Life balance through recreation, sport & entertainment

Skiing on the Rock and Pillar Range

Around ninety years ago Dunedin and local skiers began braving the wintry blasts on top of the mountain to enjoy skiing: cross country and downhill. At first they spent a night at the “Bottom Hut” before making the steep ascent, usually in the dark. Then a stone hut (“Top Hut”, tucked into a giant tor, was built at the summit. After World War 2 the “Big Hut” was constructed nearby. Today it serves hikers, as the snow seldom lies for long on the tops, and the beauty of the natural environment is exposed.

You will find two videos below which tell the story of the Rock & Pillar ski-field - the first is a short, sharp version and the other is much more detailed with interviews of people who fondly remember skiing on the Rock & Pillar slopes in earlier years. The museum has historical footage which can be viewed on the museum computer when you visit, along with photographs, early skis and stories of the days when Rock and Pillar was the place to be for Otago skiers.