NZ Ski trip 2010

[Horsecroft88]

Well I noticed that Rssr is off to NZ for some big mountain ski touring which given my recent experiences would be seriously amazing. For anyone who hasn't skiied in NZ, the alps there will take your breath away.

Regrettably or perhaps not, I am a down hill skier and therefore confine my activities to essentially the on-piste skiing. However, one of these days I will attempt heli skiing in NZ, and thereafter, deep powder skiing in Japan and Canada. Well that is the aim.

This last trip undertaken in mid-late August and just prior to the recent earthquakes was as excellent as my previous ski trips to NZ, which amounts to 6 so far including ski trips to the Cantebury Plains fields such as Mt Hutt and other mountains in the adjacent area including Porters, Mt Cheeseman, Dobson and Broken River.

More recent trips have been based out of Queenstown skiing Coronet Peak, the Remarkables and Cardrona. I have yet to ski at Treble Cone, largely on account that the other half is a beginner snow boarder and hence TC would be too hard for her.

So on this trip, we started out night skiing at Coronet Peak, which was followed up by the next day at Coronet Peak. By that stage my legs were a little tired as were the wifey's so a day off was called for. This enabled a visit out to ArrowTown and a couple of vineyards for wine tasting. I brought a nice Pinot home with me from Chard Farm vineyard. Chard Farm being located across the road from AJ Hacketts' bungy jump in the Gibbston Valley. Needless to say some time was also spent visiting a few pubs/bars in Queenstown including Monty's, Dux de Lux and the Bunker !! All good and especially the beers :2tsup::D.

So it was back to skiing for the next few days up at the Remarks, then Cardrona and finally back for a final day at Coronet Peak.

A great trip and much needed holiday, from ongoing house rennovations/restoration and woody projects.

See the pics attached. Cheers Dave

[Horsecroft88]

And a few further pics.

[RufflyRustic]

Spectacular photos :)

[Horsecroft88]

Thanks Ruffly, appreciated. I always do try to aim to look for interesting images when up in the mountains to capture as a memory of where I have been, seen and experienced. Mind you in some ways in such an environment it would be a little hard not to take some good photos.

Interestingly enough, they were taken with just a point and shoot digital Nikon rather than my SLR and still came out ok.

I guess it also says a lot re how far camera technology has advanced from the old days.

[rsser]

Thanks for the post Dave.

Looks fan-bl**dy-tastic.

As it happens I got crook a couple of days before being due to fly out and couldn't make it. Now climbing mountains with the travel insurer ;-}

[Horsecroft88]

Hi Ern, what seriously unfortunate luck you managed to have there in missing out on your trip. I can so readily imagine the disappointment you must have gone through. I wish you well with your insurer, and hopefully they will come to the party. The only time I have needed to call on travel insurance, re a previous trip when I was backpacking around Europe back in '05, I had absolutely no problems with them. So hopefully neither will you.

Given your circumstances, therefore, I am glad you enjoyed my pictures. I actually have plenty more, and not just from this most recent trip. The snow conditions in mid to late August this year were really excellent. The weather also mostly bluebird days. Looking at the snow condition reports now it is still pretty good and that is nearly a month later. Lucky New Zealanders to have such a long season !!! Makes me want to go and live there, if only I could find a job there.

I am quite amazed at the quality of image that the little Nikon digital point and squirt makes. But it is the NZ Alps which are the real jewel. Like you, I so enjoy being up in them. In the past I have done some ski touring in back country Tas (Mt Field National park) with my parents when they could ski and I recall some pretty special moments with them, and the ski experiences enjoyed.

Hopefully you are on the mend and can look forward to a re-scheduled trip to NZ, either this year or next. Cheers Dave

[rsser]

Thanks Dave.

This was the 2nd planned assault on the glaciers; the first was cut down to a day cos of predicted bad weather. We then did 4 days in Two Thumb range out of Lake Tekapo. There's Round Hill resort there too if memory serves; they have the longest rope tow that I know of; 600m vertical and 5 minutes!

Yeah, they've had a good season over there.

