There is something quite special about Mt Hutt, situated about 90 minutes from Christchurch above the town of Methven, Mt Hutt is a vast bowl that offers a rich variety of terrain and it is for a very good reason that Mt Hutt has won best Ski Resort in NZ every year since 2015.
The mountain towers above the Canterbury Plains, as you drive up the dirt (and grit) road the views of sunrise are stunning and it is hard not to get excited by a day of opportunities.
Getting There
Getting to Mt Hutt from Methven will take you about 30 minutes, it’s a 26km drive and depending on weather conditions you may need to fit chains (as directed). The mountain is only 115 km from Christchurch which means you can come in direct from the city and be on the mountain in a bit over an hour and a half. Christchurch also has an international airport so you can fly direct and either rent a car or get the bus to Methven or the mountain.
What is it like to ski?
Depending on your level of skiing Mt Hutt is often best started with a run up Summit Six chairlift and then down to the left following ‘Morning Glory’ and then ‘Highway 72’ a great leg warmer though the trail can get crowded when everyone has the same idea! Next up a few quick laps down ‘Fascination’ which is groomed but quite steep, so a great place to rip the corduroy and then out wide to ‘Jonny Doles’.
The ‘Virgin Mile’ is a run down the spine of the ridge with some excellent drop off points and if the snow is fresh there are endless possibilities, if you follow it right around you can drop down onto ‘Bob’s Knob’ but don’t fall as everyone at Hubers Hut will be watching you!
The Nor’west Express Chair is now an 8 seater so its super fast for laps of ‘Broadway’ or showing what you are made of in the ‘Exhibition Bowl’.
There are a couple of double black advanced areas at Mt Hutt firstly the ‘South Face’ area which goes from the top of the Summit Six and requires a little climb, past the ‘Towers Chutes’ and there are a few challenging steep chute runs that come back via the ‘Museli Bowl’ and to the ‘International’ which leads to the Towers Triple Chair.
Village Facilities
There is no village or accomodation on the mountain – there are food outlets and a bar, ski hire and a retail store for those things you might have forgotten. For everything else there is Methven.
Where to Stay
There a bunch of great choices of where to stay in Methven, a personal favourite is Ski Time which is right opposite the the new Ōpuke Hotsprings in Methven and an easy walk to the restaurants and shops. Some other great choices if you are ok with being a little out of town include Fable Downs Resort where you can ski and play golf in the same day. And for those looking for a budget option the Blue Pub in Methven will have you sorted and you are guaranteed to find a friend to drink with in the evenings too!
TERRAIN
Elevation Top | 2086m
Elevation Bottom | 1403m
Vertical Drop | 683m
Highest Lifted Point | 2086m
Skiable Terrain | 365ha
Longest Run | 1.5km
Beginner | 11%
Intermediate | 64%
Advanced | 25%
Total Number Trails | 25
LIFTS
Gondola’s & Trams | 0
High Speed Eight | 1
High Speed Six | 1
High Speed Quad | 0
Quad Chairs | 0
Triple Chairs | 1
Double Chairs | 0
Single Chairs | 0
Surface Lifts | 2
Uphill Capacity | 7,400
SNOW
Avg Annual Snowfall | 4m
Avg Snow Depth | –
Snowmaking | 28ha
Total Number Guns | 158
Day Ticket | $159
Season Pass | $999 &
Three Peaks Pass &
IKON Pass
VILLAGE
Accomodation Beds | 1500
Restaurants | 2
Bars | 2
Cafes | 1
On Mountain Food | 3
LINKS
- https://mthutt.co.nz
- https://www.opuke.nz
- https://www.skitime.co.nz
- https://www.fablehotelsandresorts.com/hotels/fable-terrace-downs-resort
- https://thebluepub.com/
“See you at the Bottom” is a New Zealand Snow Movie that showcases what makes each of the resorts special, full of stunning visuals it is guaranteed to get you planning your next trip!