Trip Report South Island 2019 Trip Report, Conditions & Pics

[Ozgirl]

With all this talk of Stoke treads, and with a sneaky trip locked in for me in August I decided to start a thread.

Will be popping my heli cherry on this trip too! So I am snow dancing and trying to build the Stoke!

#jacksgotthis

 

[Ozgirl]

I fly out of Sydney into Queenstown on 6th August and have a Mountain Collective pass, so remarks and coronet peak, with a cardie trip possible too. We have penciled in the 10th as a heli day. But will look that in on arrival, as it will be weather dependent (the company will change the day if they can)

Flying out of Christchurch on the 13th.

 

[mr]

3-10th of august for me in QT / Wanaka and the rugrats, heli unlikely!

 

[Seafm]

Number one son and his partner are in Queenstown late September compliments of a trip they won. Not doing any snow stuff as both are recovering from ACL injuries. SDS will be horrible for them I think. I'll post a few pictures of their trip.

 

[Bluebird]

I'll be there first week in July, not to ski unfortunately as I'm going with my mum (not a skier). Planning on some adventures nonetheless. Happy to post updates about conditions etc whilst I'm there.

 

[Zimbooo]

With all this talk of Stoke treads, and with a sneaky trip locked in for me in August I decided to start a thread.

Will be popping my heli cherry on this trip too! So I am snow dancing and trying to build the Stoke!

#jacksgotthis

@Heinz is your encyclopaedia regarding best heli options..... hope you score!!!

 

[Telestrom]

Wonderful sunset from the Remarks webcam tonight.

 

[Legs Akimbo]

With all this talk of Stoke treads, and with a sneaky trip locked in for me in August I decided to start a thread.

Will be popping my heli cherry on this trip too! So I am snow dancing and trying to build the Stoke!

#jacksgotthis

You deserve some good times. Go grrrl!

 

[Heinz]

Usual deal for me. Wanaka Aug 4-17.

 

[Heinz]

We have penciled in the 10th as a heli day. But will look that in on arrival, as it will be weather dependent (the company will change the day if they can)

Which company?
You definitely need to be flexible with the fly day. Allow yourself a window of several days at least. Sure give yourself a couple days at the start to get your legs in, but then be ready to go as soon a conditions look good. Many people make the mistake of going for a week, but just penciling the last day or two for heli, then have weather come in and miss out. So you are right to check in with the operator on conditions on arrival and target a day. If that day doesn't happen due to wind/cloud/snow etc you will get booked on the following day.

 

[snowgum]

Wonderful sunset from the Remarks webcam tonight.

Fabulous view! With Earnlaw & Aspiring looming in the background. Shows just how low the coronet runs go!

 

[Ozgirl]

Which company?
You definitely need to be flexible with the fly day. Allow yourself a window of several days at least. Sure give yourself a couple days at the start to get your legs in, but then be ready to go as soon a conditions look good. Many people make the mistake of going for a week, but just penciling the last day or two for heli, then have weather come in and miss out. So you are right to check in with the operator on conditions on arrival and target a day. If that day doesn't happen due to wind/cloud/snow etc you will get booked on the following day.

With HMH and yep my plan is to follow up with them closer to the time.

Won't need to get my legs as I will have just done a clinic the weekend before.

And the other people I am going with live in jindy.

 

[Heinz]

With HMH and yep my plan is to follow up with them closer to the time.

Won't need to get my legs as I will have just done a clinic the weekend before.

And the other people I am going with live in jindy.

I have skied with few of the Queenstown HMH guides when they take people over to the Wanaka side. Mike has now taken over as Chief guide to allow Mark to focus more on his annual film festival. Mike has been trying to get me to come down to ski a bit more of the Queenstown terrain.

 

[Untele-whippet]

Craigieburn Haute Route with @climberman at the end of August with a few days afterwards chasing more white goodness.

 

[snowgum]

Great looking tour.

Worth getting fit for!

 

[Ozgirl]

Usual deal for me. Wanaka Aug 4-17.

I missed this. Maybe we will cross over at Cardrona on a day.

 

[Red_switch]

Slow start so far, let's hope we see some decent precip soon-ish...

 

[Red_switch]

In reality, that's fairly unlikely.

 

[Born2ski]

One week until we head over. Although the first week is a sightseeing drive down from Auckland so we're not on snow until the 6th of July. Hope they get some more snow before then.

 

[Dumphfish]

One week until we head over. Although the first week is a sightseeing drive down from Auckland so we're not on snow until the 6th of July. Hope they get some more snow before then.

Next week looking pretty dry but after that there is some more promise. Could be good timing?

 

[Brunty]

Just got back from a week in QT, never get tired of it. View from Coronet across to Remarks on Saturday.

 

[DPS Driver]

I'll be there soon. No set dates yet.

 

[Red_switch]

I'll be there soon. No set dates yet.

Don't rush.

 

[mauricem]

Don't rush.

especially if you want to ski TC. Should have been open last Thursday, still closed and no ETA yet

 

[Red_switch]

especially if you want to ski TC. Should have been open last Thursday, still closed and no ETA yet

That comes with the territory with TC.

 

[Peanut]

I’m off to Queenstown in a couple of weeks with the family (getting excited, especially now I’ve finished writing reports and the end of term is nearly in sight). Mstr 8 has finally seen the light and wants to learn to ski so he can “keep up with the rest of the family”. I’ve got 3 x 3 hour private adaptive lessons booked for him, which I plan to tag along on at least initially for my son’s reassurance. Having said that, he may decide he doesn’t want me there, so I may just end up doing my own thing.

