Mount Olympus

South Island, New Zealand

About Mount Olympus

Mt Olympus is named for the 2096 metre (6880 foot) peak that stands over the ski area.  Below it, the four high-capacity rope tows access 60 hectares of skiable terrain with plenty more available within a short hike from the lifts.

The ski area is set in a high, south-facing basin, shaped a bit like a baseball mitt.  This is an ideal aspect for catching the big southerly powder dumps that give the Canterbury region its reputation for having the biggest and most consistent annual snowfall in New Zealand – over 4.5 metres (that’s nearly 15 feet)!

Combine this with high, bluffed ridges to the north, west and east and
Mt Olympus is well protected from the prevailing westerly and north-west winds.  This means we hold our snow while other ski areas get stripped.

VIDEO

TRAIL MAP

Snow Resort Stats

Mountain

  • Elevation Top 2096m
  • Elevation Bottom 1400m
  • Vertical Drop 450m
  • Skiable Terrain 60ha
  • Longest Run
  • Beginner 10%
  • Intermediate 55%
  • Advanced 35%
  • Total Number of Trails 6

Lifts

  • Total 4
  • Highest Lifted Point1850m
  • Gondolas & Trams 0
  • High Speed Sixes
  • High Speed
  • Quads 0
  • Quad Chairs 0
  • Triple Chairs 0
  • Double Chairs 0
  • Surface Lifts 5 rope tows \\
  • Uphill CapacityUnknown

Snow Making

  • Snow Making 0
  • Total Number of Guns 0
  • Annual Average Snowfall unknown

Terrain Parks

  • Total 0
  • Name 0
  • Half Pipes 0
  • Half Pipe Size
  • Total Terrain Park Area Size

Featured Travel Deals

Mount Olympus: Insider Ski & Snowboard Tips

If you are a backcountry adventurer who likes to ski or board off-piste in awesome terrain, in great snow, with a few other like-minded individuals, amidst a friendly club environment, then Mt Olympus is the place for you.

A proud groomer-free zone, skiing at Mt Olympus is all about embracing what Mother Nature gives us, and making the most of it.  When it’s on, it’s REALLY on.  A foot or more of dry, champagne powder (which can be a rarity in New Zealand) is not uncommon after a storm and the relatively modest skier numbers mean there are fresh tracks to be had well after the event. 

Later in the season, Mt Olympus offers some of the best spring corn around and the basin’s excellent snow-keeping qualities mean that we can be skiing well into October most years.

 

A combination of an access road that requires the right vehicle and skills to negotiate it, and the four ‘nutcracker’ rope tows that service the field, do a good job of keeping skier numbers manageable.  

One hundred people would constitute a very big day here and it’s usually way less – compare that to some other mountains you might have skied before discovering Mt Olympus. 

OUR TOP VIDEOS