New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

is a major skiing

Skiing

Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....

destination in the Southern Hemisphere

Southern Hemisphere

The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...

, due to its high latitude, mountainous terrain, and well-developed economy and tourism industry.

While there are several ski resorts on the North Island

North Island

The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...

, most are found in the South Island

South Island

The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...

. There are both major commercial resorts, and smaller club skifield

Club skifield

In New Zealand, a club skifield is a small ski resort run by a ski club to provide affordable skiing to its members. While members of the public can ski, members of the club receive heavily discounted rates, in exchange for a yearly membership fee and usually several days of voluntary work...

s which provide access to affordable skiing for club members. There are also specialist backcountry skiing

Backcountry skiing

Backcountry skiing is skiing in a sparsely inhabited rural region over ungroomed and unmarked slopes or pistes, including skiing in unmarked or unpatrolled areas either within the ski resort's boundaries or in the backcountry, frequently amongst trees , usually in pursuit of fresh fallen powder...

 areas such as Mount Potts

Mount Potts

Mount Potts is a specialist backcountry skiing base in South Island, New Zealand. Unlike normal resorts, there are no fixed ski tows or chairlifts. Instead, vertical transport is provided by snowcats and helicopter...

 and Invincible Snowfields

Invincible Snowfields

Invincible Snowfields is a private ski resort near Glenorchy in the South Island of New Zealand.The area is about one hour's drive west of Queenstown and is close to Lake Wakatipu...

 which provide heliskiing

Heliskiing

Heliskiing is off-trail, downhill skiing that is accessed by a helicopter, not a ski lift. Heliskiing is essentially about skiing in a natural—albeit highly selected—environment without the effort or gear compromise required for hiking into these areas as in ski touring or ski mountaineering.Most...

 and snowcat skiing

Snowcat skiing

Snowcat skiing is off-trail, downhill skiing that is accessed by a snowcat, not a ski lift. Snowcat skiing is essentially about skiing in a natural—albeit highly selected -- environment without the effort or gear compromise required for hiking into these areas as in ski touring or ski mountaineering...

 for adventure-seekers.

New Zealand has competed at most Winter Olympics since 1952

New Zealand at the 1952 Winter Olympics

New Zealand competed at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo, Norway. It was the first time that the nation had competed at the Winter Olympic Games. The country was represented by its skiing team, captained by Sir Roy McKenzie...

, when Sir Roy McKenzie

Roy McKenzie

Sir Roy Allan McKenzie ONZ KBE was a New Zealand horse breeder and racer, and was well known for his philanthropy....

 led a team. In 1992

New Zealand at the 1992 Winter Olympics

New Zealand competed at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. Annelise Coberger won the nation's first medal at the Winter Olympic Games in the women's slalom event.-Medalists:- Alpine skiing:MenWomen...

 Annelise Coberger became the first person from the Southern Hemisphere

Southern Hemisphere

The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...

 to win a medal at the Winter Olympics when she won silver in the slalom at Albertville

Albertville

Albertville is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.The town is best known for hosting the 1992 Winter Olympics.-Geography:...

 in France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

.

Aoraki / Mount Cook is the highest mountain

Mountain

Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...

 in New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

, reaching a height of 3754 metres (12,316 ft).
It lies in the Southern Alps

Southern Alps

The Southern Alps is a mountain range extending along much of the length of New Zealand's South Island, reaching its greatest elevations near the island's western side...

, the mountain range which runs the length of the South Island

South Island

The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...

. A popular tourist destination,

External links

• http://www.snow.co.nz — provides a wide range of information on resorts, gear, weather etc.
• http://www.chillout.co.nz — provides information on the 11 resorts covered by their "Chill-out pass".
• http://www.tuicampers.co.nz/ski-areas/index.html - information on 26 ski areas, plus heli-skiing.
• http://www.teara.govt.nz/TheBush/BushAndMountainRecreation/Skiing/en - Skiing from Te Ara the Encyclopaedia of New Zealand
• http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/S/Ski-ing/Ski-ing/en - History of Skiing in New Zealand from the 1966 Encyclopaedia of New Zealand