New Zealand Ski Fields: Craigieburn Valley Review

Ideal for: Experts
Weather: The usual mix of good and bad
Snow: Incredible

Craigieburn Valley has the enviable title of being New Zealand's steepest ski area. There is no place whatsoever for any person who has not acquired good skills on skis or snowboard here!

The most famous of the Canterbury Club Fields - they describe themselves as being "Steep, Deep and Cheap" - they aren't exagerating in any way. The challenges presented to advanced and expert skiers can't be dismissed with a wave of the hand.

Craigieburn has five grades of trail; Easiest, Intermediate, Advanced, Tricky and Suicidal. "Plake's Mistake" is the only designated Suicidal run and is named after the famous extreme skier who just about ruptured himself attempting it!

As a club field, the facilities are basic, but adequate. You will need to hire a "nutcracker" tow belt to ride the four rope tows which service the ski area. For people who grew up with chairlifts, a rope tow may appear dangerous and a nutcracker precisely that. But those in the know enjoy the high speed trips being hauled up the hill. Nutcrackers are not difficult to use, and work extremely well.

Heading up the bottom tow (which is the most difficult of them to ride!) you'll be looking straight up at the Hamilton Face and Siberia Basin and the "Guts" runs numbered 1 through 6 - increasing in dificulty. These slopes will tempt all skiers, but be warned, if you can't sucessfully negotiate ALL six of the guts runs, don't even attempt the Middle Basin Chutes - you'll scare yourself spitless and possible have to be taken home by helicopter.

It's worth noting that Broken River Ski Area can be accessed from the Hamilton face quite readily. Additonally, Broken River honour Craigieburn Lift Passes for those intrepid mountain hoppers. Getting back to Craigieburn involves a lot more climbing however!

"Marty's" powder run down through the native forest to the Big Bend section of the access road will delight all skers who are capable of skiing it. The 20 minute walk back to the bottom tow isn't so great - but hey, this is Craigieburn after all! This is one of my fravourite runs of all time.

Because of the walk out (it's not steep, just longish) the Middle basin isn't heavily skied (Well, nowhere is, but everything's relative) and first tracks can be layed just about any time of the season.

Accommodation is right there on the mountain, which makes ski weeks the real thing! You can stay for as long as you like, but ring ahead and make a booking. The lodges are very cosy, and the atmosphere convivial in the extreme.

If you are a good skier visiting Canterbury, don't miss this mountain - you'll be glad you got back to the grass roots of real skiing - the way it used to be.