New Zealand 2024

[AJM]

Thought I'd begin a new thread for NZ 2024 but in reality its been a lean start down here
Our local Canterbury club fields have yet to start but Mt Hutt has managed to open and further down south Mt Dobson, Roundhill and Ohau all opened this last weekend but I think its still pretty lean everywhere.
It looks like Cardrona is getting dumped on as I type and Treble Cone is just on the cusp with a slightly too high freezing level which will hopefully lower over the next few hours, I think its snowing up high with rain at the base.
We (here in Canterbury) were hoping this current storm cycle might deliver the goods but its looking less and less likely at this stage but hey it might change ...... always hopeful
DH and his friend headed up to Porters on Saturday for a sneaky touring mission and lets just say it was gruesome trying to ski back down with a nasty crust on top of sugar on top of rock, heaven help you if tried to make a turn !! It was kick turns and whatever it took to get down.

It is still super early so we're not panicking yet by any means but it would have been so nice to start the season off with a bang rather than a whimper.

Have any of you other Kiwi gals made it out yet ?

 

[Magnatude]

We skied at Mt Hutt on Saturday. Coverage looked a lot better than I was expecting, but it was fairly superficial. With limited terrain open, plus weekend crowds, the runs were wearing right down to reveal patches of gravel here and there. But it was still a fun day. It is meant to be snowing for the next three days, but maybe not a lot in cms.

 

[AJM]

We skied at Mt Hutt on Saturday. Coverage looked a lot better than I was expecting, but it was fairly superficial. With limited terrain open, plus weekend crowds, the runs were wearing right down to reveal patches of gravel here and there. But it was still a fun day. It is meant to be snowing for the next three days, but maybe not a lot in cms.

Nice !! We've had friends that went down to Roundhill and also Dobo, it sounded similar, I see Roundhill were offering 20% off lift passes to compensate for the fact that not all lifts were operating which I thought was really good of them.
Fingers and toes crossed we get more snow soon !

 

[AJM]

Looks like Porters is aiming for this Friday 5th

 

[scandium]

I remember it was a bit of a slow start last year as well. But a long tail in the North Island (I skiied in October!) and some good September snow!

 

[AJM]

I remember it was a bit of a slow start last year as well. But a long tail in the North Island (I skiied in October!) and some good September snow!

It was a really slow start last year. at least you got a long tail, we got cut off at the knees in September

 

[scandium]

It was a really slow start last year. at least you got a long tail, we got cut off at the knees in September

Sadly, I only managed one day in October though due to work!

 

[Rashika]

Hey gals! Yay it's that time again and I've actually managed 3 days at mt hutt so far, day 1 was surprisingly ok given only half the mountain was open (a week after opening, I wasn't crazy enough to try opening day with such little snow). They tried opening the top lift and my partner went up for one run (he said was crap) and they closed it again after they had ten injury reports in half an hour.
Day 2 and 3 (last Friday matariki and Saturday) were both moderately good after some reasonable snow and lots of good snowmaking.
Day 2 was also day 1 of the priority parking idea ... Hmmm interesting, ok for us as we took 4 people up but not so good for many others and as it worked out Saturday was much busier than the priority day on Friday. Still it was a good start for us, early season so just nice to get back into the rhythm and taking it easy. Looks like another good dump yesterday but again only 1 lift open and the road has been closed most of the day due to visibility and road snow drifts.. good day to not be there I think.
My kids are happy with season passes this year, shame it will mostly be busy weekend days though.
Great to see Dobson open now too, can't wait to get back up there one weekend, really enjoy that feild

 

[AJM]

Fantastic @Rashika !! Yup, the priority parking scenario, I wonder how thats going to pan out,? I've heard Porters has sold a few seasons passes to Mt Hutt folk who aren't keen on the whole idea so that will also be interesting, think I'm going to be avoiding the weekends like the plague !!
Looks like Dobo etc got some good snow out of this storm and we're definitely heading down that way once the school hols are over.

 

[Rashika]

Fantastic @Rashika !! Yup, the priority parking scenario, I wonder how thats going to pan out,? I've heard Porters has sold a few seasons passes to Mt Hutt folk who aren't keen on the whole idea so that will also be interesting, think I'm going to be avoiding the weekends like the plague !!
Looks like Dobo etc got some good snow out of this storm and we're definitely heading down that way once the school hols are over.

