Welcome! This is ski touring made EASY!! Here are details of some of the most EXCITING and interesting backcountry ski tours in NZ, so you can make the most of your ski time.
New ideas are posted regularly to keep your skiing FRESH
PLEASE share your ski ideas (submit a ski tour) with others, or comments (discussion) so we can make this a valuable tool for all ski tourers’ reference.
Mt Wakefield
Situated at the corner of the Tasman and Hooker valleys, Mt. Wakefield is visible from almost anywhere in the valley. After a good southerly dump, it can provide some pretty nice skiing, given the snow line is low – around the 700m mark or below.
Ski mission up to Lake Angelus in 2014.
From Wanaka drive out past Treble Cone Ski Area up to Raspberry Creek.
Walk into Aspiring hut and hang a left up the Cascade Saddle track.
Give yourself a chance by getting an early start as it’s likely to be very slow going on the upper North facing snow slopes.
Enjoy the fun ski down to the obvious trough/trench on the other side of the ridge and tour across the flat, past Cascade Saddle and up the Plunket Dome Ridge. Continue reading 'Cascade Saddle – Upper Dart Glacier'»
North face pk 1760 with Skeleton lake in background
Here is a five star ski tour in the Garvie Mountains, SE of Queenstown. The Blue Lake Huts makes a wonderful base from which to explore from. The terrain has something for everyone; steeps, rolling ridges, bluffs, lakes, chute, ice climbing. Note – this is on private land and permission is required before proceeding. Continue reading 'Garvie Mountains – Blue Lake Huts – Backcountry ski tour'»
Lewis pass tops offer a classic Kiwi mixed tramping and ski touring experience.
This area is on the main divide and gets its snow from the westerly quarter. Often early season storms from the SW can miss the Canterbury ranges further east but might put a good cover on the main divide. In a case such as this it’s worth the drive from Christchurch just for something different.
Ahuriri Valley to Dingle Burn saddle July 2015
Early in the winter season there is often a wintry blast that comes in from the south west, drops a good layer of snow down low in the Mackenzie Basin, and into the Ahuriri Valley.
Skiing west past small tarn from saddle at pts 3209 & 2299
Fox Peak Ski Field to Roundhill Ski Field is a fun ski traverse of moderate difficulty, and makes an excellent outing with friends.
Since the traverse goes from one ski field to another a car shuttle is necessary. Recommendations are to either a) have a driver standing by, or b)2 parties start from opposite ends, or c) start from Roundhill one day, sleep at the Fox Peak Ski Field club lodge, then ski tour back to Roundhill the next day.
The route takes around 8 hours on average. 6 Hours is quite achievable, 10 hours if you are skiing laps. Continue reading 'Fox Peak to Round Hill traverse'»
Skiing Mt Edgar Thomson, lake Pukaki in background
A solid day trip from Mt Cook, this route ascends the 2379m Mt Edgar Thomson. The lower section of the route ascends up the Hoophorn Valley. There are incipient animal tracks to follow interspersed with some river bashing and tussock slopes. Take a watershed on the true right of the Hoophorn to point 1488. Hopefully skis should be on by here for the skin up to the summit. There are some steeper slopes to ascend and so crampons and an axe might be considered. I would estimate around 7-10 hours return. A good level of fitness and some mountaineering skills would be required. Continue reading 'Mt Edgar Thomson'»
PISA RANGE
There are two current access points to the Pisa Range. The access in blue on the map below is a legal easement. Legal easement was generated in 2002 as a result of Land Tenure Review process. It still exists and the public has the right to free passage (though poles have been removed). This easement passes through land which is used by Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds (SHPG) and offers the most direct and best skiing access to the Pisa Range. There is a barrier across the road which can be passed either by car or on foot or skis on the way to the car park at the end of the road (marked on map with blue circle). Continue reading 'Ski Touring Access to the Pisa Range – rules.'»
Approaching Gertrude Saddle
Forwarded by Zucco.
The Milford road gives access some touring terrain and the NZAC Homer Hut is a good base for a couple trips:
– Homer Saddle: a short tour to fill an half day. Start at the Homer Tunnel Entrance, quite often start straight on skis.
Continue reading 'Fiordland – Mt Talbot via Gertrude Saddle ski tour'»
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