Southern Snowriders - Snowboard, Ski & Heli New Zealand

Our Craigieburn Adventure tour begins in Christchurch where your host will be waiting to pick you up. We jump into the snowrider minivan and head for our mountain hideaway in the Southern Alps. Your home with us here is a private mountain cottage tucked away in the tranquil valley below the Craigieburn Mountain Range. Relax for the evening, settle in and get excited about your snowriding adventure that lies ahead.

The SSR Craigieburn liftpass is valid at : Porter Heights, Mount Cheeseman, Broken River, Temple Basin, Mount Olympus and the legendary Craigieburn Valley. This versatility allows us to take you straight to where the snow conditions are best. Most of these skifields are off the main tourist route, which means there's no waiting in long lift queues all day. It also means that if it snows at the beginning of your trip then we could be riding freshies all week!

"What a fantastic week! Great hosts…thanks to all. I have travelled the world for the good stuff and Scott and his team have excelled in showing us the best in what NZ has to offer. I look forward to seeing you all again.”
Troy, Byron Bay, New South Wales.

"Second year with you guys and I’m ready for more. Today was like being in a snowboarding DVD – this country is spectacular. I’ll be back for the snow, friends and fun!”
Luke, Adelaide, South Australia.

"This week has been nothing less than amazing. We’ve worked hard and relaxed. Lots of laughing. The boarding was great and our stay here is something I will talk about for a long time. Hopefully I’ll be back again next year. Thanx for everything!”
Lisa, Sweden.

"Cheers for a great holiday – had a fat time, seen and rode snow that I didn’t think was possible. It will be a long wait till next year, thanks again.”
Ollie, Perth, Western Australia.

CRAIGIEBURN ADVENTURE TOUR

The SSR Craigieburn Adventure is a 1 week tour which is suitable for riders of an intermediate level and above. The tour departs Christchurch on a Sunday and returns on the following Sunday. Pick up and drop off transport on these days is available from Christchurch International Airport, Christchurch Domestic Airport or any Christchurch accommodation close to the city. To ensure personal attention and maximise the unique experience, we limit the spaces available to only 6 clients per vehicle.

The scenic drive to Craigieburn Lodge takes approximately 2 hours from Christchurch, travelling through the Caterbury Plains, over Porter's Pass and into the Craigieburn Valley. Clients are given the time to purchase their food needs and any supplies before departing Christchurch.

The riding days are typically Monday-Friday (weather permitting) and the decision on which mountain to ride is made daily and based on many variables including; the groups wants, needs and ability level, current snow conditions, weather forecast, snow reports, snow pack data and local knowledge.

Clients travel comfortably in our Toyota Super Custom Hiace 4WD vehicles which seat 6 passengers and a driver. The SSR Guide is a commercially licensed driver and experienced in handling the expected road conditions. The SSR Guide is an experienced snow enthusiast with years of specific snow employment and a high level of knowledge of the local region and snow conditions.

The SSR Craigieburn Adventure earlybird price is $1195 AUD per person
for bookings made before 30 April 2008 or $1295 AUD full price and includes:

Personal tour guide, van and driver
5 day Craigieburn multi-mountain liftpass
Use of harness & nutcracker liftriding equipment
7 nights mountain cottage accommodation
Daily mountain transport
Return Christchurch transfers

Return clients receive a $25 discount per previous season.
Group bookings of 6 or more people receive a $30 per person discount.
Earlybird bookings enter the major prize draw to win a FULL REFUND!

CRAIGIEBURN ACCOMMODATION

Our private mountain cottage is ideally located in the middle of the Craigieburn Mountain Range. This position allows us to quickly reach the 4 access roads of Porter Heights, Mount Cheeseman, Broken River and Craigieburn Valley within minutes. Mount Olympus is located on the other side of the range and Temple Basin is further into the Arthur's Pass region. These 2 ski areas are only a short 1 hour drive away from our base.

The private mountain cottage is comfortable and spacious for the needs of our small group. It features a large lounge, TV, gas fire and cooking facilities for guests who wish to prepare their own meals. All bedrooms feature twin share accommodation. It is only a short walk across beautifully gardened grounds to a licensed restaurant and bar for those who would like to eat out or feel like a drink.

CRAIGIEBURN SKI AREAS

SSR Craigieburn is located in a quiet valley by a mighty mountain range easily accessible from Christchurch. Our Craigieburn multi-mountain liftpass is valid at the following ski areas: Porter Heights, Mount Cheeseman, Broken River, Craigieburn Valley, Temple Basin and Mount Olympus. These 6 club field ski areas are all within close proximity and feature terrain ranging from easy & gentle to serious & steep. The lack of crowds in this area means shorter lift queues than in the commercial ski areas and the powder stays untracked for longer.

The SSR Craigieburn Adventure is ideally suited to intermediate and advanced riders and is not an option for beginners. The appeal of the club fields is their lack of infrastructure which in turn leads to smaller numbers of visitors. It also means minimal grooming and snowmaking capabilities and limited access. Most of the ski area access roads finish at the base area but there are a couple which require walking from the car park to the lifts.

There are no chairlifts in the Craigieburn Mountain Range, only T-bars and the infamous ‘nutcracker’ rope tows. Your SSR Guide carries the necessary equipment required for riding the nutcrackers and will assist you in their operation and relevant safety aspects. Riding a nutcracker is definitely challenging at first but with previous drag lift riding experience and the right technique they can be mastered very quickly.

Riding in the Craigieburn’s is a truly unique experience. The lifted areas seem smaller than the commercial resorts but it is the easy access to adjacent bowls and faces which make it a freerider’s haven. There are some rails and kickers to be found but it is mainly about riding the mountain. If you’re into finding lines and hiking to ‘earn your turns’ you will definitely enjoy what the Craigieburn Mountain Range has to offer!

Click here to view trail maps of the Craigieburn ski areas