The kids have been a bit more involved this year in helping me organise our off-snow entertainment as well. I’ve had requests for the aquatic centre, Fat Badgers pizza and the onsen hot pools. Hubby wants to go into town early one morning for breakfast when we’re not skiing. I’ve suggested that we go up the gondola, eat breakky up there and ride the luges. Obviously that will be subject to weather conditions.

 

[DPS Driver]

Don't rush.

Ha ha, no I'm not. Waiting for more goodness from the heavens.

 

[Red_switch]

Ha ha, no I'm not. Waiting for more goodness from the heavens.

Gonna be touring down qtown ways?

 

[craighelo]

especially if you want to ski TC. Should have been open last Thursday, still closed and no ETA yet

Scheduled opening was this Thursday

 

[DPS Driver]

Gonna be touring down qtown ways?

Probably not. My days there are usually work related which is more resort centric. If the weather gods align and my days work out then possibly a quick skin could be on the cards.

 

[Ozgirl]

With HMH and yep my plan is to follow up with them closer to the time.

Won't need to get my legs as I will have just done a clinic the weekend before.

And the other people I am going with live in jindy.

@LMB - we got a SUBSTANTIAL discount too

 

[Bluebird]

I got some great views of the Alps flying to Chch yesterday. Shame there wasn't more snow on them...

 

[Donzah]

I see Aoraki!

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I see Aoraki!

Bingo

 

[Zimbooo]

Who could ever get sick of that view....................magnificent.
Nice pic of the (receding glaciers) as well.

 

[Bluebird]

Guns were going off like crazy at CP this morning. It is definitely low tide for snow here at the moment.

 

[chriscross]

Some great pics but sadly true re: glaciers. On that topic, does anyone know if the Tasman is still skiable? It used to be highly rated. Was on my list but not so sure now.

 

[Red_switch]

Some great pics but sadly true re: glaciers. On that topic, does anyone know if the Tasman is still skiable? It used to be highly rated. Was on my list but not so sure now.

Oh yeah, that's definitely still a thing!

 

[pedub]

Any advice on heli skiing around Mt Cook? i.e. good routes/companies to pick?
Have done in Wanaka before

 

[Heinz]

Any advice on heli skiing around Mt Cook? i.e. good routes/companies to pick?
Have done in Wanaka before

I have had several days there over the years including an awesome one to finish last years trip. See here.
That was with HMH with a 2 hour drive from Wanaka. Others flew up from Queenstown.
HMH work closely with Mt Cook Heliski who are locally based. Best guy to talk to is Trev Streat who has been guiding in that region for well over 20 years (previously based Wanaka with HMH).

 

[Call_me_Ishmael]

Well we're finishing up our annual 10 days
Snow was surprisingly decent early last week but failing fast now
Dust on crust sometimes with no dust over the entire Southern Lakes District by today but props to Remarks they have delivered a decent skifield - in fact the only one that has really including Cardies and despite Coronet's ski making wizardry
Sadly that's meant the overall experience at Remarkables was less than usual with parking crowds and whatever snow there's been devoured by the masses( which we were part of)
An unusually dense intersection of NZ and Australian school holidays too
Having said that it's always fun and with any luck the Southern fields should be pumping by Monday after a quick squizz at the weekend's minty looking charts

 

[Peanut]

We’re in Christchurch at the moment after spending 8 days in Queenstown, with 4 days on the snow. Mstr 8 picked up skiing pretty quickly, and we ended up booking an extra private lesson for him for our fourth day on the snow. He had the most amazing adaptive instructor, and we also had adaptive volunteers come along with us for the first three days of lessons.

I would like to say a special thanks to @DPS Driver for Mstr 8’s pink skis. He got so many compliments about them, and he loved skiing on them.

 

[Ozgirl]

Sounds great!

 

[snowgum]

I see Aoraki!

I think I see one of two more!

What a brilliant vista!

 

[snowgum]

I think I see one of two more!

What a brilliant vista!

Mountains that is! ⛷❄️

 

[snowgum]

Well we're finishing up our annual 10 days
Snow was surprisingly decent early last week but failing fast now
Dust on crust sometimes with no dust over the entire Southern Lakes District by today but props to Remarks they have delivered a decent skifield - in fact the only one that has really including Cardies and despite Coronet's ski making wizardry
Sadly that's meant the overall experience at Remarkables was less than usual with parking crowds and whatever snow there's been devoured by the masses( which we were part of)
An unusually dense intersection of NZ and Australian school holidays too
Having said that it's always fun and with any luck the Southern fields should be pumping by Monday after a quick squizz at the weekend's minty looking charts

Good past BTW!

How about the infamous Remarks rocks?

In lean snow periods, it can be quite a slalom fest around the rocks.

Where as CP & Cardi have a lot more grass underneath. And I think TC might be a mix - depending on which Basin ones in.

Oh apparently ski techs in Sth Lakes can readily tell a Remarks skier from other fields by the base.

That said it is a spectacular field and grand fun when the snow is there.

 

[mr]

3 weeks to go for us. Watching....

 

[Untele-whippet]

3 weeks to go for us. Watching....

Watching too, supposedly improving this coming week.

 

[mr]

When are you going @Untele-whippet ?

 

[Untele-whippet]

Not til late August.
Craigieburn Haute Route.
Hopefully the clubbies will manage to open this w/e.
Tussock skiing atm.