Mt Dobson
400 hectares, 14 runs, 430m vertical. Family-owned Mt Dobson delivers sun-soaked intermediate terrain in New Zealand's Mackenzie.
Season 2026
Opens
28 June 2026
Closes
27 Sept 2026
Days open
91
Annual snow
3m
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Mt Dobson operates across 400 hectares of skiable terrain with 14 marked runs spanning a 430-metre vertical drop from 1600 to 2030 metres elevation. The field sits in a 3-kilometre-wide treeless basin at the southern end of the Two Thumb Range in Te Kahui Kaupeka Conservation Park. Annual snowfall averages 2.54 metres, with the base at 1725 metres claiming the title of New Zealand's highest car park. The family-owned commercial operation opened in 1979 following construction of a 15-kilometre access road.
Terrain splits 25 per cent beginner, 50 per cent intermediate, and 25 per cent advanced across the sun-facing basin. The Opuha Saddle Triple Chair accesses wide groomed runs and a natural halfpipe beneath the lift line. The Fairlie Ridge T-Bar climbs to 2015 metres, opening steeper terrain including Te Kahui Steeps and Stackit. Advanced skiers hike to Dobson Peak at 2095 metres for views across Lake Tekapo, Lake Pukaki and Aoraki/Mt Cook.
The relaxed club-field atmosphere draws families and learners to wide, uncrowded slopes. Weekdays see minimal lift queues even during peak season. The Foote Rest Café serves Fairlie Bakehouse pies and barista coffee at the base lodge alongside basic rental and ski school facilities. No on-mountain accommodation exists; visitors stay in Fairlie or Lake Tekapo.
Operating independently without major pass affiliations, Mt Dobson runs promotions including Mates Rates Mondays with two-for-one tickets and half-price Tuesdays for women outside school holidays. Adult day passes cost NZ$118 regular, NZ$140 peak. The 2026 season opens 28 June and closes 27 September. Best suited to intermediates, families, and budget-conscious skiers seeking uncrowded terrain and quintessential Kiwi skiing.
430m
Vertical
14
Runs
988 acres
Skiable
3m
Annual snow
The Terrain
14 runs across 988 acres skiable
Mt Dobson spreads 14 runs across 988 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 50%, with 4 beginner runs to find your feet and 4 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
14
runs
14 runs across 4 grades
Beginner4 runs · 25%
Intermediate7 runs · 50%
Advanced4 runs · 25%
Expert0 runs · 0%
Time it right
When to visit Mt Dobson
The 2026 season runs from 28 June through 27 September, with opening subject to snow coverage. Typical operations span early July to early October depending on conditions. Historical opening dates vary from late June to early July across recent years. The field opened 6 July 2025 and 5 July 2024, adjusting annually based on pre-season accumulation.
Annual snowfall averages 254 centimetres at the high-altitude base. The second week of August typically delivers peak snowfall with 26 centimetres over 2.5 snowy days. August offers the most reliable coverage with average depths reaching 108 centimetres at summit and 49 centimetres at base. The southwest-facing basin receives regular dumps from southerly fronts whilst sitting high enough to stay cold when lower fields receive rain.
July and August provide optimal powder conditions before spring softening begins in September. The sun-drenched basin suits learners but can produce variable off-piste conditions through sun baking. Mid-August combines deepest snowpack with 16 average sunny days, balancing coverage and weather. Early season typically offers lighter crowds and discounted passes before school holidays.
Weekly promotions include Mates Rates Mondays with two-for-one tickets and Chicks on Tuesdays offering women half-day rates for full-day access, both excluding school holidays. Birthday bonus grants free passes on your birthday. No night skiing operates. The field closes when spring temperatures compromise coverage, usually mid to late September depending on seasonal patterns.
Season 2026
28 June 2026
Opens
27 Sept 2026
Closes
91
Days open
3 m
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Mt Dobson, and where to stay
Mt Dobson occupies a southwest-facing basin in the Two Thumb Range at the southern end of Te Kahui Kaupeka Conservation Park in the Mackenzie Basin. The base sits at 1725 metres in South Canterbury on New Zealand's South Island, 29 kilometres west of Fairlie. Dobson Peak rises to 2095 metres immediately north of the ski area within the broader Southern Alps system.
Fairlie township lies 40 minutes east with population 800, offering motels, hotels, and farm stays plus the famous Fairlie Bakehouse. Lake Tekapo village sits 44 kilometres west, providing additional accommodation including hot pools and stargazing at the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve. Kimbell and Burkes Pass offer limited lodging closer to the access road. Timaru, 65 kilometres southeast, provides the nearest city services.
State Highway 8 between Christchurch and Queenstown passes the ski field turnoff 11 kilometres west of Fairlie and 18 kilometres east of Lake Tekapo. The 15-kilometre gravel access road climbs from the highway in 40 minutes, maintained to high standard with width for two vehicles to pass. Snow chains required when conditions dictate. Drive time from Fairlie township totals approximately 1 hour including the mountain road.
Christchurch International Airport lies 184 kilometres northeast, requiring 2.5 hours driving via Highway 1 south then Highway 8 west. Queenstown Airport sits 280 kilometres southwest with 3-hour drive time. Timaru Airport offers closest access at 45 minutes, connecting to Wellington. No shuttle services operate; private vehicle or rideshare necessary. Atomic Shuttles runs daily buses from Christchurch and Queenstown to Fairlie and Tekapo.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Mt Dobson, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
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Aspen Snowmass turns 80 this December, and it's marking the milestone with $3.75 lift tickets on the anniversary itself - the original 1946 price. A discounted long weekend, $19.46 dining specials, lodging deals up to 46 percent off, and a season of anniversary programming round out the celebration across all four mountains.
