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Skiing and Snowboarding

NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand is one of the most popular ski destinations for skiing and heli skiing vacations; within the Southern Hemisphere. The majority of international skiers to New Zealand travel to the ski resorts of Queenstown and Wanaka.

However remote ski locations like Temple Basin Ski Area are becoming increasingly more popular for the international skier on a tight budget.

The New Zealand ski season is roughly early July to early October and starts as the Northern Hemisphere slopes finally melt away making New Zealand an increasingly popular international ski destination.

Updated New Zealand Snow Reports click here

What to expect in the different ski areas

Most New Zealand ski fields are geared to the domestic downhill market and the eastern side of the Southern Alps is littered with many ski club fields Throughout the country there's also a few exceptions to this norm: commercial resorts, with high-speed quad chairs (lift tickets around $60 per adult), ski schools, gear rental and groomed wide open slopes. You won't find the massive on-site resorts of the scale found in North America and Europe; skiers commute daily to the slopes from nearby ski towns. Gear rental, either from shops in the nearest town or on the field, ranges from around NZ$35 a day for a full set of decent equipment to around NZ$65 for the performance stuff or for snowboarding tackle.

At weekends and school holidays the tow queues at the major fields can become slightly long, and the ideal solution is heliskiing. Guides conversant with the routes and skilled in reading avalanche danger can take small parties onto virgin slopes high among the peaks of the Southern Alps.

New Zealand Commercial Ski Areas

North Island : The countries two largest ski areas are both located at Mount Ruapehu - Turoa and Whakapapa.

South Island : The Southern Alps of the South Island offers a greater range of ski resorts & ski fields, plus heli-skiing. The greatest concentration of commercial ski fields are located around Queenstown - Coronet Peak and The Remarkables; and Wanaka - Treble Cone, Cardrona and the Waiorau Nordic Ski Area. Further north near Methven - Mount Hutt is within two hours drive of Christchurch International Airport.

NZ Snow Report Summary : Sunday 30 April 2023

• AUCKLAND: Snowplanet. Open ( Indoor Skiing )
• MT RUAPEHU: Whakapapa. Closed
• MT RUAPEHU: Turoa. Closed
• ARTHURS PASS: Temple Basin. Closed
• METHVEN: Mount Hutt. Closed
• WANAKA: Treble Cone. Closed
• WANAKA: Cardrona Alpine Resort. Closed
• QUEENSTOWN: Coronet Peak. Closed
• QUEENSTOWN: The Remarkables. Closed

Latest updated New Zealand Snow Reports click here

Club Ski Areas

The eastern side of the Southern Alps is littered with ski club fields sporting a handful of rope tows, simple lifts and a varied collection of private ski lodges. They're open to all-comers, but some are only accessible by four-wheel-drive vehicles, others have a long walk in, and ski schools are almost unheard of. Conversely, lift tickets are only NZ$30-60, queues are short and there's usually a gear-rental shop not too far away. Temple Basin Ski Area requires a 55-minute walk in but has fantastic snowboarding terrain, on site lodge accommodation and rental equipment.

Heli-Skiing and Glacier Skiing

New Zealand is a great place to try heliskiing and heliboarding. The main Heliskiing locations are Methven, Mount Cook, Queenstown and Wanaka. At Mount Cook the Tasman Glacier provides a fantastic 12km scenic run. The heliskiing season normally runs from July to early October. Provided you are an intermediate skier and are reasonably proficient at skiing powder you should be able to pass the ability questionnaire, but at around NZ$995 a day it isn't for everyone.

Ski and Snowboarding Tours

For those wanting a scenic skiing or snowboarding tour including heliskiing some of the best terrain in New Zealand check out the Southern Alps Ski Tour. Bookings are generally limited due to popular demand.

New Zealand Snow Safety Institute

The New Zealand Snow Safety Institute provides a variety of courses for climbers, trampers, skiers and snowboarders i.e. Mountaineering Skill Courses, Mountain Skills for Trampers, Avalanche Awareness, Backcountry Skills for Skiers and Snowboarders.

Private Courses are also available subject to availability.

New Zealand Snow Reports

Snow Reports on various New Zealand Ski Resorts, Commercial and Backcountry Ski Fields.

Snow Reports are updated daily during the ski season click here

New Zealand Ski Season

The New Zealand ski season is roughly from late June to early October. However the opening and closing dates for the various skifields is always subject to weather and snow conditions.

2022 New Zealand Winter School Holidays

The New Zealand winter school holidays are expected to occur between the following dates:

• 09 July - 24 July 2022
• 01 October - 16 October 2022 (END OF SEASON : Many skifields may be closed)

We suggest you book your ski trips outside of these school holiday periods. For more information on New Zealand School Holidays dates please visit the NZ Ministry Of Education website www.minedu.govt.nz