King’s Mistake Couloir on Mistake Peak – Manu Nadler On July 30th, after a couple of really cold days with a lot of snowfall, Jamie Paterson and I wanted to ski one of the long east facing couloirs on Mistake Peak at Lake Tekapo. From the opposite side of the lake at Roundhill Ski Area…
Mt Madeline, Fiordland.
Most photos by Adrian Camm Mt Madeline sits deep in the SW of the south island, only a stone throw from Milford Sound, in Fiordland’s indomitable Darren Mountains. Spectacularly situated next to the imposing Mt Tutoko, this ski tour makes for a photographers’ dream. Helicopter access is pretty much the only viable option when loaded…
Mt Olympus to Cheeseman ski field
Mt Olympus to Cheeseman ski field is a suitably popular backcountry ski route, and is close to Christchurch. There are many good touring options in easy to moderate terrain. We did this tour starting at Mt Olympus, (after a good night of partying at the Olympus lodge) and heading to Cheeseman, but it can also…
Mt Ollivier via Mueller Hut
By Joel O’Rourke. After a few days of bad weather and a trip up to Mt Olympus to show Kevin Canning the wonders of NZ Club Fields and nutcracker ropetows, a quick weather window allowed for a quick trip up to Mueller Hut to at least give Kevin a quick glimpse of Mt Cook…
Mt Cross from Haast Pass, backcountry ski touring with a little bush bashing..
Writing and photos by Daniel Clearwater – skied early June 2018 There we were, about to ski off a named summit on the main divide; where else in NZ can you do that without a helicopter, in a day trip? It had been grey and miserable for more than a week now. We should have…
The Cass Valley, Mt Hutton via Huxley Glacier
At the end of the Cass valley looms Mt Hutton. There are 2 ski routes on the peak, both are accessible from Memorial Hut, and both are ski mountaineering routes as they require some mountaineering skills. Other routes listed here on the website that are accessible from Memorial Hut are: The Scorpion loop, Liebig Range…
The Cass Valley, Mt Hutton via Faraday Glacier
When heading up the Cass River, one of the first sights that catches the skier’s eye, is the bold and obvious line on the Faraday Glacier, Mt Hutton. Elegant and exacting, the route beckons and entices. The crux of the route is steep (close on 50 degrees) with sustained fall line skiing and a long…
The Cass Valley, Memorial and Lady Emily Huts, “The Scorpion” ski tour loop
“The ‘Scorpion” is a well traveled and rewarding backcountry ski tour, taking in some gorgeous valleys, a fine alpine pass, and lovely some bowls. A deservedly popular backcountry ski loop. Where: The Cass River Valley lies on the western side of Lake Tekapo. Access is solely through Glenmore Station and booking ahead is necessary as…
Ohau Peak
Ohau peak offers an easy ski tour and ascent. The snow line fluctuates throughout the winter, so one could assume a fair amount of tramping or mountain biking will be required tog get to the snow line. View Larger Topographic Map Access via Quailburn track or Tarnbrae track.
Mt Peterson – Ohau backcountry ski tour & Maitland Hut
by Joel O’Rourke On Monday afternoon, Kenji and myself drove from Methven to Ohau, collecting Simon Trummer from Lake Tekapo on the way. Our objective was to camp at Maitland Hut for two nights and ski Mt Peterson behind Ohau. Unfortunately, the few weeks between taking the above photo and actually getting around to doing…