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.

Charlie Boscoe

Images

Skiing down the direct 'Fransson line'

Typical Kiwi style ski approach

The rustic and cozy Sefton Bivi Hut

Amazing scenery looking out across to Mueller Lake.

Skinning up the Tewaewae Glacier

Plateau hut

First turn

Looking down the steep upper face

Dawn on the climb

Traversing exposed ice after a route finding error

Aoraki=/Cook East Face

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.

Adventures

Homestead Peak

A BIG ascent to do in one day, but the remoteness and views of this valley make it all worthwhile

Footstool

An engaging adventure with some some real New Zealand flavour.

Mt Ardmore West Face

Mt Ardmore is a great one-day hit, with the possibility for skis on from the car if snow conditions allow.

Mt Ross’ South Face

A stunning peak accessible straight from the Macauley Hut, with a south face offering great snow conditions.

Aoraki/Mt. Cook East Face

A collossal line and a truly world class ski face.