New Zealand 2023

[AJM]

Well folks that's it for us at Porters along with several other ski areas they have made the decision to shut early
The weather that has wreaked havoc over the ditch in Australia has also affected us over here ... read warm dry winds with rain, and has totally demolished what was left of our already delicate snowpack.

Its been a VERY short season for us with only August providing the goods. We started with just the beginners areas open then gradually opened the rest of the mountain, had really only one maybe two decent snowfalls and that was that, thank goodness for cold temps in August otherwise things would've been really grim.

I started the season coming back from injury so it was a bit touch and go as to whether I'd be able to ski but due to diligent rehab and a strong determination I made it. It wasnt without its frustrations and a few tears but switching out my beloved Sheeva 9's for a softer, narrower entry level ski meant that I could finish my season.

My last day was last Friday, I got some great tips from some instructor friends and had a blast skiing with Hubby seeking out all the secret and not so secret spots as they turned from frozen hell to lovely smooth corn so at least I finished my season on a high blasting around in my race boots and an entry level ski ... quite the combo

I may make it over to Mt Hutt but then again I might just reflect on a glorious last day and leave it at that

Below is a pic taken on Friday sitting on the patio at the Lodge with a glass of Sav watching the incoming weather and also a shot of my sons back with a fantastic print that the new Canadian maintenance guy made of our beloved Maunga.
BTW I skied the chute he is skiing (complete with entry level skis) in the print this season with a friend from childhood who I used to ski with at Temple Basin so that was a bit special, its called Aorangi and when its on its on !!

Fingers crossed for a wonderful Northern Hemi season ladies

 

[Eera]

It's been a sucky season really. Friend of my eldest is off with his family to check out skiing for the first time in NZ this week, being school holidays; I know they are booked into Queenstown so I hope they get lucky but there's a couple of inches of rain forecast at Remarks and Coronet over the next couple of days so I hope they still have fun, along with adequate waterproofing!

There's wailing and gnashing of teeth over the affect El Nino will have on Japan on another forum I'm on: it'd be awful if they have a rainy ice bath as well.

Here's hoping the Northern Hemisphere pays out!

 

[AJM]

It's been a sucky season really. Friend of my eldest is off with his family to check out skiing for the first time in NZ this week, being school holidays; I know they are booked into Queenstown so I hope they get lucky but there's a couple of inches of rain forecast at Remarks and Coronet over the next couple of days so I hope they still have fun, along with adequate waterproofing!

There's wailing and gnashing of teeth over the affect El Nino will have on Japan on another forum I'm on: it'd be awful if they have a rainy ice bath as well.

Here's hoping the Northern Hemisphere pays out!

Fingers crossed for your friends and for you re Japan !!!!

 

[Magnatude]

Gutted for you! I'd really hoped to get in a day or 2 at Porters, and Craigieburn too, but no such luck. I'm just back from Queenstown, and was looking forward to better snow up here in Canterbury, but looks like Hutt is the now the resort of last resort (has BR closed too?). Hopefully Mt Hutt's previously very healthy snowpack will see it through ...

August was definitely the best time to be in Queenstown, and I did get in some good days at Broken River, Mt Cheeseman, and Mt Hutt as well. What a difference a couple of weeks and a savage nor'wester can make! I'm booked into a refresher course at Hutt in a couple of weekends but at the rate the weather has been going, who knows?

This year was going to be the year I really got into touring, but the persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack has really put paid to those plans too. Had to content myself with a couple of inbounds, and adjacent (but safe), skinning excursions.

Hope El Niño doesn't do the same thing in Canada, where we've just committed to a 2-week course in Fernie.

 

[AJM]

Gutted for you! I'd really hoped to get in a day or 2 at Porters, and Craigieburn too, but no such luck. I'm just back from Queenstown, and was looking forward to better snow up here in Canterbury, but looks like Hutt is the now the resort of last resort (has BR closed too?). Hopefully Mt Hutt's previously very healthy snowpack will see it through ...

August was definitely the best time to be in Queenstown, and I did get in some good days at Broken River, Mt Cheeseman, and Mt Hutt as well. What a difference a couple of weeks and a savage nor'wester can make! I'm booked into a refresher course at Hutt in a couple of weekends but at the rate the weather has been going, who knows?

This year was going to be the year I really got into touring, but the persistent weak layer deep in the snowpack has really put paid to those plans too. Had to content myself with a couple of inbounds, and adjacent (but safe), skinning excursions.

Hope El Niño doesn't do the same thing in Canada, where we've just committed to a 2-week course in Fernie.

As someone said "dont be sad because its over, be happy because it happened" ... still gutting though.
Hubby went to BR on Saturday and had some good skiing esp down Allans Basin so all is not lost and
hopefully Hutt can withstand the onslaught as we might try and sneak a day in and fingers crossed for your course .... it is supposed to snow again at the end of this week ....typical !

Hubby's off touring next week into the Cass Valley, cant say I'm happy about it with the PWL lingering but I have full faith in his decision making although I am secretly hoping he cancels it .
The touring round here has been pretty good, the odd incident but on the whole I think its been ok, just saying. There's a couple of FB pages in case you didn't know but I'm sure you do.

Exciting about Fernie !!! I'm a bit jealous as we were thinking of going to Canada (have a friend in Revy thats always banging on about us going to stay with him) but as I'm still sort of in rehab and not up to doing day after day of skiing it seems a bit pointless. We'll probably save it for next year

 

[Magnatude]

Revelstoke is great! Yes save it for next year when you're fully ready to go for it, those runs are long.

