Club fieldRainbow Ski Area
St Arnaud Range, by Nelson Lakes
From NelsonAbout 2 hours
TypeClub field
Top of the field1,760m
- Good for
- Beginners and intermediates, with a terrain park and the West Bowl for advanced riders.
- Getting there
- SH63 past St Arnaud, then Rainbow Valley Road. Chains must be carried on the mountain road, and there’s a 4WD shuttle from the bottom car park.
- Lifts
- T-bar, platter, learners tow, terrain park tow and the West Bowl tow
Read: driving to Rainbow
Club fieldHanmer Springs Ski Area
Mt St Patrick, above Hanmer Springs
From NelsonAbout 3½ to 4 hours
TypeClub field
LiftsRope tow
- Good for
- A relaxed, affordable day with a friendly crowd. Hot pools in the village afterwards.
- Getting there
- About 40 minutes from Hanmer village up a narrow dirt road. Carry chains, and a 4WD is best. A shuttle runs from the village.
- Lifts
- Rope tow, poma and a learners tow
Family-run fieldMt Lyford
State Highway 70, between Hanmer and Kaikōura
From NelsonAbout 4 to 4½ hours
TypeFamily-run field
LiftsTwo areas
- Good for
- Families and freestyle, with a terrain park and wide open faces on powder days.
- Getting there
- The access road turns off SH70 about 20km after Waiau. Shuttles run from Hanmer Springs.
- Lifts
- Two areas, Lyford’s Face and Mt Terako
Commercial fieldMt Hutt
Near Methven, Canterbury
From NelsonAbout 6 hours
TypeCommercial field
LiftsChairlifts and surface lifts across a big area
- Good for
- A long weekend with big groomers, chairlifts and a longer season.
- Getting there
- Through Methven, then a long gravel road up the mountain. Chains must be carried.
- Lifts
- Chairlifts and surface lifts across a big area
Drive times are rough and depend on the roads and the weather. Club fields open when there’s enough snow, so always check the field’s own website for the snow and road report before you leave.
