Craigieburn Valley Ski Area, Canterbury

Craigieburn Valley is varied, exciting and challenging

At Craigieburn Valley Ski Area, the terrain is more suited for the intermediate to advanced skier, a competent beginner with a determined attitude will learn a lot in a day at Craigieburn. Craigieburn Valley ski area is just one and a half hours from Christchurch.

Craigieburn Valley Ski Area, welcome to our playground, AKA, The Big One.

The only mountain in New Zealand to offer inbound tree skiing. The club’s three high-capacity rope tows service two basins with a vertical rise of 500m, dropping you right into amongst the good stuff. So long as the tows are spinning, plenty of skiing is available, no matter the conditions. Welcome to this non-profit club field run by passionate members.

The facts

Mountain info:

Vertical Rise: 500m
Lifts: 3 x Nutcracker Ropetows

Terrain:

Beginner: 0%
Intermediate: 55%
Advanced: 45%

There is no grooming except for the grooming that Mother Nature performs

Located just one and a half hours from Christchurch (110km) on Highway 73. The turnoff is 9km after Castle Hill Village.

The access road to our ski field winds gently up through a picturesque beech forest and is accessible for all motor vehicles (except camper vans which can be parked at the base of the access road). It would be best to carry chains on all vehicles, as the upper section of the road (above the creek) can often be treacherous.

Craigieburn does not provide any shuttle service from the main road to our ski field; you either need to have your vehicle or have pre-arranged a shuttle service.