Reaching the peak is easy when you have snowshoes, discovers Andrew Louis.

The centre of Hokkaido delivers family-friendly service and plenty of snow, finds Kelly Lynch.

Snowmen, snowball fights and skiing: Children won't forget their first experience of playing in fresh snow, writes Liam Dann.

A heavy snowfall at Mt Ruapehu has given skiers a chance to enjoy some of the best conditions in years.

About 45,000 people will inject an estimated $57 million into the Queenstown economy over the next 10 days during the 2014 Queenstown Winter Festival, which opened with a bang last night.

Glenn Cullen skis down steep slopes and dreams of what Porters could become with a bit of work.

A quartet of excited teenagers camped out under picnic tables overnight to earn the bragging rights of enjoying New Zealand's first snow powder this year.

The original French Alpine retreat has much appeal for the modern snowboard and ski traveller, writes Adam Ruck.

Andrew Louis hones his ski skills — and falls in love.

'Hi Mum" - Beaming down into the camera, after death-defying runs on both the halfpipe and the slopestyle course.

New Zealand's four-strong female snowboard contingent will battle it out in the slopestyle semifinals tomorrow.

Timing can be everything, as Christy Prior discovered at the final Winter Olympics qualifying event in Canada yesterday.

Jennifer Ennion finds a warm welcome waiting for her at boutique ski resort Beaver Creek.

Wanaka snowboarder Rebecca Sinclair has given her qualification prospects for the Sochi Winter Olympics a significant boost at a World Cup event in Ruka, Finland.

The state's ski resorts are taking the offensive in ensuring their industry isn't hurt by recreational marijuana stores.

Auckland's Christy Prior, 24, has led the way for the women in slopestyle, climbing to No4 in the world. And she now has company.

The Audi Quattro Games, which was introduced in 2009, is established as one of the top five winter sports events in the world and the only one in the Southern Hemisphere.

A glance at the fields for the halfpipe snowboard contests at the Winter Games this month supports Games boss Arthur Klap's assertion that it promises to be the best edition of the biennial winter extravaganza.

Top class snowboarder Rebecca Sinclair hopes what she calls "a hiccup" doesn't play havoc with her Winter Olympic dream.

It could have been a scene from a movie. A thrill-seeking pro snowboarder suffers a traumatic brain injury.

Dionne Christian finds ways to enjoy the winter weather.

Cold temperatures overnight and continued steady snowfall has seen the pre-season snow base at Mt Ruapehu take shape leading into the winter ski season. Temperatures at Mt Ruapehu were down to -6 degrees overnight and more snow has fallen. In addition to the natural snowfall, snow guns in the beginner area at the Whakapapa Ski Area have been in action making snow throughout the night.