Coronet Peak and the Southern Lakes have gone from a winter wonderland to sexy spring in just a couple of days. Coronet Peak has hard and fast snow in the morning with softening spring, snow conditions later in the day. The on piste gets quite nasty when it gets past a certain point and is barely enjoyable for mere mortals - certainly the ski instructors hate it!. Off piste has seen some great corn snow if you have been able to work the sun and take into account the cool SW wind effect on the snow.
Forecast is for snow Mon thru Wed next week and that may throw us back to winter but it will only be for a brief period and spring will be back. Its the beginning of the end already but the will be some great skiing here until the end of September and Mt Hutt and Mt Ruapehu will ski well far into Nov and possibly even Dec!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
All go down South
The Southern Lakes have really come on over the last 2 weeks with all the ski areas picking up around 60+cms of lovely fresh snow. I have been enjoying skiing Coronet Peak immensly and we have probably not had conditions as good for quite a few years. Having the the new snow making system being able to create a wicked base for the natural snow to fall on and making this season into a ripper. It seems as tho allover NZ has been getting hammered and the one god thins is at Coronet Peak we do nto usualy lose to many days.
Now is the time get on snow!
Heli Ski!
Don't wait.
Now is the time get on snow!
Heli Ski!
Don't wait.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Heli Skiing in The Southern Lakes, Queenstown
Yesterday saw me and a client I have be skiing with in a helicopter with Southern Lakes Heli ski heading out to Towers Ridge thru quite low visibility. We managed to duck and dive around and get in 4 runs of deep deep powder snow before pulling the pin due to adverse light conditions. 45cms+ of new snow were what we had to play with and it was absolutely wonderful light dry powder with not to much wind effect. In fact it was so good we are going back for some more today. I will come back with another post of conditions from today's heli skiing and hopefully some photos and footage.
The great crew from R&R sports in Queenstown have lent me the Line Mothership skis for my heli skiing yesterday and today. What beasts! For the depth of snow we had they were brilliant to ride and made it all too easy. If you are going out heli talk to R&R and see if you can test ride a set for they day.
Line Mothership Freeride Skis
The Line Mothership, a true bigmountain freeride ski with a 110mm waist and a hand crafted design. The Mothership will set the pace once again this season. With a burly Metal Matrix design, G-Force Geometry and Easly Rise, the Line Monstership skis have no speed limit. Dimensions: 142-111-131 Turn Radius: 24m @ 185cm
Features:
* Sidewall Construction
* Metal Matrix
* Early Rise
* G-Force Geometry
* Maple Macroblock Core
Specifications:
* Dimensions: 142-111-131
* Turn Radius: 24m @ 185cm
The great crew from R&R sports in Queenstown have lent me the Line Mothership skis for my heli skiing yesterday and today. What beasts! For the depth of snow we had they were brilliant to ride and made it all too easy. If you are going out heli talk to R&R and see if you can test ride a set for they day.
Line Mothership Freeride Skis
The Line Mothership, a true bigmountain freeride ski with a 110mm waist and a hand crafted design. The Mothership will set the pace once again this season. With a burly Metal Matrix design, G-Force Geometry and Easly Rise, the Line Monstership skis have no speed limit. Dimensions: 142-111-131 Turn Radius: 24m @ 185cm
Features:
* Sidewall Construction
* Metal Matrix
* Early Rise
* G-Force Geometry
* Maple Macroblock Core
Specifications:
* Dimensions: 142-111-131
* Turn Radius: 24m @ 185cm
Friday, August 15, 2008
The snow keeps on coming in the Southern Lakes, New Zealand
Huge day at Coronet Peak yesterday with every man and his dog crawling out from under their rocks to ski the 15cms of fresh snow on top of the 110 - 15cms from the day before. Unfortunately district wide power failures (apparently a cow went on a mad rampage in the blizzard and banged up a transformer - highly likely)did not allow the express to open until 1100 but they at least got greengates up and going at around 0930. The snow was awesome and even with the lifts down heaps of happy smiling faces around enjlying some of the best conditions of the season if not the last 2 or 3 seasons!
Still a bit of chaos on the roads and we will have more today because more snow has fallen downtown overnight and another 8cms at the peak and still snowing now.
The CP road has full chain restriction in place - what bollocks! They did that yesterday morning and there was absolutley out of order - 2wd needed chains but not 4wd and same again this morning.
Will post some photos to go with this later today. Enjoy.
Oh heli skiing is great right now and if you are traveling in the backcountry be careful, don't travel alone and get up to speed with www.avalanche.net.nz
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Coronet Peak on form and Chaos on the roads
The snow is awesome right now and skiing excellent with a big storm dropping heaps of snow in a short period this afternoon right down to lake level. It will be all go on the snow tomorrow.
Lots of chaos around qt this afternoon and chains (I just used 4wd low ration and slow coming down form Coronet Peak …sweet as) all the way into town – fernhill road closed for a bit both way – dick heads all over the place – 2moro will be interesting – snow is great!!! Back bowls 3 times today before front came in around 1500.
Everywhere in the Southern lakes has picked up some great snow and more over the next 12 hrs expected. Get ripping! Get in a heli! Get on a mountain and rip it up.
Oh Z10's just loving it right now all terrain and great snow - top performer!
Lots of chaos around qt this afternoon and chains (I just used 4wd low ration and slow coming down form Coronet Peak …sweet as) all the way into town – fernhill road closed for a bit both way – dick heads all over the place – 2moro will be interesting – snow is great!!! Back bowls 3 times today before front came in around 1500.
Everywhere in the Southern lakes has picked up some great snow and more over the next 12 hrs expected. Get ripping! Get in a heli! Get on a mountain and rip it up.
