World class heli-skiing

High Peak Heliski would be nothing if it weren’t for great heliskiing. And by great, we mean world-class. Seriously.

Awesome snow. Steep, extensive slopes

New Zealand is a couple of small islands in the middle of a huge ocean. As a result, we have a maritime snowpack, like Alaska. The Arrowsmiths and Raggeds are big, steep and extensive. Relative to the number of skiers we host annually, there is a vast amount of terrain available compared to other New Zealand heli-ski operations. So you should expect to ski fresh tracks  every turn.

World class pilots

Helicopter operations are headed up by Chief Pilot Philip Todhunter. Philip is one of New Zealand’s most experienced heliski pilots with an intimate knowledge of the area and terrain – after all, he owns much of the land you’ll be skiing on. All Methven Heliski pilots are highly experienced, professional mountain flying experts. The helicopter of choice is the Eurocopter / Airbus AS350 Squirrel. These powerful turbine aircraft are perfectly suited to heliski operations and are utilised throughout the Southern Alps.

Alpine lodge, private chef, gas fired hot tub..

The Lodge is centrally heated, has four generous bedrooms, a comfortable lounge with a gas fire and Sky TV. Did we mention the open bar and gas-fired hot tub? The purpose-built kitchen is where Hilary (your private chef) works her culinary magic. It is all about providing the perfect environment to relax and swap stories about the day’s skiing while resting up to do it all again the next day.

Private charter

Our premier experience. Think exclusive lodging and a helicopter for the private use of your group alone. We base the helicopter at the lodge for the ultimate in ease and flexibility, allowing us to make use of every opportunity to ski. With Private Charter, you pay by the flight hour as opposed to a fixed rate, and it isn’t as expensive as you might think. If there are between 1 and 8 of you and you want the ultimate in New Zealand skiing, you should consider this option. Every package is customised and rates are on application.

5 night heli-ski group packages

Skiing with us works best when a group books out the whole lodge on an exclusive basis. The signature High Peak trip is a five-night stay, including three heliski days and two non-heliski days. This allows you and your group to sample the best heliskiing in New Zealand combined with the best lift-accessed off-piste skiing in New Zealand via our Club Fields. Five-Night Packages include three five-run heliski days, two guided club field or resort ski days, airport transfers, all transport, five nights’ all-inclusive lodging, gourmet meals and an open bar. From NZD $5,595 per person.

Custom packages, individuals, heli-transfers

We can design a custom trip for your group with any combination of heliski, club field and non-skiing days ​that you require. For the best experience possible we encourage you to gather a group of four or more and book out the lodge privately. But we happily accommodate for solo skiers and boarders seeking a special individual experience. Prices for individuals start at NZD $795 per day all inclusive (5 day package). For the ultimate in ease and luxury, we can pick you up from Christchurch Airport and base the helicopter from the lodge, flying from the front door direct to the snow each day. Rates start from $300 per person one way.

An experience for
you and your friends.

What are you waiting for? The snow is awesome and spots are still available this season – drop us a line and see if we can help make your dream heliski adventure happen!

An experience for
you and your friends.

What are you waiting for? The snow is awesome and spots are still available this season – drop us a line and see if we can help make your dream heliski adventure happen!

Availability

FAQ

Reviews

When do you operate heliski trips during the season?

We operate every fine day between 1 July and 30 September, other times by arrangement.

What do I need to organise for the trip?

Your flights or alternative transport to Christchurch and travel insurance to cover heliskiing. We will take care of the rest.

How do I secure a booking?

We ask for a 50% deposit of the package price to secure a booking, with the balance plus any extras payable upon departure.

What is your cancellation policy?

We offer a full refund of your deposit up to 31 days before your arrival date. Inside 31 days before the arrival date we cannot offer a refund but can transfer you to another date free of charge.

What additional costs can I expect?

Minimal, if any. The only cost you may need to account for is ski hire ($45 / day for demo quality gear).

What is the story with Christchurch Airport Transfers?

Packages include airport transfers. Additional transfers are NZ$200 one way. We encourage guests to coordinate flight times if coming from different places.

What times can we expect to be picked up or dropped off?

We can meet any arrival or check-in before 10pm and after 7am; outside these times we suggest an airport hotel.

