With six ski areas in Selwyn, I find people asking what's your favorite ski area? All of them, I like to say, with a mix of opportunity and experience. Bring them together and the Selwyn Region offers everything in one, and it’s the experience that brings you back for more.
By Stu Waddel
With six ski areas in Selwyn, I find people asking what's your favorite ski area? All of them, I like to say, with a mix of opportunity and experience. Bring them together and the Selwyn Region offers everything in one, and it’s the experience that brings you back for more.
In any given season, the amount of ski days, vertical, fresh lines, and blue bird sunny days helps highlight a favorite experience. But, in a simple way, you only need one day in the mountains with good snow to make your season. Add in the multiplier effect, more days that is, and you can double down, build on the ‘one good’ day. This is, however, so reliant on one's availability, or otherwise, to ski and the state of snow in the mountains. We're in the hands of the prevailing weather conditions.
You may be reading this as a seasoned Chill Pass holder or a first time visitor to Selwyn this season. I've put together a few of my favorites, or a favourite day at each of the Ski Areas in Selwyn.
Top to bottom skiing. Porters has great vertical for skiing. My choice is a mid week skiing day, with snow that is cool and chalky on the slopes of Bluff Face.This can come about early in the season, given good snow depth, the vertical aspect and length of the run can be so encouraging for your skiing and riding.
Bluff Face is an advanced run with a south facing aspect, meaning it is not adversely affected by the sun. Any wind, or the prevailing one can carry snow into the face and fill in skied tracks throughout the day. Finally, the long run makes for top to bottom skiing, often a leg burner early season or long enough to make 3 - 4 four runs in a day, a great day out.
Access to Bluff Face is three tows plus a solid traverse to get to there. This plays into the experience; uncrowded, challenging ski terrain and surrounded by competent skiers and riders. There is always good company on the tows, with one chair lift and three t-bars. The view at the top looks out to Otatahi, Christchurch, to the east, and Lake Coleridge to the south. My favourite run, Bluff Face at Porters.
Skiing Bluff Face at Porters
Mt Olympus, ‘Playground of the Gods’, and for good reason. The mountain sits high above the ski area and lodge accommodation. The slopes and basin area are south facing, offering views to Lake Coleridge and the Canterbury Plains. An access road weaves up through rugged terrain, where good 4WD vehicles are highly recommended.
Accommodation & Facilities (Top Hut) On the inside, the Top Hut is a modern, well-appointed lodge. There is a combination of single and double bunk beds in each dorm. The rooms feature great storage cupboards and individual lighting for each bed. The drying room setup is immense, and the bathrooms and showers are all newly built.
The day lodge doubles as a ticket office, cafe, and bar, plus a communal dining area. The dining experience is renowned, offering plenty of choice with tasty dishes and lots to go around. On the outside, it is super relaxing after a day of skiing.
The Skiing & Club Culture On the outside, the tow setup gives access to skiing, above and below the Top Hut. Three rope tows and a learner's tow offer skiing options for all abilities.
The Club has a strong following of loyal Canterbury farming families, and generations of young skiers have come through the place. In recent times, the community has welcomed more young freeriders who have found a home here.
This is the place where you'll find an energetic bunch of skiers who join in at the Gritt Camps for skiing big mountain tuition. They can push their competitive edge with the NZ Junior Freeride Competition. This community provides a supportive environment, in an alpine setting with a competitive edge. Freeriding has deep roots in the Club, alongside Craigieburn and Broken River. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved and start skiing like the pros.
Young freeride skiers participating in Gritt Camp at Mt Olympus
Broken River, Ski the Friendly One. Let's talk, friendly. The people? Yes, super friendly. The terrain? Yes, from wind protected bowls to larger friendly open slopes. The alpine setting? Absolutely. There is no avoiding the incredible vibe at Broken River.
The social element centers around Palmer Lodge (the day lodge) at the base of the main basin. Featuring a sunny deck, it is the perfect place to gather for a friendly morning brew, a yummy freshly-made pizza, or a tasty BR larger. It’s also the place to rest the feet, dry out your gear, and most importantly, share the joys of the day. If it’s your first time visiting, people will point you in the direction of their favourite run.
The Terrain. The skiing is incredibly friendly, and everyone has their favorite warm-up runs in the main basin, Happy Valley. For the more adventurous, a run up to the top and out to Allan's Basin (with enough snow) takes you deep into the valley, under The Remarkables. Exit is via the Summer access road.
First timer to Broken River. If this is your first visit, with a bit of planning, you can make the most of learning to ride rope tows at Broken River. The tow system features three rope tows accessing the main skiing, and two learner tows. While riding a rope tow can be a challenge at first, you'll rightly get the hang of it with a little practice. It's commonplace to let the BR crew know that you are a first timer and help can be sorted.
