New Zealand Ski Fields: Porter Heights Review

Ideal for: Families, powder hounds, long open runs
Weather: Usually excellent, Nor-West no fun.
Snow: Good quality natural snow

Porters Height is the closest ski area to Christchurch - that's what they all say, but if you're not skiing to be seen then Porter heights should be your pick of the Craigieburn fields.

Porters is a serious ski area with a friendly face - everyone always seems to have a really great time there. Check out the 720 metre vertical of Big Mama, and the legendary out-of-bounds Crystal Valley.

Porter Heights is well served by very fast T-Bars and is virtually never crowded. Intermediates have a very large array of options and will not bore quickly. Experts will succumb to the temptations of the Powder Bowl and Bluff Face with a large smile.

The view from the top takes in the majority of the Southern Alps; Mt Cook is easily visible which is astounding considering how far away it really is. The scene below taking in Lake Coleridge and and the back side of the ski area is one gigantic scree slope descending over 4000 feet to the valley floor. Perfect for boulder rolling!

The area has no pretentions at being anything other than what it is; a well run commercial ski area that provides excellent skiing for all abilities without all the expensive extras!

Porter Heights performs nightly grooming on the piste runs, and the protected nature of the field, combined with the altitude means that light, dry, fine winter snow tends to stay that way for most of the season, providing ego-turns just about everywhere you go.

Not a busy field, but you'll have plenty of company around the base area. On a powder day, you may have to follow the locals for the best lines, or bribe someone with lunch and refreshments to be shown where to go!

The access road is fairly straightforward, but carry chains just in case. It really is very close to Christchurch, but watch for speed cameras and police on the roads - they know all about people wanting first tracks!

Porter Heights is the first ski area you arrive at when entering the Craigieburn Valley. The other areas are all club fields.

All in all, a great time to be had - and no trip to Canterbury is complete without at least a day or two at Porter Heights - the Friendly Field!