17 Sept 2026
Doppelmayr Group Posts 9.1% Revenue Growth in 2025/26, Passing 1.3 Billion Euros
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16 Sept 2026
Hintertux Glacier Replaces 40-Year-Old Gondola to Tuxer Fernerhaus
Hintertux Glacier is retiring its 40-year-old gondola to the Tuxer Fernerhaus. The replacement carries 10 people per cabin instead of four, with seat heating and nearly 40 percent more hourly capacity. Doppelmayr's new line opens at the end of October 2026, right as the glacier's high-altitude terrain becomes accessible again for the new season.
16 Sept 2026
FIS Weighs Holding World Championships in Almost Every Winter, Starting 2032
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation is looking at a major shake-up to its title events calendar. From 2032, World Championships could run not just in odd-numbered years but in every non-Olympic winter too, effectively putting a global title event on the calendar almost every season. The FIS Council has approved the concept following a feasibility study, though an accelerated rollout as early as 2028 is also under consideration.
4 Sept 2026
Mount Buller Becomes Latest Australian Resort to Call Time Early on 2026
Mount Buller closes out its 2026 season this Sunday, joining Falls Creek, Hotham and Charlotte Pass in a cluster of closures landing almost simultaneously and roughly a month ahead of schedule. The culprit is stark: Spencers Creek's benchmark snow depth hit 31.2cm on 3 September, just 18% of the 73-year average and an all-time low for this point in the season. Six of Victoria and NSW's best-known resorts will have shut their lifts early within a span of about two and a half weeks.
4 Sept 2026
Tremblant to Add New Timber Summit Ski Sector for 2027/28 Season
Tremblant has confirmed a major expansion of its Quebec ski area, with a new Timber Summit sector adding 62 acres of terrain, eight trails and a high-speed quad chairlift for winter 2027/28. It's part of a CAD 42.5 million investment that also includes a new beginner learning zone at Versant Soleil opening this coming season. The project has grown considerably since it was first announced back in 2020, when it carried a far smaller budget and an opening date that never eventuated.
2 Sept 2026
Mount Hotham to Close for the 2026 Season on Sunday, September 6
We knew when the Bird Bath Pond Skim showed up on Hotham's Instagram that the season was on its way out. It's been a rough one - I only managed two days on snow all year, at Falls Creek - and now Baw Baw, Selwyn and Hotham have all called it, possibly the worst Australian season I've seen in a decade. Hotham's last day of lift operations is Sunday, 6 September, with a Retro Day, Father's Day après and closing sales before the lifts stop turning for good.
1 Sept 2026
Thredbo to Replace Ageing Gunbarrel Quad With New Six-Seat Chairlift for 2028
Thredbo Alpine Resort has confirmed plans to replace its 37-year-old Gunbarrel quad chairlift with a new six-seat Doppelmayr D-Line, targeting winter 2028. The AUD 35 million project will keep travel time roughly the same but lift capacity from 2,800 to 3,000 skiers per hour. It's part of a broader investment push that also includes doubled snowmaking capacity at Friday Flat for 2027, with the ageing Kosciuszko Express now flagged as the resort's next major lift replacement after Gunbarrel.
31 Aug 2026
Mt Dobson Snow Report
Snow Report
Updated 16 Sept 2026
2030m
summit
+44cm
new snow · last 24 hours
Clear-9°C / -3°C · NW 5km/h
Snowfall
24 hours
44cm
48 hours
87cm
7 days
112cm
Base depth
90cm
Season total
931cm
Total lifts3
Live open status isn’t available right now.
28 June 2026 - 27 Sept 2026
Hour by Hour
Next 47 hours· Updated Sep 17, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Scroll for the full outlook · Open-Meteo
7-Day Outlook
2,030 mUpdated Sep 17, 2026 at 5:02 PMOpen-Meteo
Days 1–7
3.4cm
Days 8–14
2.5cm
Thu, Sept 17
Slight Snow Showers
Temp-3° / -9°°C
Snow2.6cm(100%)
Wind5 km/h NW
Live snow from the resort feed; forecast from Open-Meteo, via Supabase.
Understanding the Mt Dobson snow report
See what's happening on the mountain at Mt Dobson right now — snowfall, snow depth, and weather data to help you plan your day in South Island.
Snow measurements
Our snow reports measure snowfall in centimeters over multiple time windows — last 24 hours, last 7 days, and the season total. Base depth reflects accumulation at the 1600m base area, while summit depth captures conditions 430m higher at 2030m, where snow typically stays colder and lingers longer. Imperial conversions are shown alongside for convenience.
Weather conditions
Current weather conditions affect snow quality. Cold temperatures with low wind typically preserve snow quality, while warm temperatures or rain can impact conditions negatively — something worth watching closely at Mt Dobson's 1600m base elevation, where temperatures run milder than the summit.
Data sources
Snowfall and depth figures for Mt Dobson come from official mountain sources; weather and outlook data comes from independent forecasting services. The mountain is served by 3 lifts in total.
When to check
Snow reports are typically updated early morning and late afternoon. For the most current conditions, check back regularly, especially if a winter storm is approaching.