Learn from when to when the ski season runs for New Zealand ski fields, so when they are open for skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, etc.
Depending on the location and ski resort in New Zealand, you can ski or snowboard from early June to late October.
Ski fields on the South Island tend to open before ski fields on the North Island.
South Island ski fields generally open early June and close early October, while North Island slopes are open from late June to mid-October.
Ski fields on the South Island also tend to be less crowded than ski fields on the North Island of New Zealand, although this does not apply to holiday periods.
When deciding when is the best time to visit New Zealand for skiing, you may also want to take the July school holidays period into consideration, because ski fields tend to get very busy then. Resorts like Coronet Peak and Cardrona in the Southern Lakes area (Queenstown and Wanaka) on the South Island of New Zealand can get very busy.
Mt. Hutt near Methven in Canterbury on the South Island of New Zealand is usually the first ski field in New Zealand to open its slopes but not always. Coronet Peak tends to beat it sometimes.
You can find all of the ski areas in New Zealand listed on the New Zealand ski fields map and click on any ski field on the map to visit its web site.
The table below lists the approximate times when (commercial) New Zealand ski fields open.
| Ski Field | Open |
| Whakapapa | Mid-June to mid-October |
| Turoa | Mid-June to mid-October |
| Rainbow | Mid-July to mid-October |
| Mt. Lyford | Early June to mid-October |
| Hanmer Springs | Early June to late October |
| Temple Basin | Late June to mid-October |
| Craigieburn | Late June to late October |
| Porter Heights | Early July to late September |
| Mt. Olympus | Early July to mid-October |
| Mt. Hutt | Early June to late October |
| Mt. Dobson | Early July to mid-October |
| Roundhill | Late June to early October |
| Ohau | Early July to mid-October |
| Treble Cone | Late June to early October |
| Cardrona | Mid-June to early October |
| Snow Farm | Mid-June to late September |
| Snow Park (above Cardrona) | Early June to early October |
| Coronet Peak | Early June to mid-October |
| The Remarkables | Late June to early October |
Opening times generally depend on snow conditions, which are difficult to predict and which only mother nature has control over. So while you could contact the respective ski fields through their web sites to ask for exact opening times, please remember that they are dependent on the weather.
New Zealand ski field opening dates in 2017
The table below lists 2017 opening dates for New Zealand ski fields that have already announced ski field opening dates. This list was updated on June 8, 2017.
For the most up to date opening dates, please visit the official ski fields websites, which you can find via the New Zealand ski fields map.
MetService also keeps track of the open and closed statuses of ski fields and provides weather forecasts for 23 ski fields.
| Ski Field | Open |
| Whakapapa | Open (July 1) |
| Turoa | July 1 |
| Tukino | July 1 |
| Rainbow | July 8 |
| Mt. Lyford | June 22 |
| Hanmer Springs | – |
| Temple Basin | – |
| Craigieburn | July 8 |
| Mt. Cheeseman | July 8 |
| Porter Heights | June 23 |
| Mt. Olympus | July 8 |
| Mt. Hutt | June 9 |
| Mt. Dobson | July 7 |
| Roundhill | July 1 |
| Ohau | July 1 |
| Treble Cone | June 22 |
| Cardrona | June 10 |
| Snow Farm | June 24 |
| Coronet Peak | June 17 |
| The Remarkables | June 10 |
New Zealand ski fields closing dates in previous years
The table below lists the 2015 and 2016 closing dates for New Zealand ski fields. Note that closing dates of ski fields depend on the weather and may vary from year to year but usually fall in either August, September, or October.
Please be cautious when using the dates listed below for planning your future ski holiday and to get an idea of the date until when you can ski in New Zealand. Judging from the dates listed below, the latest I would plan a ski holiday in 2017 is for early September.
| Ski Field | Closed in 2015 | Closed in 2016 | Closed in 2017 |
| Whakapapa | October 3 | October 9 | November 7 |
| Turoa | October 9 | October 9 | October 23 |
| Tukino | October 9 | September 28 | September 28 |
| Rainbow | October 5 | September 25 | September 26 |
| Mt. Lyford | September 12 | September 13 | September 25 |
| Hanmer Springs | August 10 | Did not open in 2016 | September 5 |
| Temple Basin | October 3 | September 18 | September 24 |
| Craigieburn | September 28 | September 19 | October 8 |
| Mt. Cheeseman | September 20 | September 16 | October 1 |
| Porter Heights | September 27 | October 1 | October 8 |
| Mt. Olympus | October 2 | September 18 | October 7 |
| Mt. Hutt | October 4 | October 10 | October 27 |
| Mt. Dobson | September 26 | September 17 | September 29 |
| Roundhill | September 3 | September 11 | September 19 |
| Ohau | September 26 | October 2 | October 8 |
| Treble Cone | September 19 | October 7 | October 4 |
| Cardrona | October 25 | October 9 | November 8 |
| Snow Farm | September 19 | September 26 | September 25 |
| Coronet Peak | September 20 | October 2 | October 16 |
| The Remarkables | September 20 | October 2 | October 8 |
This article falls under Travel Guide.
Note: This article was accurate when it was published. Please confirm all details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.