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True ski lovers know how it feels to have their hearts leap at the sight of virgin slopes of powdery white snow, and locum tenens in New Zealand can experience hitting such slopes on a heli-skiing adventure.
The country's greatest slopes are not within easy reach and typically do not have established ski resorts in operation. Since it would have been a waste to let them go untouched, heli-skiing was born. You're taken by a helicopter to the most remote, untracked slopes in the nation. The ride itself is unforgettable—you'll get a postcard-worthy eyeful of the Southern Alps before being set down at a mountain peak to make multiple runs of more than 9,000 vertical feet.
Tasman Glacier in the Mount Cook National Park is a popular destination for heli-skiing trips, as it's the longest glacial ski run in the southern hemisphere. The Harris Mountains region near Wanaka is also a popular spot for this adventure.
Skiing in untracked powder requires a bit of experience with the sport, so first-timers may want to cut their teeth on some tamer slopes before hitting the remote mountain peaks. The best time of year to enjoy this thrill is during the season from July to October.