 

[Rashika]

Yes definitely not the best season in nz this year, although the best season for me since I was about 10 years old. We have had some great days! And hopefully maybe one or two left at Hutt.
Sad to miss out on cheeseman this year, was hoping to improve on last year when i did about 3 runs before I came down with a migraine which sunk that day.
But Mt hutt, Dobson, porters, and Turoa were fantastic.
And it's been really cool to 'meet' you guys, it has definitely revitalised my skiing, from a maybe ski once a year or every couple of years to 15 days so far this year. Thanks for the motivation and the information ski divas!

Oh and now I have a new goal, get to the USA one day for a ski trip... partner concurs, as he wants to go back to his old haunt at Mammoth... it may b a long term goal but one to start on.

 

[scandium]

I’m hoping Ruapehu find enough staff to do summer skiing…

 

[scandium]

The official total at Hutt was 9cm and official conditions were slush. Up top was somewhere between slush and pow - nowhere as hard on my legs as normal Hutt slush - and definitely areas deeper than 9cm, although I had just stopped so accumulated my own snowdrift. It’s fine to post snowboarding photos here if you can’t actually see the board….right??

 

[AJM]

Well in typical NZ style we woke up to possibly the biggest single snowfall of the season !!
Temps have been in low 20's for this past week then boom a big ol Southerly came charging up and that combined with the moist warm air delivered the goods with more to come .... sadly too late for some but the ones that are still open will be celebrating as its the begining of our school holidays.
Hubbys just headed out to Mt Olympus and I'm so disappointed I cant go as I love it up there but I've gone and tweaked my back so the rope tows are a no go at the moment .
Fingers crossed he can get up there as the road is pretty sketchy and with all the snow will be quite an adventure

 

[AJM]

View attachment 21610
The official total at Hutt was 9cm and official conditions were slush. Up top was somewhere between slush and pow - nowhere as hard on my legs as normal Hutt slush - and definitely areas deeper than 9cm, although I had just stopped so accumulated my own snowdrift. It’s fine to post snowboarding photos here if you can’t actually see the board….right??

I think we're all distracted by the amazing pants

 

[AJM]

So this is the view from our house .... those mountains were bare yesterday !!

 

[Rashika]

Well in typical NZ style we woke up to possibly the biggest single snowfall of the season !!
Temps have been in low 20's for this past week then boom a big ol Southerly came charging up and that combined with the moist warm air delivered the goods with more to come .... sadly too late for some but the ones that are still open will be celebrating as its the begining of our school holidays.
Hubbys just headed out to Mt Olympus and I'm so disappointed I cant go as I love it up there but I've gone and tweaked my back so the rope tows are a no go at the moment .
Fingers crossed he can get up there as the road is pretty sketchy and with all the snow will be quite an adventure

Yeah 45cms of new snow at Mt hutt and I'm in bed at home cos partner is working! But at least I'm watching ski learning videos so my brain is working and visualizing what I should b doing even if my body can't do it right now
Tomorrow will b a definite goer, fingers crossed.
What a ride, all this new snow, it's fantastic!
And those pants are so cool, I will watch out for them!

 

[AJM]

Yeah 45cms of new snow at Mt hutt and I'm in bed at home cos partner is working! But at least I'm watching ski learning videos so my brain is working and visualizing what I should b doing even if my body can't do it right now
Tomorrow will b a definite goer, fingers crossed.
What a ride, all this new snow, it's fantastic!
And those pants are so cool, I will watch out for them!

Yes I'm sensing a Mt Hutt day coming up !!

 

[santacruz skier]

View attachment 21610
The official total at Hutt was 9cm and official conditions were slush. Up top was somewhere between slush and pow - nowhere as hard on my legs as normal Hutt slush - and definitely areas deeper than 9cm, although I had just stopped so accumulated my own snowdrift. It’s fine to post snowboarding photos here if you can’t actually see the board….right??

Cute pants

 

[AJM]

So word is in from Mt O and the snow is pretty much unskiable !!
Thicker than wet cement so I'm glad I passed on going

 

[scandium]

Mt Olympus had some serious rain before it turned to snow so I am unsurprised. I am back in the North Island with typical poor timing (was trying to avoid school holidays!) but looking with amazement at the Fox Peak webcam (there was NO snow on that skifield on Friday morning) and Ohau.

 

[Rashika]

So word is in from Mt O and the snow is pretty much unskiable !!
Thicker than wet cement so I'm glad I passed on going

Drats, that's sad for hubby!
Amazing looking at the ohau pics!

 

[AJM]

Mt Olympus had some serious rain before it turned to snow so I am unsurprised. I am back in the North Island with typical poor timing (was trying to avoid school holidays!) but looking with amazement at the Fox Peak webcam (there was NO snow on that skifield on Friday morning) and Ohau.

I think they all had some serious rain before the snow, saw some insta shots on Mt Hutt page and it looks like fairly challenging conditions
My sons just come down from the hill and laughed and said "Yup thats why I'm here and not skiing"

 

[scandium]

I think it may well have been nicer yesterday as it was fresh wet snow at that point.... but I imagine it locked up overnight like cement drying. I think it was easier on a board than it would have been on skis, the slowness and softness helped my confidence so I actually rode on steeper slopes than usual! So weird when you think you are about to hit a death cookie and it just smushes up.