An exploration of New Zealand's club ski fields
Words by Riley Bathurst.
The lift is a tractor in a shed. An engine, a rope, a line of pulleys running up the hill, and the whole thing moving a lot faster than you'd expect. You lock on with a metal nutcracker, keep your hands out of the way, and hang on. Welcome to the Clubbies.
What a club field actually is
The club ski fields of New Zealand hold some of the most technical inbounds skiing and snowboarding anywhere. As the name suggests, they're run by clubs, each one local to its own field, and every one of them is open to the public. Members pitch in to keep the tows running. Put them side by side, add a little good-natured rivalry, and between them they span some of the best lines in the Southern Alps.
The deal is simple. Tow up, ride down, all day, every day. And when the rope runs out, you start hiking.
The crew
This one was an overdue trip back to the homeland for Riley Bathurst, an expat who came of age at the Clubbies and now calls Tahoe home.
Kenzie Bathurst came too. She's a Californian who truly believes every day should be spent skiing, and that weather reports exist to tell you which layers to bring.
They met up with Ben Comber, a Christchurch-based park rat with a love for freeride who's ready to get in the air at any moment.
A low-tide winter
The 2026 winter had the sharks showing (Kiwi for rocks poking through the snow). In the heart of the season the snow line faded away before it reached the bottom tow, which left the lines in a precarious spot: rideable, but a real head scratcher. Any single turn could be pow, ice or a rock.
Riley on the Gnarnia 162. A freeride monster, and the reason he's confident that whatever the next turn turns out to be, he's coming out the bottom with stoke.
Boots, not skins
Every trip starts with the same dilemma: what's the best way to explore the mountains while keeping the overweight baggage fees to a minimum? This time Riley left the splitboard and skins at home and took the direct route instead. Crampons, an ice axe and a single solid board.
Summer bootpacks are a great way to get your legs back on a short trip. And it's not unusual to find a ridge that'll take you exactly where you want to go, as long as you bring the right tools, enough pack snacks (a wildflower cookie, preferably) and a good attitude.
Supported by Chill Explore
The Tussock Traverse was supported by Chill Explore. Their Chill Pass comes in options for travelers and locals alike and gets you onto a whole range of club fields. They also run a store in Christchurch for everything unique to a New Zealand winter, nutcrackers included.
Final thoughts
Low snow, fast ropes, a ridge where the tow gives out. If you're headed to New Zealand, pack light, get a pass that covers more than one field, and go ride the Clubbies.
See you out there.
Follow @rileybathurst for more pow slayin greatness.