Roundhill Ski Area
Roundhill Ski Area is a family owned and run ski area in Canterbury, New Zealand, in the Two Thumb Range near the town of Lake Tekapo, 1.5 hours from Timaru and 4 hours from both Christchurch & Queenstown.
| Roundhill Ski Area | |
|---|---|
 View from ski area's car park | |
| Location | Lake Tekapo |
| Nearest major city | Timaru |
| Coordinates | 43.825679°S 170.655784°E |
| Vertical | 783 m (2,569 ft) |
| Top elevation | 2,133 m (6,998 ft) |
| Base elevation | 1,350 m (4,430 ft) |
| Skiable area | 550 ha (1,400 acres) |
| Runs | 14 |
| Lift system | 2 T-bars, 1 rope tow, 1 platter lift, 2 beginners rope tows |
| Terrain parks | 1 |
| Snowmaking | Yes |
| Night skiing | No |
| Website | http://www.roundhill.co.nz/ |
The main runs are accessed by a 1.2 kilometre long T-bar (T1) and a shorter T-bar (T2). The ski area caters primarily to beginner and intermediate skiers with extensive use of two snow grooming machines. The base area is at an elevation of 1,350 metres (4,430 feet) with the T-bars reaching 1,620 metres (5,310 feet)
The "Heritage Express" rope tow was added in 2010. This is a steep 1.5 km long rope tow rising 630 metres (2,070 feet) to the Richmond Ridge[1] at 2,133 metres (6,998 feet), to give the field 783 metres (2,569 feet) of vertical drop overall; the largest in New Zealand. This opened up a large ungroomed advanced area for skilled skiers and boarders. The Heritage Express is reportedly the longest rope tow in the world.
The trails have a difficulty distribution of 35% advanced, 45% intermediate & 20% beginners.