Ohau Snowfields, New Zealand, Report: Snow, Sun, Wind, And Back Again

Report from 18-21 July 2026

It’s ‘heads-up’ skiing and snowboarding at Ohau Snowfields, in the New Zealand Southern Alps. And we’re enjoying every minute.

So far, winter still wants to play cat & mouse. This means any given ski day can be (and usually is) a mixture of Snow, Sun, Wind, or a rollicking combination of all three.

For riders drawn to New Zealand mountains, and Ohau, cagey conditions are part of the appeal. The wildly varying conditions in challenging terrain also build strong technical skill — and good humor.

A few days ago, Ohau enjoyed a mini storm pocket that didn’t drop huge amounts of powder snow but did transform the skiable terrain into a private party in a snow globe. Better still, everybody knows everybody. The kids are all buddies. It’s a sunny day on the town square in the form of a snowy mountain top.

Wind and sun followed the snowy top-up. In the New Zealand Alps wind is both mischief and magic. Two days ago, skiing through punchy gusts with a group of pals felt like daring each other to grab hold of an electric fence; skiing for the thrill of it.

• Related Ohau Snowfields, New Zealand, Report; Winter On The Way

When the sun set-in, overnight temperatures drop. This preserves the snowpack and creates an ice rink. On these occasions, the day is saved by the great grooming at Ohau or spotting a summit zone softened by direct sunshine.

I went for the latter. The climb and walk to get there was surprisingly short. The view is always worth the effort. And the ride down was a long soft surf through buttery corn snow.

As this is typed, a new storm front is gathered above Ohau Snowfields. The storm is expected to stay for at least 48 hours. And the following days are forecasted to be bluebird.

I’m already looking forward to testing the snow, wind, and sun everyday along the way.