The crest of Canterbury’s Craigieburn Range presents an uninterrupted wall of peaks running for almost 30km in a north to north-east orientation and with many summits over 2000m. With several ski fields on the range, there are options to get high without much effort.

Mt Cheeseman Skifield offers a good access road, ending just 300m below the ridge crest. Depending on snow conditions, and as long as you have an ice axe, you should be able to access the tops in an hour or so with the reward of an outstanding view of Canterbury’s alps and plains.

Mt Cockayne, 1874m, is close to the field, just 250m along the ridge to the north-east, with Mt Cheeseman, 2031m, about 2.5km to the south-west.

If you have picked the right day, you could well be warming yourself in the midday sun with nary a breeze to bother you. Take a picnic lunch, a thermos of hot tea and enjoy the view.