The Broken River Lodges are remarkably nestled in a native beech forest, sitting on a ridge line and looking out to The Torlesse Range. The access road feels like a "green room" drive from State Highway 73 through to the base car park. This idyllic setting is perfectly complemented by the Alpine Inclinator, a cable car style ride that takes you straight up to the lodges.
There are three lodges available, Lyndon Lodge that is fully catered, White Star Lodge, self -catered and Broken River Lodge clubbie style where everyone chips in to cook and help out.
It’s the perfect place to stay the night, ride the rope tow for the first time and meet friendly, like-minded people.
Ski Clinic at Broken River
Temple Basin is located close to Arthurs Pass, on the Main Divide of the Southern Alps. This Ski Area is my favorite big mountain experience. It is guaranteed that your first adventure here will remain with you. There is a classic kiwi outdoor adventure in front of you, well before arriving at the ski area.
The Lodge and Ski Area are upward of a 45 - 55 min hike from the car park on the Great Alpine Highway 73. Before embarking, have the crew at Temple load your gear onto the gear lift. It's worth keeping your poles with you, and ensuring you have quality, well-supporting walking shoes. The track can get narrow as you near the top. It's a safe and adventurous hike. I like to think there will be snow underfoot, thus ensuring good cover on the Ski Area itself.
On arrival, and upon gathering your gear, the Lodge awaits. The Lodge is nestled at the base of the Ski Area, with views across to Mt Rolleston and beyond. It's superbly placed, with bunk style accommodation, great dining facilities, and an open lounge and dining area. Staying a night or two and joining the community is something you won't regret. Mid week will be uncrowded, and you’ll be mixing with the hearty ski week crowd.
On the weekends, Temple Basin is renowned for live music, outdoor celebrations, and winter events including the Back Country Festival. Which leads nicely into the terrain and Ski Area There are three rope tows and plenty of inbound challenging slopes. A day spent exploring will leave you well satisfied, quite possibly exhausted. Staying overnight, with lamb shanks on the menu and resting up, there will be more skiing on offer for day two- more than you can imagine. With the surrounding big mountains, comes big adventures and lofty ski lines.
Temple Basin is where your adventure awaits!
The Goods Lift at Temple Basin
Craigieburn Valley Ski Area, Ski the Big One. My first memory of Craigieburn is immense. It was the first place I had ridden a nutcracker rope tow. This place ain't for the faint hearted. There are three tows, that all line up for access from bottom to top. The first rope tow is the steepest, and the last pitch is the steepest of the three tows. I'd recently returned from skiing in overseas, skiing lots, but nothing had prepared me for riding a rope tow. My whole day was captured by the grit and determination to get to the top of the tows. Absolutely life-changing. The tows give you access to some of the best skiing in the Craigieburn Range, and the effort was worth every moment of skiing downhill.
But it doesn't stop here; we were blessed with a big snow storm. The Lodge and Ski Area were the place to be, lots of excitement. A powder day was coming up. With an early start, and the road closed, access to the ski area for those in the Lodge. This is a rarity - a powder day bonus. The skiing was good, the snow was sweet, the road opened, and there were lots of very tired skiers at the end of the day. "Earn your turns," let's say.
We are fortunate to have the slopes easily accessible through the rope tows at Craigieburn Ski Area. The tows bring you back to the core of good skiing and riding with access to big vertical fall lines, and leg burning antics.The lodge facilities are well appointed. Whakamaru, the new Day Lodge, sits in a place that gives a great view of skiers on the slopes and sits in the sun all day. Down in the bush lies the overlight lodges, which have a great choice of bunk style and double bed units. It's the perfect place to wait out a southerly snow storm.
Enjoying a break from skiing at the Day Lodge
Cheeseman Ski Area is a place for all abilities and ages. I taught my family to ski at Cheeseman. I taught myself to telemark. There are plenty of good reasons to ski here, it’s the variety of terrain and access that really makes it a family adventure worthy for all.
The access road means you can drop your family and gear off right at the day lodge. You can turn up anytime of the day and have easy access unloading at the day lodge and onto the lifts.
Little ones have a head start with an open gentle slope by the day lodge, and a learner's rope tow. I really like the progression that Cheeseman's terrain offers. The T-bar requires skiers and riders to be able to hold their weight and stand tall, traveling uphill. Downhill, either side of the main T-bar, the terrain is intermediate friendly. This is the place where you can feel your skiing improve. There are subtle snow banks and roll overs that really encourage you to hold your edge and push into the next turn. There are also a couple of mid-way loads which means you don't need to ski to the bottom to keep skiing.
For progression, Cheeseman’s terrain moves up to adventure, including the top T-bar which accesses Mt Cockayne or open backcountry skiing in Tarn Basin. Day trippers heading into the backcountry can grab a one lift pass, and go ski touring, snow and weather dependent.
Cheeseman is ideal for a growing family with varying abilities, or groups looking for a variety of experiences in a ski day. Progression is one of my favorite interests when learning and skiing.
Top of the T-Bar at Cheeseman