With its mix of commercial and club fields, plus world-class heli-skiing, Canterbury offers skiers and boarders a veritable smorgasbord of winter options. Located at the foot of the Southern Alps, Mt Hutt is renowned for its long season, fabulous views, and some of the most varied terrain in the South Island. Its proximity to Christchurch and Methven makes Mt Hutt ideal for a day trip or a longer ski holiday.
Porters, the closest ski area and just a little over an hour’s drive from Christchurch, offers all the benefits of a larger ski area with a quad chair, snow making, extensive grooming and a great café, but without the crowds.
Further along the Craigieburn range, the club fields such as Mt Cheeseman, Broken River, Mt Olympus, Craigieburn Valley, and Temple Basin offer a very different ski experience. Some you have to walk into, most have surface lifts (including rope tows), most don’t have groomers. This is skiing how it used to be! Bring your sense of adventure and you might just have more fun on skis than you’ve had for years!
Regardless of where you ski in Canterbury, Christchurch makes for a great base. With many new hotels and tons of restaurants and bars, and around 10 ski areas within a 2-hour drive, many far less, you can have a different ski experience every day!