-	All photographs of Mt Hutt Methven

Mount Hutt (2185 m) rises to the west of the Canterbury Plains in the South Island of New Zealand. It is situated 81 km south-west of Christchurch, above the head waters of the Rakaia River, Methven, the nearest service town to Mt. Hutt and is located 92 km south-west of Christchurch, and 35 km north of Ashburtonon State Highway 77.

Mount Hutt is home to a commercial alpine ski area with the largest ski able area in the South Island.
It caters for a wide range of skiers, with a "magic carpet" lift for beginners, good intermediate and advanced runs, and access to lots of off piste terrain.
The most advanced runs on the mountain are through the rock formations at the top of the field known as "The Towers", and the South Face. Mount Hutt has a long ski season and is usually the first New Zealand ski field to open and the last to close. Snowmakers keep the slopes in top shape.
Since there is no accommodation on the mountain, most visitors stay in the nearby small town of Methven or in the city of Christchurch.

Methven is surrounded by the Canterbury Plains and dwarfed by the Southern Alps.
This once quiet, rural village is now a Mecca for sports lovers. Not only famous for the excellent skiing and snowboarding on nearby Mt Hutt, half an hours drive away, it is also the place to be if you like fishing, playing golf, jet boating, hiking, mountain biking, or horse trekking. This area is considered New Zealand's finest Hot Air Ballooning location.
Methven has a buzzing nightlife, with a variety of restaurants, bars and a nightclub.
It was originally the railhead of a short branch railway off the Main South Line. Branching off from Rakaia, the Methven Branch travelled through Lauriston and Lyndhurst to Methven and operated from 1880 until 1976.

In winter, Methven has over 2500 beds to offer including, backpackers, motel, hotel, lodges and resorts. Some of the accommodation closes down outside the ski season.
Winter can be very busy, we recommend you check and pre-book your Methvens accommodation, to be sure that good quality accommodation awaits your stay.