 Poster: A snowHead
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With the local lifts due to start operating in less than a month it's time to start this season's thread. The only really new development in the region is the installation of a new lift on Mt Cardrona. Well it is actually the refurbished old McDougalls chair. It is the first lift going into the Soho basin side of the mountain and will open up new terrain in an area called Willows Basin. Named after the 1988 movie Willow because this area was used for filming. The terrain is mostly intermediate and is south and west of the main base area. In the future there will be at least one new lift further north in the main Soho basin area. We still need a far bit of snow to open any lifts and there is a bit forecast over the next few days.
Further north in the mid and south Canterbury region there is a major weather event developing and snow forecasts for the ski areas range from 1.5m to over 2.5m. With flooding at lower altitudes.
Late last winter I moved from Queenstown a couple of hours away to rural Central Otago so won't be up on the snow as frequently as in previous years but will try to keep you updated as the season develops.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Cheers Sarge McSarge.
I will enjoy your reports  As I've previously mentioned, we have a soft spot for NZ after a brilliant trip there (& a great time on the slopes of the South Island) in July 2019.
Here's to a great season for you down there!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Hutt reporting 3-4 metres at the top, 40cm at the bottom - high freezing level.
Wouldn’t be surprised if their access road is a mess though. They had about half a metre of rain through there over 3 days.
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Yesterday The Remarkables opened for the season, the first or the southern areas to do so. But there is a catch. Only two beginner conveyor lifts operating. Early stats are showing that June is heading towards a record as the warmest ever for NZ. Good news is that there is a cold storm approaching for early next week, let us hope that is actually going to happen 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Early stats are showing that June is heading towards a record as the warmest ever for NZ. Good news is that there is a cold storm approaching for early next week, let us hope that is actually going to happen
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Plenty of time for things to change and improve Sarge McSarge. Fingers crossed!!
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Well the forecast storm actually delivered some useful snow to the mountains. The Remarkables is reporting 55cm in the last 72 hours plus snowmaking and most lifts will be open. Coronet Peak 25cm since yesterday plus extensive snowmaking and opening tomorrow. Cardrona 20cm in the last few days and partially open. Treble Cone 23cm in the last two days and opening soon.
So quite a change for the better in the last few days. Weather will be cold and dry for the next few days so hopefully plenty of snowmaking to top up the natural stuff we have just received.
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10 to 25cm reported on the mountains from the last 24 hours. Not a huge amount but with the ongoing snowmaking the conditions are improving it buy bit. From the business point of view people are very happy that the travel bubble with Australia is open again except for New South Wales/Sydney. With it being Australian school holidays it will help with the numbers. NZ schools go out this coming weekend so it will be getting rather busy.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Quick update Treble Cone had 50cm in the last 24hrs and has partially opened today  Cardron 30cm, Renmarkables 25cm, Coronet Peak 25cm. Add in lovely cold temps for the snowmakers and thing are actually looking a lot better.
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Bet that was needed.
I’ve just spent 4 hours melting p-tex into my kids snowboards after they spent last week in Queenstown.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Rule #1 of Skiing Queenstown. Never go off the groomed runs at the Remarkables until snow pack has really built up 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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With 20cm to 40cm reported on the mountains in the last 24hrs the conditions are the best so far this season. It is still snowing and there could be a reasonable ammount still to come during the day. Might even have to make the trip and get a few days on the snow
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Bad luck then with the latest NZ lockdown, sods law?
Seems a bit extreme for one case though.
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You know it makes sense.
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Yes with the lockdown the best snow of the season in this area is unavailable. One case is now five and with our low vacination rates we realy need to stamp it out. Don't want to end up like the UK with it still out of control.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@Sarge McSarge, NZ (like Australia) definitely needs to accelerate the vaccinations, you cant keep it out and borders closed forever.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I’m gutted. So much good snow around this week, had a heli day booked, and a touring trip locked in. Bad timing!
Mountains in Canterbury look loaded this morning.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@ster, Indeed we do. I live in a small rural community in the lower South Island but we are only four hours from Auckland so quite ok to have a short hard lockdown. At present only for three days for everyone outside of the Auckland area. For the last year we have been living a pretty normal life here and with the exception of the travel and tourism sectors the economy is doing well and unemployment is really low. So the isolation thing has been ok so far but can not be for ever. Vaccination is on track for all adults before the end of the year. After that who knows.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Given its zero covid/elimination policy, and the fact that (as proven in the UK and elsewhere) two jabs does not stop people contracting covid, I can't see how NZ can ever open its border.
The moment it does open the border, the Delta variant will be on the loose...
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There is no one here expecting that the NZ border will stay severly restricted for ever. The present policy is what is happening now. The whole fight against covid is an ever changing situation and the government has been open in saying that the plan will change along the way. Most of NZ has been doing very well and the restriction on people entering the country does not prevent the import and export of goods so the economy is working fine. The worlds addiction to international travel is part of the reason why so many countries are unable to get on top of covid. It is woth noting that the countries with right wing male led governments are standouts in how not to look after their people. Time after time they repeated the fallacy that it was either lock down or the economy and yet we see that a propper early lock down results in far less damage to the economy and and a quicker rebound.
This article from a Brit living here spells out what is actually happening.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/24/why-were-happy-hobbits-in-jacindas-mysterious-socialist-hermit-kingdom
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Going out on a limb here but it’s alright in Nz without loads of tourists. Seeing as how the economy is going so well I’m not sure where all the money they used to spend has ended up. Would be nice to get back to the Uk to see family though so I’m looking forward to things opening up but I really hope the government take the opportunity to sort out what was a huge issue with over tourism before the borders closed.
Sucks not being able to get up the mountains at the moment, but I’ve got over 20 days in this season already. Probably more than most in other parts of the world.
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I can see why it would appear to be not a bad process. But I am sure some industries are really suffering, I read that the big southern ski fields are missing a big part of their season now, with Australians not coming over and restrictions on travel from the NI not allowing these to be made up by domestic substitution, plus with the lockdowns lasting longer in Auckland (four weeks and counting for this one?) which is a big part of the economy no doubt issues will be caused there too. It remains to be seen how much damage will be done by a prolonged run of snap lockdowns with indeterminate end for each, and how long the population will continue to support them as other countries with faster vaccination rates move away from this concept and need for it.
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Vaccination rates are ramping up now and things will change once most have had it.
One of the key reasons that vaccination rates are so low is because vaccine supplies went where they were needed.
Which wasn’t Nz with 26 deaths out of a 5 million population.
The lock down thing sucks but in comparison to nearly any other country things in NZ have been mostly normal for the last 18 months. The economy (so far) has performed really well too.
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FAQ
