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.
Uncrowded Slopes.
Fancy skiing fresh lines all day? What would be a joke in a commercial ski area is very much reality at Mt Olympus, due to the modest skier numbers on the mountain at any one time.

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.

Around here, the only reason people wait at the bottom of the lift is to give their legs a rest from the last run or yarn with a friendly soul as there’s no rush – plenty of snow and mountain for everyone, all day.

THE LIFTS

Mt Olympus is served by four high-capacity rope tows. These tows are electrically driven and run at between 4 and 6 metres per second – that’s as fast as a high-speed detachable chair. Our lifts are the Access Tow, the Main Tow, the Top Tow, and the Learners’ Tow which is situated in full view of the Top Hut.

Riding them is pretty straightforward thanks to a metal device called a ‘nutcracker’ (pictured left) which is attached to a tow belt or harness. The nutcracker grips the rope, rides through the pulleys that keep the rope up and comfortably tows you up the mountain.

Note the Learners Tow is usable as a hand-held also so beginners can travel without the tow belt and progress up to it as they advance. Dedicated parents can easily tow their younger children behind them until they are tall enough, or strong enough to master it themselves.

Nutcracker towbelts are available for daily use free of charge from the container at the base of the Access Tow, while harnesses are available for purchase from the Canteen in the Top Hut or by emailing towbelts@gmail.com for advance purchase.

A word to snowboarders: due to the tows operating on both heel-side and toe-side, riding the lifts can be a challenge and we recommend that only snowboarders who are physically fit and can ride at an advanced intermediate level or above attempt to ride the tows.

HIKING & TOURING

For the keen backcountry skier, Mt Olympus has some incredible hiking and touring options available a short distance from the top of the lifts.

Popular short hikes include Ardi’s Peak, Little Alaska, the Back Ridge and the Sphinx. Longer hikes and ski tours can be undertaken to the summit of Mt Olympus all hiking must stay with in our Rec-permit area, which is limited to all ridges above the bottom hut.

Whenever you’re thinking of hiking Mt Olympus asks that you follow best practices. This means asking advice, informing people of your intentions, respecting all closures, travelling with a minimum of three in your party and always taking your transceiver, shovel, and probe.

arty and always taking your transceiver, shovel, and probe.

Below, you’ll find out how you can get here under your own steam, or enlist someone else to get you here instead. Arrival must be within operational hours (which vary) but if you’re going to be late, you must contact the mountain and make arrangements with staff prior.

The drive is a combination of straight tarmac across the plains, followed by winding tarmac that turns into gravel for approximately 15km until the access road.  The access road is best negotiated by high-clearance 4WD that is able to be equipped with chains if required.  If you don’t have a proper 4WD, or your 2WD is not capable of wearing chains, or you don’t have the desire or skills for operating either, then you’re best bet is to contact a specialist mountain transport provider like Black Diamond Safaris.

Directions
Once you turn off Highway 77 from Christchurch at Windwhistle and head up toward Lake Coleridge, take a right turn onto Homestead Road. Follow this road to Harper Road and you’ll see the Mount Olympus entry on the left.  Head up the Harper Road for a few kilometres until you cross the Ryton River.  The Access Road is the first gate on the right, approx 1km after the bridge.  You are now on private farm land so please take care, watch out for stock and be aware that both Glenthorne Station and Mt Olympus DO NOT permit dogs on the property at any time.

Sometimes the entry gate is shut – please make sure you leave any gate in the same position as you found it once you have driven through.
Keep following the road up the mountain and you will reach the Bottom Hut about 11.5 km from the entry gate.  Please use the radio in the Bottom Hut to make sure the road to the car park at the base of the Access Tow is accessible, and come on up for a ski.

If the conditions are such that getting to the Bottom Hut is something you’d rather not attempt, then we suggest you consider one of the options below.

There are a number of options available that allow skiers to get to Mt Olympus without having to tackle the access road yourself.