Oceania
Mt Cheeseman Resort Guide
Closed for the season
Best months to book: August, September · last season + 30-yr record
Scroll for happiness
Not operating today
Weather data is still collected for informational purposes.
Last Snowfall
Sep 23
Past 24 Hours
2cm
Resort reportedPast 48 Hours
4cm
Past 10 Days
12cm
7-Day Forecast
25cm
Snow Depth
--
Powder Days
9
2026 season
Resort Guide
Mt Cheeseman is a ski resort located in the Craigieburn Range of New Zealand’s South Island, approximately 90 minutes from Christchurch. The resort features a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere with a variety of terrain suitable for beginners through advanced skiers and snowboarders. Key amenities include on-mountain accommodation, a licensed café, and ski and snowboard rentals, while the resort is known for its welcoming community vibe and accessible slopes.
Gallery
Click to expand • 6 total photos
Terrain & lifts
Resort-reported stats for Mt Cheeseman
Lifts
3
Skiable area
222 ac
Longest run
2 km / 1.2 mi
Runs by difficulty(15 total)
Beginner
2
15% of terrain
Intermediate
8
50% of terrain
Advanced
5
35% of terrain
Run counts estimated from resort-reported totals and terrain mix.
Lift fleet
- Surface lift3
Resort Info
Season dates
Ski passes
Chill Pass
Access tiers change by season — confirm benefits on the pass operator's site.
Top Après Ski
Cocktail Bar at Mt Cheeseman – Known for its relaxed and friendly atmosphere, the Cocktail Bar at Mt Cheeseman Ski Area is a popular spot for après-ski drinks, offering a cozy setting where skiers and snowboarders gather to unwind and socialize after a day on the slopes.
Season vs Historic
Updated Tue, Sep 22, 03:04 PM UTC
156cm
Season Total
This Season to Date
-1%
vs 5-Year Avg
158cm avg by now
+37%
vs 30-Year Avg
114cm avg by now
158cm
5-Yr Avg by Now
This season is at 156.2 cm to date. The last completed season totaled ~156.4 cm. That's near the 5-year average (158 cm). Versus the 30-year baseline: 37% above the 30-year average (114 cm).
Mt Cheeseman Season Snowfall
Loading the ledger…
Mt Cheeseman Snow History
Average annual snowfall is 148cm with an average of 28 snowfall days per season. The recent decade runs 28% above this average (189cm over the last ten tracked seasons). The table below shows monthly averages across 30 seasons of archive data (modeled snowpack at mid-elevation).
| Month | Avg Snowfall | Snowfall Days | Avg Base Depth | Max Base Depth | Biggest Snowfall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | 30cm | 5 days | 9cm | 22cm | 13cm |
| July | 36cm | 6 days | 17cm | 31cm | 12cm |
| August | 30cm | 6 days | 17cm | 30cm | 11cm |
| September | 23cm | 4 days | 5cm | 16cm | 10cm |
| October | 20cm | 4 days | 2cm | 12cm | 10cm |
Source: SnowSure archive · Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis at mid-elevation. Depth is modeled, not resort-reported.
SnowSure Score by Month
Season 2026
33.2
Season Average
48 days scored
59
Best Day
27 Aug
2
Excellent+ Days
Scored 50 or above
4
Powder Days
6cm+ fresh snow
Highest-scoring days
August 2026
- 5927 Aug18cm
- 4928 Aug2cm
- 4431 Aug2cm
September 2026
- 586 Sep16cm
- 497 Sep6cm
- 4710 Sep6cm
September scored highest for Mt Cheeseman in 2026. Based on 48 days the resort was verified open; this season is still under way, so later months are incomplete. One season of scores describes what happened, not what to expect.
Season at a Glance
Current season(2026)
Opened Jul 30, 2026
Scheduled close: Oct 15, 2026
Multi-season averages will appear once SnowSure has tracked more than one full season.
Best Months to Visit
August
Peak Season
July
Peak Season
September
Good
June
Good
Note: Based on typical ski season patterns for this region.
Frequently asked questions about Mt Cheeseman
- Where is Mt Cheeseman?
- Mt Cheeseman is a ski resort in New Zealand.
- How high is Mt Cheeseman?
- Mt Cheeseman runs from a base elevation of 1,540 m (5,052 ft) to a summit of 1,860 m (6,102 ft), giving a vertical drop of 320 m (1,050 ft).
- How big is Mt Cheeseman?
- Mt Cheeseman has 222 acres (90 hectares) of skiable terrain, 15 marked runs and 3 lifts.
- Which ski pass covers Mt Cheeseman?
- Mt Cheeseman is on the Chill Pass. Access terms such as blackout dates and day limits vary by pass tier, so check the pass operator for the current season.
- When is ski season at Mt Cheeseman?
- Mt Cheeseman typically operates from June to October. Exact opening and closing dates shift each year with snowfall — check the resort's current season dates before booking.
- How much snow does Mt Cheeseman get in a typical season?
- Mt Cheeseman averages 37 inches / 94 cm of snowfall in a typical season. Any individual season can run well above or below that.
