After a great day ski touring up in Arthurs Pass it was time to focus on another aspect in hopes of finding powder. After staring at the maps for a while we decided to ski tour Mount Wall in the Cheeseman Backcountry. Yossi had showed up and now it was a crew of 4 with him Ryan, Wiggles and me as we drove up to Mount Cheeseman ski area.
Southern Alps
Ski Traversing from Devils Punchbowl to Temple Basin
When Ryan and Pow arrived up at Arthurs Pass the decision was made to go check out an area called the Devils Punchbowl. We would have to follow a climbers trail up if we wanted to skirt around the 300 foot waterfall. If all worked out we hoped we would find some great lines in the upper bowl. We decided it would be best to exit via Temple Basin turning it into a ski traverse.
A Day Snowboarding Powder at Mount Cheeseman Ski Area
After a day of making the most with the ski conditions at Porters ski area we decided to go check out Mount Cheeseman Ski Area. There was a rumor that they were going to open the upper slopes. Our plan was to ride as much powder as we could before the place got tracked out.
Powder Day Riding Porters Ski area
It seemed the season was going to be a slow one as we waited for the snow to fall. After finishing the Two Thumbs Range ski traverse it was obvious we would need some powder to cover the ice. Finally the next storm arrived and we decided to head out to the Craigieburn Range and more specifically Porters ski area to see what all the talk was about.
Two Thumbs Range Traverse from Roundhill to Mount Dobson
The next two days 100 mph winds hit the mountains and barraged the Two Thumbs range. Ryan Nicols and I decided to do the Two Thumbs Range traverse from Roundhill to Dobson which was about 12 miles and 8,000 feet of vertical gain.
Back to New Zealand and Mount Dobson
After a success full season of ski touring in the Northern Hemisphere it was time to head back to New Zealand. This time I around I would take the long route through SE Asia before arriving. Once back on the South Island it was time to find a place to live. After charting upon the maps it was decided to Move to Fairlie. It was the perfect spot because it was close to Mount Dobson, Round Hill and Fox Peak. Not only that but the only road heading North and South went through town.
Riding an abandoned Treble Cone
With the Treble Cone ski resort closed for the season I decided to take the opportunity to go check it out. I had rode it for a day when I first went to New Zealand almost 10 years back and I wanted to see if my perception had changed.
Attempt at Mount Aspiring
My last ski mountaineering trip was heading up the Matukituki valley with eyes on Mt. Aspiring. I had spent quite a lot of time in the valley throughout the season and I decided to go check it out. I wasn’t sure if or what I would ski but I thought it doesn’t hurt to see how the terrain was up there.
Ski Touring the Franz Joesph Glacier of New Zealand
The day after getting off the Tasman Glacier Ryan Nicol and I were on the West Coast. We were meeting up with some friends and doing a Heli trip up to the Franz Joesph Glacier. Our plan was to ski tour from the Centennial Hut and explore the West Coast Terrain.
Snowboarding the Tasman Glacier and Ellie De Beaumont
After heading out of the Cameron Hut we refueled and stocked up on food for the next trip. It had snowed and it seemed like a weather window was coming. Wanting to make the most of clear skies we decided to head out to the Tasman Glacier in Mount Cook National Park. As the weather window was short we would be using a helicopter compared to hiking 30km up the valley.