Oh Z10's just loving it right now all terrain and great snow - top performer!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Light snow falling at Coronet Peak
Today saw cold temps at Coronet Peak but very good snow and skiing conditions. The morning Coronet stayed mostly under the cloud layer and the snow was in great winter nick. Around 1230 snow stared falling and it may turn out the they pick up 5 cms during the night. Tomorrow should be a pretty good day before the next storm rolls in and more snow is expected. Treble Cone and Cardrona will have picekd up some good snow today and my pick would be to get to TC for tommorrow - no face shots unless you are a telemarker but should be good. The Remarkables have started to come on in the last week or two and is getting a base building up so if the snow arrives this week it will be also worth a visit. The Doolans have been skiing well.
The rest of the week is looking a bit manky but we should see snow on and off for most of it with fall late thurs early friday and the a clearing trend towards the weekend and early next week.
Everywhere is skiing well right now and the cold temperatures are keeping the snow in good nick.
If you have the cash - b looking for a heliski day for the week end or early next week - conditions should be great in the backcountry after what we get this week.
Tight Lines,
Simon
The rest of the week is looking a bit manky but we should see snow on and off for most of it with fall late thurs early friday and the a clearing trend towards the weekend and early next week.
Everywhere is skiing well right now and the cold temperatures are keeping the snow in good nick.
If you have the cash - b looking for a heliski day for the week end or early next week - conditions should be great in the backcountry after what we get this week.
Tight Lines,
Simon
Friday, August 8, 2008
The masters are at Coronet Peak
Lots of old racers rippin around Coronet Peak at the moment with training finished and race starting today. Unfortunately the downhill was canned due to poor light this morning but the slalom went ahead with happy racers have firm race lane conditions and improving light.
Coronet peak is skiing very well at the moment - on piste went very hard (like a smooth table top) yesterday although off piste in S/E aspects i.e. exchange skied well. A little dusting overnight saw silk snow conditions over the whole peak and once again reminding me out fantastic the Coronet Peak is - the smallest of fresh snow drops and she comes alive again. We may get a bit more tonite maybe 1 -2 cms but unlikely although after night skiing is finished I am sure it will be cold enough to blow some snow so the snow makers will have to do some work. Actually the have done an amazing job with the new system and considering we have about a 90 cm base and about half is man made that probably gives you some perspective!
Hut will probably get a bit more out of this system and there is another on barreling in from the north which may also produce - we may get some down here with some luck.
Heli skiing conditions are good although much of the terrain of all the operators has been tracked out and the will be wanting some more in the next 3 - 4 days. Next week looks a bit messy after this high passes over this week end.
Ski Hard -Play well
Coronet peak is skiing very well at the moment - on piste went very hard (like a smooth table top) yesterday although off piste in S/E aspects i.e. exchange skied well. A little dusting overnight saw silk snow conditions over the whole peak and once again reminding me out fantastic the Coronet Peak is - the smallest of fresh snow drops and she comes alive again. We may get a bit more tonite maybe 1 -2 cms but unlikely although after night skiing is finished I am sure it will be cold enough to blow some snow so the snow makers will have to do some work. Actually the have done an amazing job with the new system and considering we have about a 90 cm base and about half is man made that probably gives you some perspective!
Hut will probably get a bit more out of this system and there is another on barreling in from the north which may also produce - we may get some down here with some luck.
Heli skiing conditions are good although much of the terrain of all the operators has been tracked out and the will be wanting some more in the next 3 - 4 days. Next week looks a bit messy after this high passes over this week end.
Ski Hard -Play well
Friday, August 1, 2008
Coronet Peak skiing well
Coronet Peak today saw choppy snow conditions off piste with a firm(ish) base underneath this morning after yesterdays warm/wet conditions in the afternoon. On piste was semi hard and fast with a huge 2cms of fresh at the top and about 0.2cms at the bottom but as they day wore on the conditions softened both on and off piste and very nice late winter/early spring conditions prevailed for the day giving feel god snow and skiing. It may be hard and fast tomorrow morning!
Looks like we have some more snow on the way for next week - nothing major but a couple of dusting's will keep things skiing well here.
Some things never cease to amaze me - random guy today couldn't get any part of his boots done up(not even the power straps)and was convinced he would be able to ski just fine. I quietly pointed out that his skis with boots attached could quite possibly fall off while riding the chair creating injury to others as a direct hit off the chair or hit the ground and become a missile(ie. run away skis) and if he made it successfully to the top without getting frostbitten toes his first turn may result it in complete and utter failure resulting in either a snapped leg and a run away ski ski scenario --- it took some time to convince him and I had to threaten to remove his ski pass. I don't think he knew how to at all or was just to bloody lazy as I had to do them up for him. After about 10 mins I had him sorted but could not convince him a lesson may be useful.
Looks like we have some more snow on the way for next week - nothing major but a couple of dusting's will keep things skiing well here.
Some things never cease to amaze me - random guy today couldn't get any part of his boots done up(not even the power straps)and was convinced he would be able to ski just fine. I quietly pointed out that his skis with boots attached could quite possibly fall off while riding the chair creating injury to others as a direct hit off the chair or hit the ground and become a missile(ie. run away skis) and if he made it successfully to the top without getting frostbitten toes his first turn may result it in complete and utter failure resulting in either a snapped leg and a run away ski ski scenario --- it took some time to convince him and I had to threaten to remove his ski pass. I don't think he knew how to at all or was just to bloody lazy as I had to do them up for him. After about 10 mins I had him sorted but could not convince him a lesson may be useful.
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