Yup I heard same about porters selling a few more season passes which could shake things up a bit. Not sure if the priority days will achieve what they hope for though.
Not sure I will get up porters this year as the kids are coming up with us for the priority days at hutt now lol
Looks like the snow has finally dropped on the southern fields which is fab too.
We do have a trip to turoa planned for end September, for a turoa ski patrollers etc reunion so fingers crossed for a couple of ski days there, woohoo

 

[scandium]

Fantastic @Rashika !! Yup, the priority parking scenario, I wonder how thats going to pan out,? I've heard Porters has sold a few seasons passes to Mt Hutt folk who aren't keen on the whole idea so that will also be interesting, think I'm going to be avoiding the weekends like the plague !!
Looks like Dobo etc got some good snow out of this storm and we're definitely heading down that way once the school hols are over.

Honestly, I think it makes sense; it's not like Hutt is the only option, and it does get more people up the mountain per car. But it might slow things down overall with the checking each individual car...

 

[Rashika]

Honestly, I think it makes sense; it's not like Hutt is the only option, and it does get more people up the mountain per car. But it might slow things down overall with the checking each individual car...

The priority day seemed fairly straight forward on Friday but there is a lot of negative pushback from the locals so I guess we will see.

 

[scandium]

The priority day seemed fairly straight forward on Friday but there is a lot of negative pushback from the locals so I guess we will see.

I remember it was getting a bit ridiculous in the last couple of years how early people were getting up to get into the top carpark, perhaps they intended to dissuade people a bit...

 

[AJM]

I remember it was getting a bit ridiculous in the last couple of years how early people were getting up to get into the top carpark, perhaps they intended to dissuade people a bit...

I'm not sure it will, this whole thing about getting a carpark has got out of control
It's even migrated to Porters, it puts me off to be honest, having spent the Summer and Autumn paddleboarding and hiking with hardly anyone around and no rushing its going to be a shock racing out the door to get up there early then deal with hordes of people.
I know DH hates it and usually heads out back country on busy days , I might have to get a touring set up and join him, either that or head back to the clubbies where we used to ski.

 

[Rashika]

Yeah I don't think it will either. The priority day didn't actually fill up the top carpark (with the new 4 to a car limit) and some almost full cars with 3 in them had to stay in the next carpark and bus up... Not really sure what the best option is tbh. I don't think it will change the time we leave methven (which is only ten minutes to the base of the mountain), still leave by 6.30-6.45 am for 9am opening.
And it's first tracks (in theory) from this weekend (8 am opening) so Def still 6.30 leaving even if we don't have a full car. Really hope they have the buses going early from the lower parks cos will be annoyed if we miss first tracks cos we are stuck at a lower park.

It's one of the reasons I really like Dobson, no real queues and it's good skiing for my level

 

[AJM]

Yeah I don't think it will either. The priority day didn't actually fill up the top carpark (with the new 4 to a car limit) and some almost full cars with 3 in them had to stay in the next carpark and bus up... Not really sure what the best option is tbh. I don't think it will change the time we leave methven (which is only ten minutes to the base of the mountain), still leave by 6.30-6.45 am for 9am opening.
And it's first tracks (in theory) from this weekend (8 am opening) so Def still 6.30 leaving even if we don't have a full car. Really hope they have the buses going early from the lower parks cos will be annoyed if we miss first tracks cos we are stuck at a lower park.

It's one of the reasons I really like Dobson, no real queues and it's good skiing for my level

I like Dobson as well, nice and laid back, I like Ohau and Roundhill as well, cant wait to go back down there.
Keep us updated on how the Mt Hutt carparking policy goes !

 

[santacruz skier]

Northern Hemisphere divas are now living vicariously through you all!

 

[scandium]

I like Dobson as well, nice and laid back, I like Ohau and Roundhill as well, cant wait to go back down there.
Keep us updated on how the Mt Hutt carparking policy goes !

Roundhill is SO great (especially when the rope tow is open!)

 

[AJM]

Northern Hemisphere divas are now living vicariously through you all!

Hopefully we have a great season, its a bit of lame start where I am (much better further South) and even though Porters is hoping to open on Friday it looks like its only the lower lifts so whether I bother remains to be seen but if I do I'll be sure to put some pics up xx

 

[Eera]

Hopefully we have a great season, its a bit of lame start where I am (much better further South) and even though Porters is hoping to open on Friday it looks like its only the lower lifts so whether I bother remains to be seen but if I do I'll be sure to put some pics up xx

Do you have a relationship between start of the season and end of it like we do here? It seems that if you get a shithouse start you get a great end and vice-versa. Nothing on opening weekend but starting to get a decent cover now so history (might be apocryphal but I'm running with it) says it's going to kick off!