Escape to the slopes!

Superb skiing conditions at Canterbury’s 13 ski areas could help turn these school holidays into a magical winter escape for families looking to break away from their routines.

Heavy snowfalls in the past week or so have blanketed the region’s ski areas with fresh powder and conditions for skiing and snowboarding are excellent.

“We are enjoying some great weather with the very best Canterbury conditions – cold nights, light winds and clear crisp days that make for superb skiing and riding,” says Tim Hunter, chief executive of Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism.

“If you want to get away these school holidays with the kids then you really should bring them to the Canterbury high country for a few days skiing or snowboarding. It is great fun, good exercise and a wonderful way for families to spend some quality time together in the great outdoors.

“Our ski areas stretch from the alpine resort area of Hanmer Springs, west to the Alps and south to Mackenzie and Aoraki Mt Cook and there is so much choice for all ages and abilities. We’ve also got plenty of other alpine recreation too for those who need a break and some fresh mountain air,” Mr Hunter says.

Ski areas such as Porters on the Great Alpine Highway, only an hour from Christchurch, Roundhill near Tekapo, and Mt Lyford near Hanmer, have all had huge dumps of snow in the past week.

Craigieburn Ski area, 90 minutes from Christchurch, opened on Monday, and is blanketed in thick powder snow. Roundhill, a great family ski area and training field for many international ski teams near Tekapo, opened with pristine snow conditions and a 1m base.

Over the past week, Porters has received up to 1.5m of snow, with strong winds spreading the snow around the mountain.

Mt Lyford near Hanmer has a deep base of 1.30m. Broken River, one of Canterbury’s iconic clubfields, 90 minutes west of Christchurch, celebrated 60 years of its ski club last week with a dumping of 1.75 m of fresh powder snow.

“The ski season got off to a late start this year because of the warm autumn but we’ve made up for the lost time and the conditions now are superb so it’s definitely the ideal time to head for the Canterbury high country. Whether you’re a complete novice or an experienced skier we guarantee you’ll have a great time and go home with lots of good memories,” Mr Hunter says.