Getting there

About 110 km from Christchurch on State Highway 73 towards Arthur’s Pass, is a signposted side-road to the Craigieburn Picnic Area on the Broken River ski field road. Access to Craigieburn Valley is another 1 km further along the highway. Both ski field roads have locked gates further up valley during the summer.
Ski field basins

During the summer months there is walking access up to the ski field basins of Broken River and Craigieburn. These areas are harsh and alpine, and should be treated with respect. Beyond the bush-line there are no marked routes.

Take a topographical map and adequate clothing for the extremes of weather.
Fit trampers will be able to gain access up onto the main ridge and rocky peaks, which give superb views of the backcountry from Arthur’s Pass to Mount Cook.

Less fit walkers will enjoy the lower bush and tussock slopes. All buildings are private skifield property and should not be entered.
Broken River Skifield Basin

From the locked gate you can walk up the ski field road all the way to the accommodation huts, and up to the rope tows. There is also a bush track beside the inclinator (goods lift) which zig zags directly up to the huts, and a pleasant return can be made down the vehicle road.

Time: 4 - 5 hr return, ski field basin and main ridge

From the Broken River ski field huts there is a vehicle track that sidles up to the tussock basin, and there are obvious routes up onto the main ridge and onto Nervous Knob.

There are superb views down into the Hamilton-Harper catchments and on a fine day you can see forever ........ well Aoraki/Mt Cook anyway.