There aren’t many places in New Zealand where you can truly share a ski day with your dog (that we know of!). Watching your dog sprint through fresh powder while you’re carving down a ski run sounds like something that should only exist in Europe or Canada.
Yet tucked away in the Canterbury high country is a little ski field where it’s completely normal. Dogs. Skis. Mountains. Snow. Hot chocolate afterwards.
Needless to say… we were there the first chance we got.
The Journey to Mount Lyford
Located around 146 km north of Christchurch, Mount Lyford is a boutique ski field surrounded by rolling farmland, native beech forest and stunning alpine scenery.
The drive itself is part of the adventure. After leaving Christchurch, you’ll wind your way through rural Canterbury before arriving at the small alpine village of Mount Lyford Village, where you’ll find a range of accommodation if you’d like to turn your ski trip into a weekend away.
From there, an 8 km gravel access road climbs into the mountains.
According to Mount Lyford, the road is generally suitable for two-wheel drive vehicles when free of snow. However, after driving it ourselves (in summer as well as winter), we’d definitely recommend a 4WD if possible. The road is well maintained but includes loose gravel and some fairly large potholes that are much more comfortable in a capable vehicle.
Regardless of your vehicle, snow chains must always be carried, as mountain weather can change quickly.
Arriving at the Ski Field
One of the nicest surprises was how relaxed and friendly the atmosphere felt.
Parking is located right beside the ski field facilities, so there’s plenty of room to get changed, gear up and prepare your dog before heading onto the snow.
The centrally located Terako Day Lodge includes:
- Chamois Café for hot food and drinks
- Ski hire
- Lift ticket office
- First aid facilities
Dogs aren’t allowed inside the lodge, but there is plenty of outdoor seating where you can relax together on a sunny winter’s day while enjoying the incredible mountain views. We also saw some people bringing camping chairs and enjoying lunch and drinks at the car park.
Buying Your Lift Pass (Yes… Your Dog Needs One Too!)
This might have been our favourite moment of the entire day… Walking up to the ticket office and buying a lift pass for our dog. Yes. An actual ski pass!
- Adult Full Day Pass: $129
- Dog Pass: $20
Somehow seeing that little sticker made it feel official: Loki wasn’t just watching us ski—he was part of the adventure.
Your dog’s pass comes as a sticker, so it’s worth bringing something that allows you to securely attach it to your dog’s harness. We simply clipped ours onto Loki’s harness, but we also saw people using rubber bands to fasten the sticker around the harness straps.
Our Adventure Dog Harness worked perfectly for this. It not only gave us somewhere secure to attach Loki’s pass, but also made it easy to quickly grab him whenever we needed a little extra control around the lifts or other skiers.
Meeting the Local Dogs
One thing that’s worth mentioning is that Mount Lyford has three resident dogs that belong to the staff. They happily wander around the ski field and lodge area, so your dog should be well socialised before visiting.
During our entire day we only encountered one other visiting dog, making the slopes feel wonderfully uncrowded. Everyone we met—from the lift operators to the other skiers—was incredibly welcoming and thoughtful around Loki.
Loki quickly decided his job for the day was to greet absolutely everyone working the lifts. We don’t think a single lift operator escaped without receiving a very cute Samoyed smile before we disappeared up the hill.
Getting Your Dog Ready to Ski
If your dog has never been skiing before, don’t rush straight onto the lifts.
The learner area is the perfect place to introduce them to:
- skis moving around them
- people gliding past
- lift noises (and people screaming of joy)
- snow under their paws
Dogs experience the mountain very differently from us, so taking 15–20 minutes to simply let them observe everything can make a huge difference.
We started with Loki on leash while we learnt how busy the slopes were and how people reacted around him. Once we felt comfortable, we unclipped him and let him run freely.
For nervous dogs—or if it’s your first trip—we’d highly recommend starting with a 5 m Train & Recall Long Line. It gives your dog plenty of freedom while still allowing you to stay in control. Orange works best as it is super visible on the snowy slopes.
