International (Europe/Japan/Southern Hemisphere) 2022 Southern Hemisphere Ski Resort/Conditions/Meetups

[James]

This tweet makes me think about looking into some travel.

^ Looks like a Vail lift on a weekend in 2022.

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

Good start to your season! Hopefully, the rest of the season brings the goods as well!

 

[Turoa Kiwi]

And here we have Vertical Heights of New Zealand and Australian ski areas combined with a correction of Mt Cheeseman's stats
All measurements are in meters

 

[Turoa Kiwi]

So, here are a couple of web cam shots of Turoa , my home hill
This shot is from the top of The High Noon express looking down. In the centre just below the current snow line is one of the water reservoirs. It sits about 30 mts higher than the base area. There's no significant snow in the forecast so it will be a couple of weeks before things kick off up there


Here's the bottom drive station of the High Noon .
In the distance is Mt Taranaki

This is pretty much all of Turoa, as it is at the moment , showing all of its terrain.
the High Noon 6 seater is just right of center. From there its about a 45 -55 minute steep hike to the top


My daughter and I a couple of years ago at the Crater Lake Mt Ruapehu

 

[James]

This is pretty much all of Turoa, as it is at the moment , showing all of its terrain.
the High Noon 6 seater is just right of center. From there its about a 45 -55 minute steep hike to the top

Do those upper pitches ever slide?

 

[Turoa Kiwi]

View attachment 171747
Do those upper pitches ever slide?

Oh yes!!
A few years ago a huge part of the upper middle shadowed slope area gave way
There was a groomer driver wearing socks, no shoes, pushing snow near the top terminal when it let go way above him.
He jumped out of the groomer, ran for the terminal and then the avalanche well and truly overtopped it, and barrel rolled the groomer 200mts down the mountain, destroying it along with the top pylons and haul rope . It was early season so the top of the mountain then stayed out of reach for everyone.

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

And then here's a couple of videos of other controlled avalanches

This massive, older one is running down the top lookers right hand side of Turoa in an area called The Glacier which is just outside the ski area boundary, but is very well used by a lot of people


And this one is running right down the middle . I was there that early morning sitting in the cafe, waiting for the mountain to open. It gave the staff a hell of a fright and then the whole place stayed closed for the day as they ended up bombing the hell out of it

Ski field avalanche control team triggers massive Mt Ruapehu avalanche

The avalanche's size was due to a weak layer of snow underneath the snow pack. No damage or injury occurred.

www.1news.co.nz

with footage here:

 

[jimtransition]

Every southern lakes resort closed today due to wind/snow/rain! It's been great conditions to start the winter, busy with lessons as well. Here's a few turns from Coronet peak on Saturday View attachment IMG_2527~2.mp4

 

[Turoa Kiwi]

Every southern lakes resort closed today due to wind/snow/rain! It's been great conditions to start the winter, busy with lessons as well. Here's a few turns from Coronet peak on Saturday View attachment 173570

Nice iconic shot of Coronet Peak with Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu in the background.


I've just had two days at the very small club fields at Hanmer Springs ski area with 340 mts vertical and then two days at Fox Peak with 681 mts vertical.
Both of these have nut crackers and pomas only.
Hanmer had 20 cms of fresh snow which skied very well and Fox reported 50 cms .
Fox was a bit of a battle though as it was 2-3 cms of breakable crust over 35 -45cms of soft deep fresh snow. Multiple face plants were had...

Waiau River on the way to Hanmer springs Ski area

You've got to like driving on roads like this to get to most of the small NZ club ski fields. Snow chains definitely required The day hut at Hanmer Springs. Very cosy


Looking down Hanmer Springs ski field. Snow coverage is better than this photo shows

Fox Peak trail map. It's a 3-4 hour skin up to the peak from the top tow 681 mts vertical


Pretty basic facilities but everyone knows everyone. Super friendly and social setup

Looking down from the Meadows tow

A few lived in huts for the hardy souls that keep the Fox Peak ski club field operating


Lake Opuha with the South Pacific Ocean in the distance Lower front of Fox Peak

 

[LiquidFeet]

Nice iconic shot of Coronet Peak with Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu in the background.


I've just had two days at the very small club fields at Hanmer Springs ski area with 340 mts vertical and then two days at Fox Peak with 681 mts vertical.
Both of these have nut crackers and pomas only.
Hanmer had 20 cms of fresh snow which skied very well and Fox reported 50 cms .
Fox was a bit of a battle though as it was 2-3 cms of breakable crust over 35 -45cms of soft deep fresh snow. Multiple face plants were had...

