Had a major storm last weekend which put down between 2 and 4 metres of snow at altitude and caused chaos with huge rainfall. Up to half a metre over 3 days.
A bit further north just got clipped by it, so had good early season conditions.
Hanmer springs opened today. Never been before, been on the list for ages but doesn’t get open that often.
Had a great day. 8 cars in the car park, 13 punters on the hill. Lapped the rope tow all morning, had some lunch and went out the back for a quick tour this afternoon. Thought I had seen it all with Nz ski field access roads but their one is next level sporty. Took a Subaru Forester on snow tyres with chains on all 4 wheels up there. Was like taking a knife to a gunfight. Actually scary but made it up and down in one piece so all good.
Photo bombed a news crew too
Great start to the season. Should have a few more spots open up over the next couple of weeks, heli ops start 1st July. Looking forward to it
Think there’s a Poma. It’s rustic! Not like Europe.
Here’s the tow from the top - might be a bit different to non Nz rope tows? Moves real quick, and you use a nutcracker on a climbing harness to hold on to the rope.
And a couple of others from today
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Thu 3-06-21 10:00; edited 1 time in total
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Beautiful, but that looks very steep for a tow at the top!
After all it is free
After all it is free
That’s mellow. There’s one down the road that goes as much as 40 degrees for 1.4 km. It’s brutal. But is worth the effort on the right day - the heritage tow at round hill.
The benefit of this kind of high end lift infrastructure is lift passes cost about 20 quid in uk money
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40 degrees! Wow £20 does soften the 'blow' a bit but I'd need to build my shoulders up for that.
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
It’s easy on skis. Harder on a board and really hard on a board if it’s behind you.
Just need to use heavy gloves to grab the rope and then get up to speed before chucking the nutcracker over it, then the harness does all the work
Less fun is getting a pulley in the knee/Crown Jewels or the nutcracker releasing and knocking out a couple of teeth. It also rips jackets to pieces, so best ridden in something cheap and semi disposable. I use gardening gloves and an old soft shell. Very efficient low cost system though.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Quote:
Less fun is getting a pulley in the knee/Crown Jewels or the nutcracker releasing and knocking out a couple of teeth. It also rips jackets to pieces, so best ridden in something cheap and semi disposable
Think I'd rather pay full wack and have all my teeth, body parts and clothing intact
Looks great though!
We still have cast alloy tow hooks from a now defunct *local ski area (* Teesdale Ski Club in the North Pennines of England). The tow there certainly used to take it out of your arms...
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.
Got up to Hutt for opening day yesterday. They have a new 8 seat high speed lift in for the lower mountain. Looks flash. Lots of “snow” aka ice that is 3 metres deep in places. Great base, set up for the season, just needs to get a bit colder and snow some more. Groomers only due to the ice.
The recent big storm and new lift brought the crowds out - over 2,000 people up there which is unusual for early season.
This is a great movie that’s just come out - all wanaka based but gives a good feel for what snow sports are like at the bottom of the world
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
hang11 wrote:
It’s easy on skis. Harder on a board and really hard on a board if it’s behind you.
Just need to use heavy gloves to grab the rope and then get up to speed before chucking the nutcracker over it, then the harness does all the work
Less fun is getting a pulley in the knee/Crown Jewels or the nutcracker releasing and knocking out a couple of teeth. It also rips jackets to pieces, so best ridden in something cheap and semi disposable. I use gardening gloves and an old soft shell. Very efficient low cost system though.
I have a marketing job for you mate ...
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I'm assuming that it's still not possible for tourists to fly into NZ, though? Any idea if or when that may change?
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@philwig, ozzies can come in, apart from Victoria at the moment. Cook Islands too, and maybe a couple of other pacific nations soon.
Don’t think the government here are in any hurry to open up to the rest of the world. Maybe in time for next winter.
Looks like a solid storm incoming next week
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Very jealous! We stayed in Wanaka a few years ago and really enjoyed the off piste around Treble Cone (one chairlift at either side of the mountain from memory and no rope tows!).
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
TC is great if you can catch a good day without crowds.
Just stopped for coffee and bacon and eggs between pow runs on a near empty mountain
20-30cm of good snow last night. It’s looking good. No need to hurry either.
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?
@hang11, lucky you. Snow coverage down here in the south is looking miserable with nothing like enough to open any lifts.
I’m just standing in the queue for the 6 seater waiting for patrol to sort it all out. Weathers clearing and looking like a banger afternoon on the cards
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Great day. Week 1 of the season and the weather cleared to no groom on the upper mountain, no queues and lots of pow laps. Nice dry snow on a good base.
Got up to hutt again today. It’s still the only mountain open in NZ currently, although top of the South Island hills got big numbers in a storm over the weekend, so should be opening soon.
Today was about 20cm of new snow, weather cleared mid morning. A great and quiet day. Need to go to work some time soon.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Went for a stroll out the back of Hutt today. Nice to see the Pacific Ocean from the snow. Not much else open around the local area currently, but looks like a season starter storm is incoming next week.
After all it is free
After all it is free
hang11 wrote:
Went for a stroll out the back of Hutt today. Nice to see the Pacific Ocean from the snow. Not much else open around the local area currently, but looks like a season starter storm is incoming next week.
Cracking - miss that view out over the Rakaia (?) river & the plains... Worked at the ski school for the '99 winter, and have been meaning to go back ever since...!!!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
This is what SnowHeads is about, not all that other guff - Cheers @hang11,
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Got up for another heli day with one of my kids today. Really good snow up high on the main divide.
Snows been decent for the last couple of weeks and school holiday crowds are gone. Been getting out touring a fair bit recently.
A quick video of a family party lap this afternoon.
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.
A few more recent pics
Foot powered - from the weekend
Money powered
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@hang11, lovely. Are the helis super expensive in NZ?
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@telford_mike, don't know how it compares to overseas - about 600 GBP for a 6 run day - which is a lot of vertical.
My justification is that two of us going to Europe for a couple of weeks is about $15k NZ, so 7 or 8 days on the heli for 2 of us is about the same price, for probably much better riding (although no culture ). And can't easily get overseas anyway at the moment.
We have got some genuinely big terrain here, very different to the ski fields which are mainly on the edge of the alps. The heli obviously gets to the much bigger stuff right out in the main divide. It's not easy to get to any of it on foot either - very remote and no way to access it.
Mt Dobson in the Mackenzie today. 25cm of light and dry new snow, very chilled day, no crowds and sun. One of the real gems of Nz ski areas on the right day
It’s got the highest public road in Nz - about 1800m. Took my newly upgraded 4wd up there today
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Nice wheels and nice snow. How is the Suzuki for power up those long access roads.
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?
Slow . But unstoppable.
Going to take it for a drive to macetown later today
First day at level 2 here after a 3 week break - means back country and aviation are off the naughty list. Got up for a heli day, there’s been about 1.8m of snow over the last couple of weeks. Epic day as always.
A fun drive to the airport this morning
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
hang11 wrote:
First day at level 2 here after a 3 week break - means back country and aviation are off the naughty list. Got up for a heli day, there’s been about 1.8m of snow over the last couple of weeks. Epic day as always.
After all it is free
After all it is free
A few more from yesterday - me and my daughter. In the ragged range
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Fantastic pics hang11 - thanks for sharing
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Might need a bankruptcy lawyer. Just got talked into going up again tomorrow
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- Cheers 
