FATMAP by Strava
Skiing down the direct 'Fransson line'

5 of the Best Big Mountain Ski Tours in New Zealand

Massive ski adventures in the "Land of the Long White Cloud", including a descent of the country's highest mountain.

Ski Touring Difficult, Severe, Extreme

Also in Canterbury, New Zealand

Skiing down the direct 'Fransson line'
Skiing down the direct 'Fransson line'

Description

Despite being a modern, western nation, New Zealand remains one of the wildest ski touring destinations on Earth thanks to a combination of huge terrain and unpredictable weather. This all adds up to ski tourers requiring patience, wide ranging skills, high levels of fitness and a bit of luck to succeed on a trip. If you've got all of those things, get started on this list!

The tours are all in different areas of the South Island so it's perfectly possible to do them all in a single winter, but you'll need all of the qualities above (particularly luck) in abundance if you're to tick them all in the space of a few weeks. As such, this is a list best tackled by skiers spending a whole winter in New Zealand, or those on a short trip armed with an awful lot of psyche!

Regardless of which category you fall into, these are 5 unforgettable ski adventures in one of the World's great mountain ranges.

Routes included

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