Why wouldn't I just book directly with Methven Heliski?

We encourage those on a budget to take this option. You’ll have to arrange your own rental car or alternative transport, ski gear, accommodation, food and drinks and fend for yourself on no-fly days.

What if the weather is bad and the helicopter can't fly?

We have the option of taking you to one of our local club fields – a truly unique experience – or a commercial resort like Mt Hutt.

What if the ski fields are closed?

Don’t worry – we have a few other tricks up our sleeves that we’re pretty sure you’ll love. Our job is to maximise your time off, whatever Mother Nature throws at us.

What if I book a package and we can't fly all three days?

If the weather precludes us from flying all three days you will not be charged for any unused heliski days. This will be reflected in the final bill.

What level skier or boarder do I need to be to heliski?

Any reasonably fit and confident skier or snowboarder can experience the thrill of skiing and riding in the big mountains. We will help you assess your ability properly.

How long are the heliski days?

You can expect to be out in the mountains for approximately 5-6 hours each day, more if you’re feeling fit and opt for our extra runs.

What gear do I need?

Good quality ski wear and your own skis or board. If you don’t have these, let us know and we will arrange some top quality rental equipment for you.

What's the maximum group size?

We are limited to four skiers per guide. Skiers will be grouped according to ability and terrain selected accordingly.

Can you arrange private charters?

Yes. We specialise in private group charters. This is where you have your own dedicated helicopter, guides and terrain. Please enquire if you’re interested.

Can we fly directly from the lodge?

Yes. We can base the helicopter from the lodge and fly you directly into the mountains each day. Prices start at $300pp one way. Please enquire if you’re interested.

Do I need travel insurance?

We encourage our guests to take out comprehensive travel insurance that covers heliskiing. Remember, New Zealand’s ACC system covers all injury related-costs while in-country, but not loss of deposits, equipment, missed days or flights.

First skiing trip to Club Fields after skiing in many places across the globe. The skiing was amazing including a great day Heli Skiing & the famous NZ Club fields which cater for some amazing skiing! Which is a must. The area that really made the trip so memorable was the service levels of the genuine NZ Staff, which Simon & Tom lead the charge. Both the Skiing expertise & when back at the lodge with 5 star cooking & just importantly wine. An absolute must do if you want to ski stunning terrain with amazing service. Exactly the Ski experience that makes me want to go back for more. Fantastic to meet the families and makes it feel so relaxed. No doubt will be back for another round, have already discussed it with the group that I went with, thanks for the amazing memories.

What a break we had, visited a couple of local club ski fields, a day heli skiing and a day jet boating up the river, all the time being served up gorgeous meals and lovely wines, we couldn’t have asked for more. The Heli Skiing was the highlight, started the day very nervous thinking what are we doing, this soon turned to being terrified as the helicopter dropped us off at the top of the mountain, but soon turned to elation and being ecstatic on what we had achieved, what a day! But the best thing of our trip was how well we were treated by our hosts, Simon and our amazing chef, Hilly, we felt like we were visiting old friends. Thanks for an amazing time!

We had an awesome time at High Peak Station. The lodge is in NZ’s beautiful countryside and located well to do heli ski, to ski on Mt Hutt or on private ski fields (like the locals do). Simon and Tom were awesome guides, showing us the best spots to ski including some we hiked or skinned up to. Tom’s skiing skills are astonishing and it was really good fun trying to keep up with him. The lodge itself is in a beautiful house and has a genuine family feel. We really felt home when returning from skiing in the evenings. I loved the delicious meals Hilary prepared from local produce (e.g. venison). She’s a truly gifted cook who manages to bring out the best of the high quality ingredients in an unpretentious way. Relaxing by the fireplace and having casual conversations over a glass of NZ wine or craft beer with other lodgers and the High Peak Station staff completed the evenings. A highly recommendable experience to recharge one’s batteries combining sports, beautiful scenery and nature, high quality food with healthy ingredients, and relaxation.

