Craigieburn Valley Ski Area is a
club skifield
In New Zealand, a club skifield is a small ski resort run by a ski club to provide affordable skiing to its members. While members of the public can ski, members of the club receive heavily discounted rates, in exchange for a yearly membership fee ...
in the
Southern Alps
The Southern Alps (; officially Southern Alps / Kā Tiritiri o te Moana) is a mountain range extending along much of the length of New Zealand's South Island, reaching its greatest elevations near the range's western side. The name "Southern ...
of
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
's
South Island
The South Island, also officially named , is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand in surface area, the other being the smaller but more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman ...
, about 104 km west from
Christchurch
Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...
.
[Guide to New Zealand ski fields]
, ''Craigieburn'', Accessed 3/5/07 Catering only to intermediate and advanced skiers, it features a vertical range of 1308–1811 m, 400 Acres of skiable area and 3 fast
rope tow
A surface lift is a type of cable transport for snow sports in which skiers and snowboarders remain on the ground as they are pulled uphill. While they were once prevalent, they have been overtaken in popularity by higher-capacity and higher-co ...
s. The resort has several ski lodges but no gear hire.
[Craigieburn Valley Ski Area]
''General Info'', Accessed 21/1/7 It is also the base for
ski touring
Ski touring is skiing in the backcountry on unmarked or unpatrolled areas. Touring is typically done off-piste and outside of ski resorts, and may extend over a period of more than one day. It is similar to backcountry skiing but excludes the u ...
expeditions when conditions permit. It is immediately adjacent to the
Broken River Ski Area
Broken River (Māori: Te Waka Ski Awa O Broken) is a club skifield in South Island, New Zealand. Run by the Broken River Ski Club, it is located at about from Christchurch. The skifield claims to often have the longest ski season anywhere in Au ...
, with which it shares a ski pass system. Skiing between the two is possible with backcountry ski touring involved .
[
Craigieburn has two accommodation lodges, the main Koroheke lodge which has 6-bed dorm rooms and Matuhi which has private rooms. Through the winter there are many ski and accommodation package options as well as a ski week system, where people come and stay for a Sunday to Saturday week. Duties are shared between staff and guests and, while there is a cook and a manager, light duties are normally done by guests. This is the nature of most club fields in New Zealand. There is also a bar in Koroheke lodge, the normal meeting place after a day on the field.Craigieburn Valley Ski Area]
''Accommodation'', Accessed 21/1/7 The services available during the day are at the day lodge located near the top of the mountain. There you can find hot food options and fresh coffee, and it is a warm spot to stop off with a great view of the ski area.
Craigieburn is internationally famous for its steep terrain, 45% rated as advanced. There is no grooming and the hiking and ski touring options are excellent, including Middle Basin, a 600m open bowl back to the access road.
[ Hamilton Peak is a popular spot, giving the skier access to the upper Hamilton face. The trip to the Broken River ski field lift system can be accomplished from Hamilton Peak without any further ascent. However you are entering uncontrolled avalanche terrain and should bring proper equipment and the knowledge to use it. There are also many back-country and touring options past Middle Basin into North Middle, True North basins and Mt Manson.
]
References
External links
Craigieburn Valley Ski Area
{{Club skifields
Ski areas and resorts in Canterbury, New Zealand