The resort is situated in a 3 km (1.9 mi) wide treeless bowl, facing south west between Fairlie and Tekapo.

[7]: 7–10 To the south of the ski field, and distinct from it, but accessed via its access road, is a 2,436 ha (6,020 acres) area of tussock, shrub and mountain totara forest at low elevations and snow tussock and alpine herb fields higher of the Te Kahui Kaupeka Conservation Park available for hunting.

[3]: 9 Low alpine herbfields with a wide variety of native New Zealand species are found on the lower slopes where there is water seepage and adjacent to the draining streams.

[3]: 12–13  This includes habitats occupied by the introduced mammals mentioned in the hunting section and other pests such as opossum and hares.

[3]: 14 Exotic weeds keep being introduced along the access road and such like thistle, gorse or lodgepole pine need to be managed by active eradication.