An ideal vacation filled with amazing days skiing, returning to a spotless, comfortable lodge to recharge for the next day, and all with good company. Hosts Simon and Tom are great to hang out with and took care of everything, including guiding us around Mount Olympus on days we weren’t heliskiing. These days are particularly memorable as we hiked up to the ridge line into majestic terrain that I never ski anywhere else. Delicious meals, prepared by chef Hilary, featured local venison, salmon, lamb and even honey produced by the bees that Tom keeps. And plenty of New Zealand wine and beer to enjoy. I highly recommend to anyone that loves skiing and having a good time.

High Peak Station is a lovely family-run business that offers full-service, all-inclusive packages for ski and adventure. While our primary goal was to go heli skiing, High Peak Station offers other cool activities on no-fly days which kept us busy. We certainly got the full New Zealand skiing experience with heli skiing in Methven to resort skiing at Mt. Hutt and experiencing the club fields at Mt. Olympus with the rope tows and nutcrackers. We hiked and skinned up the terrain, trying to follow extreme skier Tom Dunbar down the steep shoots – while never feeling that our safety was compromised in any way. The dinners were prepared by the fabulous Hilary whose cuisine was unmatched by any other place we visited in the Canterbury area. The booking and settlement process were astoundingly easy and efficient – all done online within minutes. We can wholeheartedly recommend this place to anyone with a sense of adventure but still looking for 5-star comfort and service.

My 16 year old son and I visited High Peak Heliski for a 4 day ski adventure this past July and experienced one of our best vacations ever. Simon and Kate are unbelievable hosts who we now consider our close friends. The lodging was terrific, food superb and the skiing itself is sublime. As an experienced international traveler, I can say with certainty that the High Peak experience will not disappoint even if the weather may not always cooperate. We’re looking forward to our repeat visit with the rest of our family in 2020 when the Guilds open their new lodge and our son graduates from high school – only this time we’ll plan on staying for a longer trip to ensure we get the most out of this incredible experience.

My fiancé and I had the most amazing stay with the Guild family. From the moment our flight landed, until we were back at the airport ready to check-in Simon and his family delivered the most amazing experience we have ever had on a ski trip and every detail was taken care of. If you’re looking to experience the club fields and the wider Canterbury region the way the locals do then you cannot do better than a stay at High Peak. From the food to the wine and the accommodation, everything is taken care of and delivered to such a standard that rivals some of the most high-end luxury heliski lodges I have stayed at in Canada. We didn’t enjoy the best ski conditions of our lives – not that Simon and his crew can control that anyway – but we were still guided to the best conditions possible and also had an incredible heliski day with Kevin at Methven heliski. We are already planning our return trip to stay with the Guilds and hopefully bringing friends and family to share the experience with us!

First skiing trip to Club Fields after skiing in many places across the globe. The skiing was amazing including a great day Heli Skiing & the famous NZ Club fields which cater for some amazing skiing! Which is a must. The area that really made the trip so memorable was the service levels of the genuine NZ Staff, which Simon & Tom lead the charge. Both the Skiing expertise & when back at the lodge with 5 star cooking & just importantly wine. An absolute must do if you want to ski stunning terrain with amazing service. Exactly the Ski experience that makes me want to go back for more. Fantastic to meet the families and makes it feel so relaxed. No doubt will be back for another round, have already discussed it with the group that I went with, thanks for the amazing memories

We decided to go with High Peak Heliski for our first trip to the Club Ski fields of New Zealand. Simon, Tom and the team were nothing short of sensational. The accommodation, food, terrain and their extensive local knowledge made the experience even more enjoyable. They deliver an incredibly professional and logistically superior experience to anything that we had experienced before. The fact that the whole family is behind / involved in this business only makes it more special. We will definitely be coming back to spend time with Simon, Tom and the team again.

I spent 4 days with Simon in late September of 2015. One day of heliskiing and 2 days of club skiing. Simon was a delightful host, the residence was relaxing and comfortable, with excellent food and wine. Despite being the end of the season the skiing was very enjoyable. The heli-skiing day was wonderful, blue skies, pleasant temperature and good snow. The 2 days club skiing were quite a unique experience hard to duplicate anywhere else in the world. I highly recommend High Peak as a delightful and unique experience!

Simon Guilde

Your Host

simon@highpeak.co.nz

30 or so words about Simon’s general background and skiing specific background. The people who run the heli ski operation alongside and how he’s looking forward to hearing from you..