Mt Hutt
Mt Hutt is one of New Zealand’s premier ski resorts, and combined with
Methven, it is a great destination for a laid-back ski holiday. The resort is a place where you can experience some lovely thigh burn considering the substantial vertical drop (by NZ standards). The vertical combined with the steep pitch lends itself well to racing and earns Mt Hutt the title of the “capital of speed”. It is a brilliant
ski field for beginners and intermediates, and it offers some incredible powderhound and advanced terrain around the edges of the resort.
Mt Hutt is at the foot of the Southern Alps, near Methven in the Canterbury region of the South Island. It is located only 1.5 hours by car from Christchurch.
Mount Hutt promotes itself as having the longest ski season in NZ, which generally starts late May and goes until the end of October. The high elevation and relatively high snowfall allows for the long season, but also makes for good snow quality during winter relative to other New Zealand ski resorts. Recent investments in extensive snow making facilities also make the snow cover more reliable.
The resort has also undergone recent infrastructure development to significantly improve the efficiency of the lifts, cater to freestylers, and renovate the day lodge to expand its capacity.
One of the shortcomings of Mt Hutt is that it sits on the edge of the ranges rising to over 2,000 metres, and is exposed to cold and very strong southerly winds. Mt Hutt has unaffectionately been called Mt Shut because the resort and the steep windy road are at the mercy of the weather gods. Bring a book, hang out in the Blue Pub or find other non-skiing activities, as there’s a reasonable chance that the resort will be closed for at least one day during your stay. Alternatively not all lifts will be operating.
Poor weather results in the resort being closed 14 days per season on average, but because Mt Hutt has such a long season, the positive spin is that it has more “open” days per season than other resorts. And of course, bad weather is often accompanied by snowfall, and the geographical features of Mt Hutt means that it catches the snow like a baseball glove. Powderhounds are happy for the resort to be closed sometimes if it means more snow!
Another advantage of the exposed nature of Mt Hutt is that it provides for views that are nothing short of extraordinary. On a clear day you can see right across the Canterbury Plains to the Pacific. Looking over the back of the mountain, you get amazing views of the snow-covered Southern Alps which seem to go on forever.
The road up to Mt Hutt can be pretty daunting for people who don’t have much familiarity with mountain driving. Regular shuttle buses operate between Methven and Mt Hutt which would be highly recommended for those with limited mountain driving experience.
There is no accommodation at Mt Hutt and the nearest town is Methven (about 30 minutes by car).
Methven is a beautiful country town full of character (and characters). One of the drawcards for visiting Methven and Mt Hutt is the laid-back culture, with the area being described as the Byron Bay of the South Island. Obviously there are no beaches, but the relaxed feel of the place is a major plus.
Whilst the skiing related costs are comparable to other commercial ski resorts, staying in Methven makes for a cheap New Zealand ski holiday. Mt Hutt is also popular with families due to good children’s facilities and family discounts.
Powderhounds have provided Mt Hutt with multiple
New Zealand ski field awards for its snow and terrain: