Porters
678m vertical, 21 runs, 6 lifts. Big Mama descent, family terrain, 90 mins from Christchurch. Kids 10 & under free.
Season 2026
Opens
26 June 2026
Closes
27 Sept 2026
Days open
93
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.
Porters operates across 285 hectares between 1,302 and 1,980 metres elevation with 678 metres of vertical drop, making it one of Canterbury's most accessible commercial ski areas. The terrain spreads across 21 runs with 15 per cent beginner, 50 per cent intermediate and 35 per cent advanced terrain, supported by 2.5 metres of average annual snowfall and snowmaking coverage along main pistes. Big Mama provides 620 metres of vertical in a single run, one of New Zealand's longest lift-accessed descents, whilst Bluff Face offers 38-degree pitches for advanced skiers. Children 10 and under ski free, with adult day passes priced at $149 and season passes from $1,199.
The ski area divides into clearly defined zones with gentle beginner slopes at the base transitioning to steeper upper bowls accessed by three consecutive T-bars. Intermediate terrain follows groomed runs down Easy Street and the chairlift line, whilst advanced runs including Headwall, Julian's Bowl and McNulty's Basin fan across the upper mountain. Big Mama towers above the base area's true right, often requiring specific snow cover to open fully. Terrain park features sit mid-mountain near the chairlift, offering rails, boxes and tables for progression.
Porters maintains a family-friendly, uncrowded atmosphere particularly on weekdays, with compact facilities that keep beginners close to the car park and café. The 120-seat licensed café serves espresso and hearty fare, whilst Porters Lodge offers 42 beds along the access road for overnight guests. The field's southeast-facing main gully retains snow differently across aspects, and its relative protection from wind allows partial operations when neighbouring areas close. Views from the summit ridgeline extend across Lake Coleridge and the Southern Alps, though the base area sits in a scree-dominated valley that loses sun early in the afternoon.
Porters operates independently without multi-resort pass connections, running a typical June-to-September season. The 2026 season opens 26 June and closes 27 September, with lifts operating 9am to 4pm daily. The resort suits beginners progressing to intermediate level, families seeking short access and affordability, and advanced skiers willing to traverse for steeper lines and accessible backcountry via Crystal Valley and Powder Bowl.
678m
Vertical
21
Runs
704 acres
Skiable
3m
Annual snow
The Terrain
21 runs across 704 acres skiable
Porters spreads 21 runs across 704 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 50%, with 3 beginner runs to find your feet and 7 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
21
runs
21 runs across 4 grades
Beginner3 runs · 15%
Intermediate11 runs · 50%
Advanced6 runs · 30%
Expert1 run · 5%
Time it right
When to visit Porters
The 2026 winter season runs from 26 June through 27 September, typical of Canterbury commercial fields operating mid-June to late September. Lifts operate 9am to 4pm seven days per week, weather permitting. Season length averages 14 to 16 weeks depending on early and late-season snow conditions. Historic opening has occasionally stretched into early October during strong snow years, whilst poor autumns have delayed June starts.
Annual snowfall averages 2.5 metres across the ski area, supplemented by extensive snowmaking on main pistes along the chairlift line and Easy Street. The resort sits at the southern end of the Craigieburn Range, receiving snow from both northwest-turning southerly systems and moist easterly flows off the Pacific. The chairlift and main gully face southeast, creating variable snow quality across the mountain's different aspects. Base depth reliability benefits from the 1,302-metre base elevation, though Big Mama's sun-exposed position can suffer thin cover during warm spells. Snow quality varies significantly between powder days and melt-freeze cycles, with limited groomed runs making hard-pack conditions challenging.
July and August provide peak snowfall and coldest temperatures, with the resort recording -15.37 degrees Celsius in August 2011. Early season June conditions favour groomed runs whilst the snowpack builds, with sidecountry areas requiring deeper cover. Spring September skiing transitions to softer snow and longer daylight, attracting families and value-seekers. The snowiest period typically falls in the second week of October, though the resort has usually closed by then. Midweek visits offer the quietest experience, with weekends and July school holidays bringing the largest crowds—one July 2021 day recorded 1,200 skiers.
Porters hosts beginner programmes including the five-day Porters Passport, which bundles lessons, lift access and a complimentary season pass upon completion. Night skiing does not feature in the regular programme, though the field occasionally offers evening terrain park sessions. No major event calendar runs through winter beyond standard school holiday promotions. The resort's focus remains day operations for Christchurch residents, with shuttle services operating weekends and during chain-required conditions on the 8-kilometre access road.
Season 2026
26 June 2026
Opens
27 Sept 2026
Closes
93
Days open
3 m
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Porters, and where to stay
Porters sits at the southern end of the Craigieburn Range in Canterbury's high country, 98 kilometres west of Christchurch at an elevation of 1,302 metres. The ski area occupies scree-covered terrain—approximately 80 per cent loose rock—above the Castle Hill Basin, with State Highway 73 running through the valley floor below. Lake Coleridge lies to the southwest, whilst the Torlesse Range defines the basin's eastern edge. The resort occupies conservation land adjacent to Craigieburn Forest Park, with neighbouring club fields including Mount Cheeseman, Broken River and Craigieburn Valley scattered along the range.
Springfield, a small rural town 33 kilometres east via Highway 73, provides the nearest services including petrol and basic supplies. Castle Hill Village sits 17 kilometres from the ski area turnoff, offering limited accommodation in an alpine settlement. Methven lies approximately 75 minutes southeast via Lake Lyndon Road, though this route remains ungritted and sketchy in winter. Christchurch provides full urban amenities 90 to 110 minutes away depending on traffic and conditions. The resort markets itself as Canterbury's closest commercial field to the city, a key selling point for day-trippers.
The access road branches 8 kilometres from Highway 73, with a well-signposted turnoff located roughly 10 kilometres past the summit of Porters Pass when approaching from Christchurch. The unsealed mountain access road climbs 8 kilometres from the highway junction to the base facilities, winding through open terrain without the native beech forests that characterise some neighbouring club fields. Chains are often required, with a complimentary shuttle operating from the chain-fitting area to the ticket office on weekends, holidays and whenever chains are compulsory. The access is considered shorter and less intimidating than many Canterbury ski roads, though still unpaved with no safety barriers.
Christchurch International Airport lies 89 kilometres southeast, roughly 70 to 90 minutes by car depending on conditions. No direct public transport serves the ski area, though commercial shuttle operators run daily services from Christchurch, Methven and Springfield. Arthur's Pass National Park sits 40 kilometres further west along Highway 73, with the West Coast town of Greymouth 180 kilometres away, making Porters a potential stopover for trans-Alpine itineraries. No passenger rail connects to the region, with road access via Highway 73 remaining the sole practical route year-round.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Porters, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Aspen Snowmass Marks 80th Anniversary With $3.75 Throwback Lift Tickets
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
Doppelmayr closed its 2025/26 business year with revenue up 9.1 percent to 1.3 billion euros, driven by projects including the Big Sky Explorer Gondola, Deer Valley's Mayflower East Village Gondola, and the first TRI-Line installation at Hoch-Ybrig. Headcount grew too, with the ropeway manufacturer now employing almost 4,000 people worldwide.
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