| Craigieburn Valley Ski Area | |
|---|---|
Looking up the valley | |
| Location | Canterbury NZ |
| Nearest city | Springfield |
| Coordinates | 43°07′08″S171°41′50″E / 43.1188°S 171.6971°E Coordinates: 43°07′08″S171°41′50″E / 43.1188°S 171.6971°E |
| Top elevation | 1922 m [1] |
| Base elevation | 1308 m [1] |
| Skiable area | 400 hectare [1] |
| Runs | Backcountry |
| Lift system | 3 Rope tow [1] |
| Terrain parks | 0 |
| Snowmaking | no |
| Night skiing | On a full moon [2] |
| Website | http://www.craigieburn.co.nz |
Craigieburn Valley Ski Area is a club skifield in the Southern Alps of New Zealand's South Island, about 104km west from Christchurch. [3] Catering only to intermediate and advanced skiers, it features a vertical range of 1308—1811 m, 600 hectares of skiable area and 3 fast rope tows. The resort has several ski lodges but no gear hire. [1] It is also the base for ski touring expeditions when conditions permit. It is immediately adjacent to the Broken River Ski Area, with which it shares a ski pass system. Skiing between the two is possible with some skinning involved. [3]
In New Zealand, a club skifield is a small ski resort run by a ski club to provide affordable skiing to its members. While members of the public can ski, members of the club receive heavily discounted rates, in exchange for a yearly membership fee and usually several days of voluntary work maintaining the resort.
New Zealand is a sovereign island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The country geographically comprises two main landmasses—the North Island, and the South Island —and around 600 smaller islands. New Zealand is situated some 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and roughly 1,000 kilometres (600 mi) south of the Pacific island areas of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. Because of its remoteness, it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans. During its long period of isolation, New Zealand developed a distinct biodiversity of animal, fungal, and plant life. The country's varied topography and its sharp mountain peaks, such as the Southern Alps, owe much to the tectonic uplift of land and volcanic eruptions. New Zealand's capital city is Wellington, while its most populous city is Auckland.
The South Island, also officially named Te Waipounamu, is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand in surface area; the other being the smaller but more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, and to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean. The South Island covers 150,437 square kilometres (58,084 sq mi), making it the world's 12th-largest island. It has a temperate climate.
Craigieburn has two accommodation lodges, the main Koroheke lodge which has 6-bed dorm rooms and Matuhi which has private rooms. Through the winter there are many ski and accommodation package options as well as a ski week system, where people come and stay for a Sunday to Saturday week. Duties are shared between staff and guests and, while there is a cook and a manager, light duties are normally done by guests. This is the nature of most club fields in New Zealand. There is also a bar in Koroheke lodge, the normal meeting place after a day on the field. [4] The services available during the day are at the day lodge located near the top of the mountain. There you can find hot food options and fresh coffee, and it is a warm spot to stop off with a great view of the ski area.
Craigieburn is internationally famous for its steep terrain, 45% rated as advanced. There is no grooming and the hiking and ski touring options are excellent, including Middle Basin, a 600m open bowl back to the access road, commonly compared to heli-skiing. [3] Hamilton Peak is a popular spot, giving the skier access to the upper Hamilton face. The trip to the Broken River ski field lift system can be accomplished from Hamilton Peak without any further ascent. There are also many back-country and touring options past Middle Basin into North Middle, True North basins and Mt Manson.