Last time I skied Broken R as well and loved it, and Cardrona where I trashed a knee telemarking in foul weather. Pics here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30283858@N07/sets/72157607896201015/)if you're interested.

Some of those were taken by a mate with a P&S Lumix and yes, hasn't the tech improved.

Ski touring in Tassie eh? Well done. You'd have to be ready to go as soon as a cover formed I'd guess.

[Horsecroft88]

Hi Ern, Oh wow, I can see from your photos why you were so keen to have made another trip to that region and hence even more the disappointment in not being able to take part. Gosh it makes the sort of skiing I do, and perhaps even some of the mountains look so tame. Absolutely spectacular photography there, and I can only imagine the peacefulness and exhileration you would experience on such a trip.

Doesn't it highlight just what a special place NZ and the alps are.

In the past I have always driven past Lake Tekapo and yet somehow also thought it would be another great area to ski. I am aware of Round Hill but not experienced it to date. Oh rope tows, yes I am well familiar with such things as Mt Field/Mawson has these in Tassie and that is where I first learned to ski. Ditto having skiied at Broken River I remember the rope tow lift there as well. Cragieburn also has an extremely long rope tow but it is another of the smaller fields I have yet to ski.

Indeed down here in Tassie there are quite a few areas where one can go telemarking, including the Mt Field National Park, Mt Rufus (near Lake St Clair), the Walls of Jerusleum (incorrect spelling) and of course Cradle Mountain, and Ben Lomand (close to Launceston).

In the old days, say up to the mid 90s our snow season used to go from July to late September sometimes even into October. These days though, we are lucky to get snow and then yes as you say, when it comes you need to be on the ball and get up there pronto for a ski. I recall going for a telemark ski with my parents back around the early 90s, in early October, a blue bird day and getting to ski over the tarns which were all frozen over. What a magnificant trip.

I saw some pictures of some guys who went ski touring in the Walls of J just recently and the snow cover at the time was excellent, but it is definitely hit and miss these days.

[rsser]

Yeah, I know of guys who've gone touring on the DuCane range when the snow was good.

... You were lucky in your parents ;-}

Tassie is magnificent; I've only bushwalked there outside of winters but been awestruck at the beauty.

And NZ is like Tassie on steroids so I can see why you're hooked ;-}

As I am. But the joints are failing and the big mountain stuff is increasingly looking like a dream. At least I had a day there ... account in my blog if you're interested (link below).

[Horsecroft88]

Now that is for sure Ern though not something I have ever done. Absolutely, I know exactly what you mean, to have had the opportunity to spend some quality time with my parents, when it was possible, doing activities that we both like was special. I just wish it were still possible but regrettably my parents are now too elderly, though i am sure they probably still wish they could.

I know exactly what you mean re Tassie bushwalking, I too have done quite a number of the major walks, let alone plenty of other ones and yes the scenery is great. The last time I walked the overland track, it was in May and there was snow on top of Mt Ossa. That was so good.

Ah yes I know only all too well what you mean re the similarities between NZ and Tassie. Yes I am for sure hooked.

Ern, I think as long as you can make some trips up into the mountains, or out into the wilds, even if they are not as long or difficult as you might have been able to in the past is still good. Any time one can get out into such areas is always going to be special. Even myself at my age 50 going on 51 have a few aches and pains these days which can be limiting but the intent is too keep on going for as long as I humanly can do. Be it skiing, bushwalking, bike riding, surfing etc etc. Damn I hate the concept of getting old :D.

Ok so I will post some pics (not my own) of skiing in the back country in Tas so you can see what it can be like. The first ones are from last weekend up at the Walls of Jerusalem and the second lot are from last year and I think possibly either from Cradle Mt or the Walls. Either way it shows just how good ski touring here too with the right conditions can be. Enjoy. Cheers

[rsser]

Fabulous!

Have done the Overland track 3x, last time with my son and we got sleet/snow at Cradle Mtn. We came out encrusted with rime. In January! (In the days when you could walk Sth to Nth).

Not done WoJ at all and it's on my wish list. Looks awesome.

Yeah, I'll get back to NZ Dave; prob Two Thumb range again to suit old bones :-

Old age is not for sissies as some sage remarked.