Event	Dates	About
⛸  Pre-Season
Ice Skating — Staveley ⛸🎿	Sun 19 Jul1 day	A relaxed preseason social evening on the last weekend of the school holidays — a great way to reconnect before the mountain opens. Open to members and non-members with friends and family welcome, with opportunities to try ice skating, curling, or ice hockey together. From 5pm.
🎿  Season Open & Events
Opening Day 🎿	Sun 26 Jul1 day	The official start of the Mt Olympus season — the traditional chance to dust off the legs and reconnect with the mountain community. A great day to come up, ski a few laps, catch up with friends, and kick off winter properly.
Outdoor Ed & Avalanche Courses	Sun 26 Jul – Fri 31 Jul6 days	A skills-focused week with school outdoor education groups and professionally delivered avalanche training on Mt Olympus terrain. Visitors are very welcome to join the hill alongside the training activity — often a great early-season window for cold, dry snow.
Weekend	Fri 31 Jul – Sun 2 Augweekend	An open weekend with the hill to yourselves between Outdoor Ed and Dogtuckers. 🎿 Arrive Friday evening for first tracks Saturday morning — one of the quietest, best-value starts to a weekend all season.
Dogtuckers Week	Sun 2 Aug – Fri 7 Aug6 days	R18-Traditionally the gathering week for the classic Dogtuckers crew — mostly aged 50+ with a strong Australian presence and plenty of long-standing Olympus regulars returning each year. Younger honorary Dogtuckers are always welcome, with plenty of friendly banter and some memorable après.
Curling Weekend 🥌	Fri 7 Aug – Sun 9 Augweekend	A highlight social weekend centred around curling on the tarn, open to everyone regardless of skiing ability. Helicopter access from Bottom Hut is expected to be available at cost — one of the easiest ways to experience the alpine environment without needing to ski. 🥌 Arrive Friday evening — the best seats at the lodge fire are always claimed the night before.
Truants / WrinkleFreedom Week	Sun 9 Aug – Fri 14 Aug6 days	Originally Wrinkle Free Week from the student years, this has evolved into Wrinkle Freedom Week — with families, returning crews, aunts, uncles, and old friends making it a relaxed multi-household gathering on the mountain. A great week for families choosing real-life mountain learning over classrooms.
Normal Weekend	Fri 14 Aug – Sun 16 Augweekend	There is never really such a thing as a normal weekend at Mt Olympus — expect a classic mix of members, visitors, families, and surprises that usually turn into something memorable. 🎿 Arrive Friday as WrinkleFreedom week winds down and make the lodge your own — often the best kind of start to a weekend.
School Bunkers Week	Sun 16 Aug – Fri 21 Aug6 days	Extremely popular with local families and usually fills very quickly once bookings open. A lively, family-focused week built around younger children and school-age skiers enjoying time on the hill together.
Weekend	Fri 21 Aug – Sun 23 Augweekend	An open weekend between School Bunkers and Alibi — relaxed, uncrowded, and perfectly placed in the mid-season. 🎿 Friday evening is the sweet spot: School Bunkers has cleared out and Alibi hasn't arrived yet. One of the most peaceful Friday nights of the season.
Alibi Conference Week	Sun 23 Aug – Fri 28 Aug6 days	A convenient week to attend a very important alpine conference that just happens to take place on the slopes of Mt Olympus. Popular with professionals and visiting crews from around New Zealand and Australia who enjoy strong August snow conditions and a social lodge atmosphere.
Weekend	Fri 28 Aug – Sun 30 Augweekend	A rare completely open weekend — the hill between events, unhurried and all yours before the freeride crews take over Monday. 🎿 One of the best-kept secret weekends of the season. Arrive Friday evening for two full days of uncrowded spring skiing — this one fills quietly and early.
Uni Break Period	Sun 30 Aug – Wed 2 Sep4 days	R18 -Traditionally a lively student-aligned window with strong attendance from tertiary crews and young professionals taking advantage of mid-semester flexibility. Open to all ages — visitors should expect an energetic lodge atmosphere and a classic student week vibe.
Chilax Period	Wed 2 Sep – Fri 4 Sep3 days	A relaxed crossover window with mostly adult members and very few younger kids around. Expect cruisy laps, long catch-ups, and a classic, easygoing lodge atmosphere as the season builds toward the freeride events.
Club Champs Weekend 🏆	Fri 4 Sep – Sun 6 Sepweekend	The key racing weekend of the season, with priority accommodation for members before remaining bunks open to others. A great chance to compete, support fellow members, and enjoy one of the strongest club-spirit weekends of the year. 🏆 Racers: arrive Friday. Scope the course, get your legs under you, and wake up Saturday ready to compete. Late arrivals are always at a disadvantage.
