A 54-year-old Christchurch woman who died after a skiing accident at Mt Hutt this week has been named.

Dimity Anne Tomkins was skiing with her daughter when she fell about 500 metres down a valley at the ski field near Methven about 2.30pm on Monday.

Ms Tomkins was wearing a helmet but skiing outside the ski-field boundary.

She died in Christchurch Hospital several hours later.

Ms Tomkins was the second person to die on the slopes this season.

A 21-year-old American woman died from serious chest and head injuries after she slipped on ice while skiing off-trail at the ski field on June 17.

Mt Hutt Ski Area manager Dave Wilson yesterday said two deaths in a season was unheard of and ski-field staff had found it hard to deal with.

"I've been here for 10 years and having one [death] is unusual," he said.

Before this season the last death at the ski-field was in 2005 when an Australian man, Harry Brian Wylie, fell to his death while skiing off the main trails.

Mr Wilson said the deaths would not stop people skiing out of bounds.

"We try and encourage people if they are going to go out in the back country to check in with the ski patrol," Mr Wilson said.

The out of bounds area was too big to patrol and it was up to individuals to look after their own safety.

Ms Tomkins' death was being investigated by ski-field staff and police.

- NZPA


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