How fast it changes!

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!

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.

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 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

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!