Mount Olympus
Mount Olympus Ski Area, New Zealand
In Greek mythology the home of the gods was Mount Olympus, so the motto of the Mt Olympus ski area is “Playground of the Gods”. At Mt Olympus NZ there is big mountain skiing, south-facing slopes that trap lots of powder, no crowds and a relaxed attitude. It sounds like a playground for powderhound Gods! This
New Zealand club field shouldn’t be confused with the Mt Olympus ski resort in Cyprus where a different breed of gods play.
Ski and Snowboard Terrain
The Mt Olympus ski and board terrain is petite at only 60 hectares, and not all of this terrain is purely “lift” accessed. A little bit of hiking might be required, or tramping as the Kiwis like to call it. The treeless ski area is a south facing basin that has varied terrain for all levels of riders. There is a beginners’ area halfway up the mountain, but beginners need to be adventurous and they might have to walk up the first rope-tow.
At the other end of the spectrum there are chutes and extreme lines off Little Alaska or The Sphinx, and Mt Olympus is a good gateway for ski touring. There are also plenty of runs for ability levels in between, but these are suited to “off-piste” riders as the only grooming is that which Mother Nature provides. Brave riders can also partake in a spot of night skiing.
The Mount Olympus ski area is serviced by three successive
nutcracker rope-tows as well as a ropetow in the beginners’ area. Mt Olympus is a great place for nutcracker first-timers because they start on a gentle slope. You can focus your energies on skiing instead of feeling completely demoralised by your inability to ride a nutcracker!
Where is the Mt Olympus Ski Field?
Mount Olympus Ski Area is located in the Craigieburn Range on New Zealand’s South Island. The ski field is 45 km from Windwhistle (near Mt Hutt) and only a 1.5-2 hour drive from Christchurch. There are a couple of operators that provide transport to Mt Olympus, or the other option is to self-drive.
The mountain road is shingle, chains should always be carried, and sometimes mountain access from the bottom hut becomes for 4WD vehicles only. The last part of the access road is single lane and a bit scary! However this is part of the adventure and is one of various “filters” that discourage the caffe latte set from visiting. Crowds are also kept to a minimum because Mt Olympus is off-the-beaten-track, unlike some of the Canterbury club fields off Highway 73.
Accommodation
Mt Olympus is good for a day trip for those staying in
Methven or Christchurch, or alternatively there is on-mountain accommodation at Mt Olympus where it’s possible to stay for a week or weekend. The Top Hut Lodge (half way up the ski field) has bunk style accommodation at very reasonable prices, or there’s basic self-catering accommodation at the Bottom Hut.
Ski weeks start on a Sunday morning and finish the following Saturday afternoon. Each of the weeks are designated to ensure the right mix of people for the week. One week is called “Wrinkle Free” which caters to young people, or the young at heart who get Botox injections. There is also a “Fanta Pants” week that sounds very interesting!?
Mt Olympus Facilities
In keeping with its NZ club field status, the ski “resort” facilities are very basic. The rustic Top Hut Lodge doubles as a day lodge which includes a canteen selling lunches, snacks and drinks. No ski hire is available on-mountain, but they do lend out nutcracker harnesses. It is also possible to organise ski and snowboard lessons at rock bottom prices or as part of the ski week packages.
Why Ski or Snowboard at Mount Olympus?
Like other
NZ club fields, Mt Olympus is a true adventure. It is very inexpensive and is perfect for those with a relaxed (but hard-core) attitude to life. No one goes to Mt Olympus to look pretty – it’s all about the skiing and snowboarding. The club members are really friendly and seem to bring the camaraderie of skiing back to its roots. Needless to say, non-members are very welcome.
Mt Olympus feels remote and you can be one with nature without the crowds that you find at commercial ski resorts. And most importantly, you can be guaranteed of great powder snow as your prayers to the Snow God will definitely be heard considering that he (or she) lives right on the mountain.