New Zealand’s Wildest Ski Race Drops Nearly 6,000 Vertical Feet to a Pub
There are plenty of ski races that end at the bottom of a mountain but Mt Hutt’s annual Peak to Pub keeps going for another 18 miles to a local watering hole.
The yearly New Zealand multisport race returns Saturday, Sept. 26, sending skiers and snowboarders from high on Mt Hutt through a nearly 5,900-foot descent to the Blue Pub in the town of Methven.
Getting there requires considerably more than skiing.
Competitors start with a 1.2-mile ski or snowboard race, transition directly onto mountain bikes for an 11.2-mile ride down the mountain, then finish with a 7.5-mile run into Methven.
There is even an optional water crossing along the way.
By the time racers reach the Blue Pub, they have covered nearly 20 miles while descending from around 6,844 feet above sea level to roughly 984 feet.
Peak to Pub is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. Saturday.
It Starts With a Mass Start on Skis
The first stage begins high on Mt Hutt.
Rather than simply clicking into their gear and skiing away, competitors begin on foot and run roughly 330 feet across the snow to their skis or snowboard.
Then the actual racing starts.
The 1.2-mile ski section follows a giant slalom-style course through gates toward Mt Hutt’s base area. The ski portion drops roughly 1,500 vertical feet.
Organizers require racers to be at least intermediate skiers or snowboarders because the course travels down intermediate terrain.
Miss a gate and you can be disqualified.
At the bottom, racers remove their skis or board, carry their equipment through the transition area and switch into mountain biking gear.
Then things really start going downhill.
Nearly 4,000 Vertical Feet on a Mountain Bike
The second leg takes competitors from Mt Hutt’s base area down the ski area’s famously winding access road.
The mountain bike portion covers about 11.2 miles and loses roughly 3,940 vertical feet.
Despite appearing almost entirely downhill when driving the road, organizers warn that racers should expect some pedaling.
They should probably also expect to use their brakes.
The unpaved Mt Hutt access road winds dramatically down the mountainside toward the Canterbury Plains. Disc brakes and helmets are mandatory, and organizers recommend that competitors have their bikes professionally checked before race day.
The road closes to regular traffic during the race.
Unofficial Networks took a closer look at Mt Hutt earlier this season, including the mountain’s spectacular location above the Canterbury Plains and the notoriously unpredictable weather that can make getting up and down the mountain an adventure of its own.
Peak to Pub just adds a stopwatch.
Then Comes a 7.5-Mile Run
Reaching the bottom of the mountain road still doesn’t mean competitors are close to finished.
At the intersection with Highway 72, they ditch their mountain bikes and begin a roughly 7.5-mile run toward Methven.
The course mixes roads, trails, water and potentially plenty of mud.
There is also one particularly unusual choice along the way.
Before entering a wooded section of the course, competitors can either swim roughly 26 feet across an irrigation canal or take a road bridge for a slightly slower but considerably drier crossing.
Eventually, the course enters Methven and sends racers down Main Street toward the finish line outside the Blue Pub.
Crossing the timing mat ends the racing.
Then they can finally head inside.
Peak to Pub Has Been Doing This for Decades
The event has become a longstanding part of Mt Hutt’s ski culture.
According to the Blue Pub, the bar has served as the finish line for Peak to Pub since 1999.
Competitors can complete the entire race individually or enter as a three-person team, with one athlete skiing or snowboarding, another mountain biking and the third running.
For 2026, individual men begin in two waves at 2 p.m. and 2:05 p.m., followed by individual women at 2:10 p.m. Teams leave at 2:20 p.m.
Organizers are planning an awards ceremony and party at the Blue Pub around 5 p.m.
There is also a weather contingency day on Sunday, Sept. 27, if conditions prevent the race from happening Saturday. Mt Hutt’s snow report will determine whether the event can proceed.
The timing places Peak to Pub deep into New Zealand’s spring ski season. Mt Hutt currently plans to remain open through Oct. 11, conditions permitting.
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