GRITT Camp	Mon 7 Sep – Tue 8 Sep2 days	A short, focused visit from the GRITT crew with freeride training activity and terrain development sessions on the mountain. Open to others on the hill — a great opportunity to watch developing freeride skills in action.
Junior Freeride — JFT Exact dates TBC	Window: 9–13 Sep~5 days	An exciting youth-focused freeride competition bringing strong energy to the mountain and showcasing developing alpine talent. The 2-day event falls within this window — exact dates are subject to confirmation and may shift slightly with conditions. Official event marketing will confirm final scheduling.
MOFO — Mt Olympus Freeride Open	Mon 14 Sep – Wed 16 Sep3 days	R18 - The Mt Olympus Freeride Open brings high-quality freeride competition and terrain use to the mountain alongside the wider freeride community. A great time to visit and experience the mountain at its most technical and dynamic.
The Great Escape	Wed 16 Sep – Fri 18 Sep3 days	A shorter midweek window before the school holiday rush — ideal for families wanting a quieter alpine visit. A great opportunity to bring children up early and enjoy relaxed skiing before the peak holiday period begins.
Weekend	Fri 18 Sep – Sun 20 Sepweekend	A spring weekend sitting between Great Escape and Spring Week — the mountain in September is a different beast, and a very good one. 🌅 Friday sunset from the lodge in September is something else. Arrive that evening, ski two full spring days, and you'll understand why regulars always book this one first.
Spring Week 🌸	Sun 20 Sep – Fri 25 Sep6 days	Classic Mt Olympus spring skiing with longer daylight hours, softer afternoon snow, and the chance of warm corn conditions or occasional fresh cold surprises. Visitors can stay for the full week or join shorter segments depending on weather windows and availability.
🧒  Junior & Student Weeks
Weekend	Fri 25 Sep – Sun 27 Sepweekend	The last open weekend before school holidays take over — spring snow, long light, and no crowds. 🌸 Arrive Friday for the last quiet nights of the season. By Sunday Junior Break begins — so Friday evening is your final chance for a peaceful Mt Olympus weekend until October.
Junior Break 🧒 Alcohol-free	Sun 27 Sep – Wed 30 Sep4 days	A dedicated alcohol-free event designed to provide a supportive environment for 13–18 year olds, accompanied by parents or helpers. Priority booking is given to this age group — if capacity remains, open to all ages. The bar remains closed during this period while snacks, coffees, and normal lodge life continue as usual.
Ara Break 🎓	Wed 30 Sep – Sat 3 Oct4 days	A flexible holiday period suited to tertiary students and families with older teenagers who are still on break. Normal lodge operations apply and all ages are welcome. Please note: not an alcohol-free event. Children under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
🏁  Season Close
Final Frontier	Sun 4 Oct – Fri 9 Oct6 days	One of the most flexible late-season windows, with many families booking shorter stays to match weather conditions and introduce younger skiers to rope tow terrain in softer spring snow. Access is often easier at this time of year and the top car park may open depending on conditions.
Closing Day 🏔	Sat 10 Oct1 day	The final celebration of the season and a chance to squeeze in one last run before summer returns. The traditional Final Feast usually takes place around this time — booking is essential as it is always a highlight of the closing weekend.

2026 School & University Holiday Reference

Use this table to cross-reference event timing against key holiday windows for schools and Canterbury universities.

Holiday / Break	Starts	Ends	Relevance to Mt Olympus Season
NZ School Term 3	Mon 20 Jul	Fri 18 Sep	Families in school — school group bookings, School Bunkers, and Jr Freeride all fall within this window.
NZ School Holidays (Term 3 Break)	Sat 26 Sep	Sun 11 Oct	Peak family window. Junior Break, Ara Break, Final Frontier, and Closing Day all fall within. Best family booking period.
UC Mid-Semester Break	Sat 22 Aug	Sun 6 Sep	University students free. Club Champs, Uni Break, and Chilax all land in this window — excellent alignment for tertiary visitors.
Ara Institute — Mid-Semester Break	Sat 22 Aug	Sun 6 Sep	Ara students generally follow a similar schedule to UC. Confirm with Ara for exact 2026 dates.
NZ Public Holiday — Matariki	Fri 10 Jul	Fri 10 Jul	Falls just before season open. A great long-weekend opportunity to plan ahead.