Waiau River on the way to Hanmer springs Ski area View attachment 173594

You've got to like driving on roads like this to get to most of the small NZ club ski fields. Snow chains definitely required View attachment 173590 View attachment 173593 The day hut at Hanmer Springs. Very cosy View attachment 173591 View attachment 173592


Looking down Hanmer Springs ski field. Snow coverage is better than this photo shows View attachment 173595

Fox Peak trail map. It's a 3-4 hour skin up to the peak from the top tow 681 mts vertical
View attachment 173598

Pretty basic facilities but everyone knows everyone. Super friendly and social setup View attachment 173596

Looking down from the Meadows tow View attachment 173597

A few lived in huts for the hardy souls that keep the Fox Peak ski club field operating
View attachment 173600

Lake Opuha with the South Pacific Ocean in the distance View attachment 173601 Lower front of Fox Peak View attachment 173602

How do the "club fields" work? Do people join a club and pay dues, then they have access to the skiing? But strangers who aren't members can't ski there? I am just guessing. I've always wondered.

 

[Turoa Kiwi]

Most clubs you pay a subscription to belong. This fee can be reduced if you attend working parties where you all pitch in and do maintenance. Normally 2-3 days a year. Then you pay a very small fee to ski and a fee to stay there overnight
I was a visitor to Hanmer To stay two nights at Hanmer and ski two days cost me NZ $200 or US123. A clubbie would pay approx 50% of that. The clubs are great places, with good honest fun hard working people belonging to them

 

[LiquidFeet]

@Turoa Kiwi, do the clubs actually own their own ski areas?

 

[Turoa Kiwi]

@Turoa Kiwi, do the clubs actually own their own ski areas?

It varies
Most are on Government Department of Conservation land and some are on farmland leased to the clubs at peppercorn rental rates.

 

[James]

They sell leather over shells at the fields?

 

[Turoa Kiwi]

They sell leather over shells at the fields?

Most club members and regular visitors have their own, or you can hire them for the day at the fields for $5
They only cost $20 or so

 

[James]

Most club members and regular visitors have their own, or you can hire them for the day at the fields for $5
They only cost $20 or so

What about the nut cracker?

 

[Turoa Kiwi]

What about the nut cracker?

Very much the same. Most people who visit club fields own them, but you can rent them for sure.

 

[Turoa Kiwi]

So. I just had a great day at Mt Hutt
First time there this season and it had 30 cms of light fluffy fresh snow covering the whole mountain following a storm. The road up was snowed in and didn’t open until about 10 30. The Summit 6 chair didn’t operate at all due to 100 km hr winds at the top. The Nor West Express was therefore busy and when the triple chair opened after avalanche control was completed, under the Towers was the place to spend the rest of the day. This last storm has given Mt Hutt a seriously good base for the rest of the season

 

[geepers]

So. I just had a great day at Mt Hutt
First time there this season and it had 30 cms of light fluffy fresh snow covering the whole mountain following a storm. The road up was snowed in and didn’t open until about 10 30. The Summit 6 chair didn’t operate at all due to 100 km hr winds at the top. The Nor West Express was therefore busy and when the triple chair opened after avalanche control was completed, under the Towers was the place to spend the rest of the day. This last storm has given Mt Hutt a seriously good base for the rest of the season View attachment 173824 View attachment 173825 View attachment 173826

Wow, that looks good!

Saw on the TC feed they were closed a day or three due to a storm and then had a slip on the access road.

 

[chris_the_wrench]

The road up was snowed in and didn’t open until about 10 30.

Let me ask you about the roads. We were in New Zealand a few years back for another reason, but I was hoping to ski. Unfortunately that year we were abit too early so it didnt happen. I was planning on raging upto Hammer or Mt Hutt snowfield(we were in that area) in our little rental car. I was pretty naïve about the road conditions. If we were to try that again. Sounds like we should definitely rent a 4x4 or awd vehicle and swing by an auto parts store to buy some tire chains before we leave the bigger cities? That poor rental car got worked over, after I realized skiing wasnt happening it switched to a surf trip and banging around the backroads to surf breaks. Ive never encountered groups of hundreds, if not thousands, of sheep being walked down a road.

 

[Turoa Kiwi]

Let me ask you about the roads. We were in New Zealand a few years back for another reason, but I was hoping to ski. Unfortunately that year we were abit too early so it didnt happen. I was planning on raging upto Hammer or Mt Hutt snowfield(we were in that area) in our little rental car. I was pretty naïve about the road conditions. If we were to try that again. Sounds like we should definitely rent a 4x4 or awd vehicle and swing by an auto parts store to buy some tire chains before we leave the bigger cities? That poor rental car got worked over, after I realized skiing wasnt happening it switched to a surf trip and banging around the backroads to surf breaks. Ive never encountered groups of hundreds, if not thousands, of sheep being walked down a road.

A lot / most of NZ ski areas have steep gravel access roads with lots of switchbacks. I have a 4wd ute, a Mitsubishi Triton and I always carry chains when on ski trips.Where I ski in the North Island, at Turoa , It is a sealed road and as we get a predominately wet snow most of the time, if it freezes even slightly chains regularly become necessary