The Remarkables 40th Spring Carnival: Ski, Celebrate and Go Retro
Forty years, one weekend and a lot of 80s ski gear. How The Remarkables marked its 40th anniversary, and how the mountain has changed since it opened in 1985.
In September 2025 The Remarkables turned 40, and it marked the occasion the only way a ski field reasonably can: by throwing a Spring Carnival and asking everybody to turn up in the loudest ski suit they could find.
This is our record of that weekend, and of the forty years that led up to it. If it has you thinking about a spring trip of your own, a car from Evolve Rentals is the easy way up the hill and back, and The Remarkables is very much still there waiting.
When was The Remarkables 40th Spring Carnival?
26 to 28 September 2025, the last weekend of the month, to mark forty years since the ski area opened in 1985. It fell in the best part of spring skiing, when the snow softens through the day, the days are long, and the mountain is in a mood to celebrate anyway.
What happened at the 40th Spring Carnival?
Friday was for families, with face painting, a scavenger hunt, a bouncy castle and enough ice cream to keep the whole thing moving. Saturday was the OOSC Retro Run, where the brief was to dig out your best 80s ski gear and wear it down the mountain in public, with the Ice Bar playing 80s throwbacks to match.
Sunday went up a gear. There was a scenic BBQ at Lake Alta that came with a ski down the chutes afterwards, a Grassroots Freeride competition showing off local talent, and more classic 80s hits at the Ice Bar for anybody who had not yet had enough of them.
How has The Remarkables changed in 40 years?
It opened in 1985 with a handle tow and the Alta chairlift, and the Alta chair is still there today. Since then more than 90 million dollars has gone into the mountain, paying for a new base building, high speed chairlifts and a lot more terrain. It is now home to the only Burton Stash park in the Southern Hemisphere, and the mountain has set itself a goal of being carbon neutral by 2030.
The range itself has not changed at all, which is the point. The ski area sits in an open alpine bowl at the tip of the range, and the mountain likes to point out that The Remarkables are one of only two ranges in the world that run true north to south. It is the view on the skyline from almost everywhere in Queenstown, and after forty years it still stops people in the street.
Where is Lake Alta?
In a rock cirque directly under the peaks, above the ski field, and it was the setting for the carnival's Sunday BBQ. Outside the snow season it is one of the most striking walks near Queenstown. Our guide to the five best viewpoints around Queenstown covers the route up from behind the ski field buildings, and the fact that the last few kilometres of the road up are gravel.
How do you get to The Remarkables?
It is about 24 kilometres from Queenstown and takes around 45 minutes, most of it on the climb, because the access road switchbacks the whole way up. While the field is open the road can call for chains, so it is worth adding a set to your booking with us. Our guide to choosing a ski field covers the drive and what each mountain suits, and our spring guide has the walks to do on the way home.
If you are coming for the tail end of the season, why September is the best month to visit Queenstown covers the rest of the month around the mountain.
Getting the car sorted
We bring the car to you, which nobody else in Queenstown does and which is the whole reason Evolve exists. Somebody from our team meets you where you are staying, walks you round the car and hands over the keys, so the day starts with the mountain rather than a queue at a counter.
The retro ski suit is optional. Book your car with Evolve Rentals, put the skis in the back and see what The Remarkables looks like at 41.
FAQs
When did The Remarkables ski area open?
In 1985, with a handle tow and the Alta chairlift. It celebrated its 40th anniversary in September 2025.
When was The Remarkables 40th Spring Carnival?
26 to 28 September 2025, with family activities on the Friday, the OOSC Retro Run on the Saturday and a BBQ at Lake Alta and a Grassroots Freeride competition on the Sunday.
Is there a Spring Carnival at The Remarkables every year?
The 40th was held to mark the anniversary, and there is no carnival on the 2026 calendar. The mountain publishes its spring events each season on its own site.
How far is The Remarkables from Queenstown?
About 24 kilometres, which takes around 45 minutes because the access road climbs the whole way. Chains can be needed on the road while the ski field is open.