Some journeys take you beyond the map, into lands where jagged peaks rise through swirling mist and the silence of untouched snow carries an ancient weight. Skiing in the very mountains that brought Middle-earth to life—the real-world Misty Mountains—was more than an adventure; it felt like stepping into a legend greater than my own.
As a Lord of the Rings fan, snow enthusiast, and world traveler, I found the pull of New Zealand impossible to resist. Finally being able to visit my high school best friend, Jill, who moved to Australia in 2018 was the perfect excuse to make the trip. So, off we went—BeSkiingTheWorldYo and JustSnowboardingTheWorldYo—on an adventure to the land of the Kiwis, where the mountains whisper of epic journeys and fresh powder awaits.
Side note: Until this trip, I thought “Kiwi” was just a fun nickname for New Zealanders because of their love for that fuzzy green fruit. Turns out, it’s actually a flightless bird. Which makes way more sense—New Zealanders are cool and laid-back, but they’re not that fruity.
One of Justin’s favorite parts of the trip was how often the locals told me to “chill out” or “calm down.” (Spoiler: that’s not my thing.) I’m a high-energy, high-strung individual with, let’s call them, neurotic tendencies. Thankfully, Justin has spent the past decade reminding me that life will, indeed, be okay. But let’s be real: I definitely kept the Kiwis on their toes.
My Top Experience in New Zealand was Heli-Skiing in Queenstown, and here’s why.
Let me set the scene: a helicopter circling through the sky, dropping us off on ridges and mountaintops like we were action heroes in an epic movie. To make it even more cinematic, one of the guys in our group kept quoting The Terminator in a thick Schwarzenegger accent: “TO THE CHOPPER!”
The views? Unreal. Imagine the Misty Mountains from Lord of the Rings stretching across the horizon. The adrenaline? Like riding a rollercoaster in the sky. The skiing? Powder heaven.
We splurged for two days of heli-skiing with Alpine Heli Ski, and it was worth every penny. Compared to North America, New Zealand’s heli-skiing rates are shockingly reasonable—about 3x the cost of a ski pass instead of the 20x you’d pay in places like the Rocky Mountains. Each day, we took 8-9 helicopter rides, landing on untouched powder and carving first tracks down jaw-dropping runs.
Here are my heli-skiing highlights:
- One mountaintop had an especially tight, rocky landing where only one of the two tubes on the helicopter’s landing gear could touch down. The pilot had to hover as we ducked and scrambled to safety. Talk about an adrenaline rush! My favorite part, though, was the dramatic 180-degree swoop the helicopter did to approach the ridge. As it reached the ridgetop, the sudden gust of wind gave the chopper a quick lift, which made my stomach flip like I was on a rollercoaster. This run was so epic we did it twice, helping keep this memory everlasting.
- Skiing down ridges with wide-open, untouched powder, where the only other tracks were from animals, the guide, or your mates. It felt like we were gliding through a winter wildlife sanctuary.
- On day two, a Kiwi in our group couldn’t stop tossing snow into the air and marveling, “We never get powder like this!” His excitement made the experience feel even more special.
By the end of the trip, I could confidently say this wasn’t a once-in-a-lifetime adventure—it was so incredible, we’re already scheming about doing it again.
Heli-skiing in Queenstown was everything I’d dreamed of—thrilling, surreal, and packed with unforgettable moments. From soaring over the Misty Mountains to carving first tracks on untouched snow, every second felt like pure magic. This adventure, along with many more to come, made me fall in love with New Zealand and its powdery peaks.
🎥 See the adventure come to life—watch the full heli-skiing experience on my YouTube playlist! ⛷️✨
Discover more from BeSeeingTheWorldYo
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
