

I have an e-bike: So long as it's a full-suspension e-bike, you can ride at Cardrona! We ask e-bike users to load their own bikes onto our lifts.

What about kids?: Kids can ride Cardrona! If they've never ridden downhill before we suggest they take a lesson to start things off. Check out our kids FAQ section for more info.

Kids are more than welcome at Cardrona! We recommend full-suspension bikes with disc brakes for riding at Cardrona - please check in with Patrol if you're not sure about your child's bike on our trails.

Here are some of our kids facilities and options:

• Beginner flow trail on the learners' slope (next to the tunnel)
• Pump track and skills area outside The Lounge
• Child bike lessons with the Cardrona Bike School (see more info below) - highly recommended for beginner and intermediate downhillers
• Giant games outside The Lounge for boredom busters at lunch time
• If you're not confident loading your kids on the chairlift, ask the lifties for help or jump in a gondola cabin

This summer we have Trek Session 8 and Remedy 8 bikes for hire, as well as Norco Fluid FS 24" bikes for kids. With a relatively small rental fleet, booking in advance is essential - call 03 443 8880 or email info@cardrona.com to book. We strongly recommend getting bike insurance for rental bikes, otherwise you must pay for any damage. We don't hire e-bikes at Cardrona this summer.