Rainbow Ski Area

Rainbow Ski Area On the edge of Nelson Lakes National Park, Rainbow Ski Area is a spectacular mountain experience. www.instagram.com/rainbowskiarea
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Get out of town for skiing, snowboarding, snow play, and a warm St Arnaud welcome! The Southern Alps of the South Island are host to a number of superb ski resorts. One of the most beautiful and best value is Rainbow Ski Area near St Arnaud, high in the north of this great mountain chain within the world famous Nelson/Marlborough lifestyle region. Reaching a height of over 1760 metres, Rainbow cap

tures regular winter snow, complemented by extensive snow making, all superbly groomed to create a stunning winter playground. The wide uncrowded slopes and well groomed trails provide superb terrain for beginners and intermediates while advanced skiers can challenge themselves in the high powder runs and chutes. Snowboarders love the varied terrain, jumps, bumps and drops. A terrain park has been developed, offering more thrills & spills for adventurous boarders and skiers.

❄️ Rainbow updateOperations are still paused for now, but we definitely haven’t packed up for the season!We’re keeping a...
04/09/2026

❄️ Rainbow update

Operations are still paused for now, but we definitely haven’t packed up for the season!

We’re keeping an eye on the forecast and hoping for a good spring snowfall. If the snow comes, we’ll be ready to get things back up and running again. So don’t put the skis away just yet — there’s still plenty of season left if winter decides to make a comeback!

WEEKLY UPDATE ❄️Rainbow will be closed this weekend while we wait for more snow.With our new operating model, we can eas...
26/08/2026

WEEKLY UPDATE ❄️

Rainbow will be closed this weekend while we wait for more snow.

With our new operating model, we can easily push pause on operations while keeping everything ready to go. 🙌 We’re hoping it won’t be too long before we’re back to skiing, boarding and tobogganing!

A huge thanks to everyone who has helped make this season happen so far. In the meantime, help us keep the stoke high by sharing your favourite shots from the season so far below! 👇📸

CLOSED TOMORROWUnfortunately, we’ll be closed tomorrow, Sunday 23 August.After today’s weather, conditions are not suita...
22/08/2026

CLOSED TOMORROW

Unfortunately, we’ll be closed tomorrow, Sunday 23 August.

After today’s weather, conditions are not suitable for skiing, and we won’t have the conditions needed to safely run and tune the lifts.

A big thank you to everyone who joined us today — it was great to see you up on the mountain! ❤️

We’ll continue to monitor conditions closely and keep you updated on the next opportunity to get back on the snow.

Thanks for your understanding, and fingers crossed for more snow! ❄️🏔️

21/08/2026

At 0600 we have cool temperatures and light winds across the mountain.

Cloudy conditions will start the day, with rain developing through the afternoon. Winds will also increase later in the day.

Snow cover remains marginal, with variable conditions across the mountain.

Come prepared for changing conditions and make the most of the morning!

21/08/2026

What a great Friday! ❄️🏂

We’ve had a great day on the mountain, and there’s still plenty of fun to be had tomorrow — but snow cover remains marginal in places, so please come prepared for variable conditions.

We’re expecting the wind and precipitation to pick up towards the end of the day, so an early start is recommended!

🌨️ Please check the snow report from 6:00am to confirm we’re open before heading up.

🚌 Shuttle: 4wdbusnz.com
🏂 Pre-book a lesson: https://rainbow-ski-school.vercel.app/
Snow report: skirainbow.co.nz/snow-report/
We still have some snowboarding lessons available — skiing lessons are currently full.

🌭 Sausage sizzle is back on tomorrow!

See you up here!

20/08/2026

We are opening!

Friday August 21st

At 0600 we have cool temperatures and light winds across the mountain.

Cloud will clear through the morning, with plenty of sunshine and warming temperatures through the afternoon. It’s looking like a beautiful day on the way!

Snow cover remains marginal, with variable conditions across the mountain.

Come prepared for a cold start and enjoy the sunshine!

20/08/2026

We are opening!
At 0600 we have cool temperatures and light winds across the mountain.

Cloud will clear through the morning, with plenty of sunshine and warming temperatures through the afternoon. It’s looking like a beautiful day on the way!

Snow cover remains marginal, with variable conditions across the mountain.

Come prepared for a cold start and enjoy the sunshine!

We’re still planning to open Friday 21st & Saturday 22nd August, with Sunday still a wait-and-see depending on condition...
20/08/2026

We’re still planning to open Friday 21st & Saturday 22nd August, with Sunday still a wait-and-see depending on conditions.

And Friday is looking pretty mint — 5°C, light winds and sunshine ☀️

It’s going to be an awesome day up the mountain! Get your gear ready, grab your mates and come make the most of it.

Key points to remember:
👉As always, check the mountain report before you leave home for the latest conditions.
👉All cars must have chains available to fit if required
👉We have rentals available for hire on the mountain
👉Pre-book your ski lessons
👉Half the people working on the mountain are club volunteers! So say thanks!

See you up there!

Weekly UpdatePlanning to open: Friday 21st & Saturday 22nd AugustTo be confirmed: Sunday 23rd AugustThanks to our amazi...
18/08/2026

Weekly Update

Planning to open: Friday 21st & Saturday 22nd August
To be confirmed: Sunday 23rd August

Thanks to our amazing mountain manager and their skills on the groomer, we’re planning to move some snow around later this week to freshen things up and get the mountain ready to open Friday and Saturday, with Sunday still a maybe depending on the weather. We’ll update you closer to the time.

Make sure you check the mountain report before leaving home. Lift passes are available from the café, and ski and snowboard equipment is available for hire on the mountain.

It looks like more snow could be on the way Sunday 🤞

We’re loving the club vibe up at Rainbow this season! Thanks to all our official volunteers and everyone else pitching in and helping out when needed. It’s awesome to see!

Thank you for celebrating Rainbow’s birthday! 🎉🏔️Unfortunately, the wind direction and speed didn’t quite play ball toda...
16/08/2026

Thank you for celebrating Rainbow’s birthday! 🎉🏔️

Unfortunately, the wind direction and speed didn’t quite play ball today, meaning our T-Bar and Poma were out of action for the day. But it was awesome seeing everyone making the most of the beginner slopes, honing their skills, enjoying the snow, and getting stuck into the sausage sizzle and fundraiser Dahl! ⛷️❄️

A huge thank you to James from Hardy St Eatery for donating that amazing Dahl to support the club — it was absolutely delicious! 🥣❤️

We’ll be closed Monday–Thursday, while we work towards hopefully opening Friday–Sunday next weekend, conditions permitting. Keep an eye on social media for updates.

Thanks again for helping us celebrate Rainbow’s birthday and for continuing to support our little club. We really appreciate it! ❤️🏔️

Address

Saint Arnaud
7072

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