Mug Shot — «South Island - Skiing in Te Waipounamu»

City: South Island Country: New Zealand Edition: 2008 Icon Edition Belongs to: 85 users (1 trading, 424 seeking)

The South Island (Māori: Te Wai Pounamu) is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean. The territory of the South Island covers 150,437 square kilometres and is influenced by a temperate climate. The South Island is sometimes called the "Mainland". While it has a 33% larger landmass than the North Island, only 24% of New Zealand's 4.4 million inhabitants live in the South Island. In the early stages of European settlement of the country, the South Island had the majority of the European population and wealth due to the 1860s gold rushes. The North Island population overtook the South in the early 20th century, with 56% of the population living in the North in 1911, and the drift north of people and businesses continued throughout the century. he South Island is the largest land mass of New Zealand; it contains about one quarter of the New Zealand population and is the world's 12th-largest island. It is divided along its length by the Southern Alps, the highest peak of which is Aoraki/Mount Cook at 3754 metres. There are eighteen peaks of more than 3000 metres in the South Island. The east side of the island is home to the Canterbury Plains while the West Coast is famous for its rough coastlines, very high proportion of native bush, and Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers. The dramatic landscape of the South Island has made it a popular location for the production of several films, including the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.

New Zealand’s clear blue skies, lofty mountains and dazzling snow slopes guarantee its popularity as a skiing and snowboarding destination. The New Zealand Information Network has compiled this guide to New Zealand ski fields and heli-ski areas, to enable visitors to plan their winter travel itineraries. The South Island fields are spread widely throughout the Southern Alps with Coronet Peak being the southernmost, and the best in the country. Heli-skiing and glacier skiing operators cover an extensive range of off-piste skiing throughout the Southern Alps from July to October.
New Zealand’s ski fields are the favourite off-season training venue for numerous Northern Hemisphere ski teams. Check out some of the best snow country south of the equator, and enjoy magic moments where views of glistening slopes and snow-capped peaks go on forever.

photo by lucky
edited by mobydick74

  New Zealand, South Island

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