Once your dog is completely comfortable, you may decide they’re ready to ski off leash, depending on their recall and the conditions around you.
Skiing Together
The first run felt… strange. We kept looking over our shoulders every few seconds, making sure Loki was still there. Within minutes, though, he had worked it out. He’d race ahead through the powder and down the slopes, then stop and wait for us as if he’d been skiing his whole life. By the afternoon it honestly felt like we’d been doing this together for years.
Unlike us, dogs don’t get a break on the lifts.
Every single lift ride means your dog runs up the mountain behind you. While we could stand on the T-bar or platter lift and rest our legs, Loki was sprinting uphill the entire time.
Because of that, make sure you:
- take regular breaks
- carry fresh water
- don’t overdo the number of runs
- watch for signs of fatigue
We absolutely loved skiing with Loki. He naturally stayed either in front of us or just behind us, and after a few runs he seemed to completely understand what was happening. If you choose to ski with your dog on leash, we’d only recommend doing so if you’re already a confident skier, as sudden pulls can quickly throw you off balance.
Exploring the Mountain
Mount Lyford offers terrain for everyone.
Approximately:
- 30% Beginner
- 40% Intermediate
- 30% Advanced
The ski field includes:
- learner rope tow
- platter lift
- T-bar
- rope tow to Mt Terako Basin for more advanced terrain
We spent most of our day skiing the Paradise Valley and Cloudy T-Bar areas, which offered plenty of variety while still being comfortable with Loki.
Lunch With a View
After several runs we settled outside the day lodge for lunch. We sat outside in the sunshine with snow-covered mountains in every direction, eating lunch while Loki happily flopped beside us after his morning of running. It was one of those rare moments where nobody wanted to check their phone because the view was simply too good.
We’d definitely recommend packing your own lunch and bringing plenty of water.
Our HydroFold Water Bottle made it incredibly easy to keep Loki hydrated throughout the day without needing separate bowls or bulky gear. Made from soft silicone, it is much better to bring compared to a stainless steel bottle which can hurt should you ever fall over.
Things We’d Do Again
There were a few things that really made the day easier:
- Adventure Dog Harness for easy handling and attaching the dog pass
- Train & Recall Long Line (5 m or 10 m) for introducing Loki to the ski field safely
- HydroFold Water Bottle to keep Loki hydrated during breaks
One thing we didn’t anticipate was just how difficult it is to spot a completely white Samoyed against fresh snow. Next time we’ll definitely put Loki in a brightly coloured high-visibility vest.
A Few Tips Before You Go
If you’re planning your own skiing adventure with your dog, we’d recommend:
- Bringing a suitable vehicle and always carrying snow chains.
- Making sure your dog has excellent recall and is well socialised.
- Spending time letting your dog watch the skiers before joining in.
- Bringing plenty of water and taking regular breaks.
- Packing a harness and a long line so you can adapt as your dog gains confidence.
- Being respectful of everyone on the mountain.
Mount Lyford allowing dogs is a real privilege. The more responsible owners are, the more likely it is that future visitors will continue to enjoy this incredible opportunity.
Would We Recommend It?
Absolutely, 100%, YES YES YES! There are ski fields with bigger lifts.There are ski fields with more terrain. But there are very few places where you can spend an entire day doing what you love with your best mate running beside you.
Skiing is already one of our favourite winter activities, but sharing it with Loki made the experience even more memorable. Actually, this was a childhood dream of us as we skied many years in Europe where dogs are not allowed to join the fun.
Driving home with one very happy Samoyed asleep in the back of the Jeep, we couldn’t stop talking about when we’d come back. If you’ve ever dreamed of skiing with your dog—even just once—Mount Lyford is a place you’ll never forget.
Watching him race through fresh snow, waiting patiently at the top of each run and exploring the mountain alongside us was something we’ll never forget.
Just remember—your dog is there to enjoy the mountain too. Take your time, keep their safety your priority, and you’ll both come home with memories that will last a lifetime. 🐾
