Cross country skiing is a sport for everybody. The Snow Farm has ample, flat beginner terrain to get you started and our excellent instructing team is sure to get you comfortable with more challenging terrain. Overseas, the sport is enjoyed by people of all ages from 2 years old to 102!

While cross country skiing is often cited as one of the toughest aerobic sports available, the truth is you can take it at your own pace.  You certainly do not need to be in great shape to enjoy our trail network.  We have skiers at all fitness levels enjoying our trails on a daily basis.  If you can walk, you can certainly cross country ski!

There are no hard and fast rules, and conditions at the Snow Farm can range from a bitterly cold windy winter’s day to a balmy spring snow day. You need to take this into account and check the weather before you come up. If we are open and you dress to the weather you can stay warm and have a fantastic time. If in doubt bring too much – you can always take a layer off.

The minimum gear list for a day visit should look like:

• Wool/polypro hat/beanie.
• Gloves – windproof. Thick warm ones if it’s really cold. Thin polypro gloves are generally not warm enough.
• Sunglasses or goggles are essential to protect your eyes.
• Sunscreen. In August and September it is essential to apply sunscreen and lip screen/balm – may not be essential in June/July.
• Base layers, merino/polypro, that can be added or taken off. Leave the cotton T shirts at home!
• Windproof/waterproof top. Thick downhill jacket would be OK but could be a bit bulky.
• Warm windproof/waterproof pants. Definitely not jeans. Thick polypro/merino pants, winter cycling pants or even downhill pants would all be OK

Parents/caregivers – please check the gear for any children that you’re responsible for.

Trail pass, rentals and Lessons:  

• Trail passes, rentals and lessons can be rescheduled with no charge with more than 24hrs notice
• There will be a 50% charge for bookings that are cancelled between 2 & 24hrs notice prior to the lesson taking place.
• There will be no refunds if the booking is cancelled less than 2hrs before the scheduled start time of the lesson, or in a “no show” situation.

Snow Farm will allow a transfer of a booking to an alternative date in that season provided that we have capacity/availability. We will not transfer a booking to the following season.

If Snow Farm is on hold or closed, you will have the option to reschedule or receive a full refund. 

Our half day trail passes run from 9:00am – 12:00pm and 1pm – 4pm. 

Until the 1970’s, there was only classic skiing. This is where your skis stay in a parallel position and you move in a motion similar to walking. Our classic skis have either fish scales or skins which provide a grippy surface under your foot. This allows you to ski both downhill, uphill and on flat terrian.

Skating was invented in the late 1970’s by an American Bill Koch and Gunde Svan from Sweden – the jury is out as to who started skating first. Skating has rapidly become very popular and is faster than classic skiing. If you ever watch a Cross Country ski race, these are often classed as either Classic or Freestyle, freestyle meaning you can do either, but the preference for competitors is to skate as it is much faster.

Our group lessons teach classic skiing. We have separate lessons for skate lessons. 

Yes, no problem. Although if you are new to cross country skiing, classic style is much easier to pick up. 

1)  Adult is defined as aged 18+.

2)  Child is defined as aged 6-17 years or still attending secondary school.

3)  Children aged 5 or under are entitled to free skiing at Snow Farm the Resort.

All ages for season pass purchases are taken as at 1 June in each year. We and we reserve the right to request proof of age or eligibility at any time.

Children aged between 8 and 16yrs can join a group lesson, but they must be accompanied by an adult. Please be mindful that these are open lessons and there will likely be others in the group of varying abilities. 

Children 7 and under can join a private lesson. You can add up to 10 people for a private lesson, which is a great option for families and larger friend groups. 

We strongly recommend booking online, as we can’t guarantee rental equipment will be available on the day and our lessons often fill up. It also makes your check in process a lot speedier and enjoyable!

We are open from 9am to 4pm. All rentals must be returned by 4pm. 

Our 3 and 5 day multi passes can be used any day of the season. I.e they don’t need to be used consecutively. We have options with or without rentals, as well as full and half day multi day passes. 

Yes, we do run skate lessons. These are separate to our group lessons. You can find them here. 

Yes, we have a small cafe with hot/cold beverages and a small number of pastries, slices and snacks. It can be a good idea to bring your own lunch if you are after a hearty meal!

Yes, we welcome dogs to the Snow Farm. However, to ensure that everyone gets along well together – there are rules! If you are going to bring your dog please sit down with your dog and both read the rules carefully! Please see our dog passes section on the website https://snowfarm.nz/dogpasses/

Please note: Dogs are not allowed to stay at huts overnight.