This is a breakdown of my experience after 5 years in New Zealand ski touring all over the Southern Alps with a week long Volcano mission on the North Island. Rugged and isolated with famously bad weather where it is so strong ridges don’t develop cornices it’s wild country down there with just a few roads providing access so its a splitboard on your back and takes enjoy your 5 hour approach type of place.
It was the beginning of August when the first bit of snow started falling in the Southern Alps.
For the first day of the storm we skinned up to the top of the chair and Ohau and rode the 100 meter bootpack over and over, it was the only area that had semi decent coverage/
I had plans for the season and a generalized game plan. The season before I had focused mainly on the Otago country around Wanaka and Queenstown but this season I would focus more on the Canterbury vicintiy in places like Mount Cook and Arthurs Pass and all in between. I was fortunate to get my hands on a Licence to Chill pass and had access to 13 seperate club fields and with a Mid July arrival I intended to be there for the full Southern Hemi winter. Yep 5 months of hard charging and exploration.
It was a slow start to the season as I landed in Christchurchand Estee and I went to Akaroa for a few days before heading to Mt. Hutt and stretching the legs, the snowpack was thin but we skinned up the groomers and rode back those same groomers.
When I originally booked my ticket to New Zealand I planned on heading back to the Pacific Northwest in the beginning of December but as time went on I extended my stay until Christmas day in hopes of getting twice the presents as well as getting in a few hikes here and there. After getting my hands on a Department of Conservation Seasons Pass to all the huts I was on a mission to see what was out there and if there were lines that would interest me. This post has little to do with riding and everything to do with the stunning scenery.
I hope you enjoy!!
When everybody had given up on the season the snow finally started falling and with over 30cms of powder. We were off to the Craigieburn Range for my one and only time riding Craigieburn Valley ski area this season. Huge thanks to Licence to Chill for helping get access to this gem of a resort.
Damian was kind enough to drop me off at the airport after our trip in Mount Cook National Park. While in Christchurch I waited for John Blankenstein to arrive from Australia before meeting up with Chris Rayner and Wiggles. We stocked up for a overnight trip attempting the Cragieburn traverse. It would be around 30kms and 10,000 vert going past 4 ski fields with an overnight stay at Mt. Olympus.
We arrived to Temple Basin ski area while the rain washed away most of the snow. A group of 50 other skiers and snowboarders waited in the hut for the weather to clear. On Sunday it finally happened so it was time to go Splitboarding at the Splitboard festival. Ryan Nicols and I decided to go on a quick mission to summit Temple Peak.
Conditions were pretty dire all around New Zealand without any precipitation for two weeks. Wondering what to do we started looking over the maps. It was decided to head into Porters ski areas backcountry focusing on the Crystal Bowl in hopes of finding something fun and edgeable. With the temps being so warm the snow pack was melting away making me wonder if the ski season was over with.
After a great day ski touring up in Arthurs Pass it was time to focus on another aspect in hopes of finding powder. After staring at the maps for a while we decided to ski tour Mount Wall in the Cheeseman Backcountry. Yossi had showed up and now it was a crew of 4 with him Ryan, Wiggles and me as we drove up to Mount Cheeseman ski area.
When Ryan and Pow arrived up at Arthurs Pass the decision was made to go check out an area called the Devils Punchbowl. We would have to follow a climbers trail up if we wanted to skirt around the 300 foot waterfall. If all worked out we hoped we would find some great lines in the upper bowl. We decided it would be best to exit via Temple Basin turning it into a ski traverse.
