2008-11-07 00:00:00, Nicolas Cruz Mermy
1131 Views, 0 Comments
This is an informative and fun article about this season in New Zealand by Nicolas Cruz Mermy. If you're ever planning to go to NZ you'll want to come back and read this article. Thanks to Camilla Stoddart for the images.
We left Wanaka early afternoon on the Wednesday the 13th of August. I'm traveling with the famous Scottish photographer Camilla Stoddart. The plan is to go shooting for 2 days in Craigiburn or Broken River, and then go to Craigie for the Freeride comp on the weekend. First stop is in Christchurch which is 5 hours north of Wanaka. We're staying at Jason Hancox's house, which is, believe it or not, very hard to find. He's the kiwi film maker of 'Meke' and '2Meke' that was just released. It's a 100% kiwi ski movie. You can check out the trailer at www.skier.co.nz.
We wake up early on the Thursday to check out the weather, and unfortunately the snowfall overnight has closed all the clubfields. So we're on hold. If we're lucky, for once, we might be able to go night skiing in Broken river, which could be sick!
If you're not familiar with the clubfields, here's a short description of the places you need to go ski in New Zealand. They used to be private clubs where only men were allowed to join. Back then it was like a cigar club, something fancy and exclusive. It turns out that now, they are the smallest resort you can imagine, with just the tow-rope to get you up-hill, but with the best terrain and atmosphere. Forget Treble Cone, and its most expensive skipass in the world, and the 2000 people you would be skiing with if you ever get a powder day over there! Head to the clubfields for a real feeling of the kiwi mountains. The crew that hangs around there are real passionate skiers, you shouldn't find yourself surrounded by any look-at-me punters.
So we finally decide to head to Broken River. We get at the bottom of the goods lift at night fall. We stuff everything we can in the lift and start our 20mn hike to the hut where we are going to spend the night. It's snowing a lot, I mean even in European standards. It turns out the people have only been night skiing for the past two days because there was no viz during the day. The night before they skied from 8pm till 4am!! We put our skis on and head with a big grin our faces to the slopes. Only one lift is open and lit but it's enough since there are only 30 people skiing. The snow is so light we feel like we're somewhere in BC. We end up skiing thigh deep snow for hours, the best is that it doesn't get tracked at all. We then head down to our hut to crash for the night. The next morning it's bluebird, while most of the skiers around are taking the snow of the stairs we're shooting, which is quite nice. There is at least 70cm of fresh snow. So I manage to climb on roofs and we get sick shots with the whole valley in the back ground. After giving a hand to clear the stairs we score the first lift up. All the tracks from the previous night are completely covered! The best part is that we got snowed in during the night so no one can access the resort. That day I skied one of the lightest snow I have ever skied. At 4h 30pm we were still getting faceshots!! What else can I say, It's definitely the right place and the right time. Camilla who has spent the past 7 seasons in NZ said that she has never seen so much snow here!! I feel very lucky!
The next decision is crucial, shall we stay another day and risk seeing the mountain get really crowded or should we move on to another resort because the conditions we scored cannot get better. We decide to head to Porters the next day, it's only 1h from Broken river. The terrain is amazing, if you hike a bit you get at least eight or nine hundred vertical meters of slope, down to the lift. The only thing is that the wind is blowing so hard that all the powder we had the previous day is completely packed. We need to find a place to shoot that's sheltered from the wind. We meet up with Hancox, Tom Dunbar and 'nurse'. Nurse who works at the marketing of the club fields knows this place inside and out, and manages to get us in some places where the snow is still very deep and light. We have a killer day at Porters, the runs were long and nicely accessible.
The Freeride comp in Craigieburn has been canceled due to an avalanche which took down the lift. We all decide to move to Mt. Olympus a couple hours away, where the snow fall is supposed to have been massive. Weather looks good for the next day, so we head towards this high resort, cutting corners and going off road with our old Subaru. The hut is absolutely packed when we get to it, beds are double or triple booked, but we manage to get a few hours of sleep before the sun rises. In the morning we head to the lifts with our cars but the guy who is supposed to clear the snow off the road did a terrible job! A line of cars forms itself on the really gnarly road awaiting the grinders return. When we finally get to the top, I witness some of the best terrain and possibilities for Freeride that I have seen in NZ. All the lifts are open, they get you up to 2100m, with the top part only at hiking access. This part is called little Alaska, and looks really awesome to ski. It is the weekend and the resort is getting pretty packed, it is a bit harder to find places to shoot than the previous day, but still plenty of possibilities. Dunbar and I traverse all the way around the bowl to score a long line, Hancox and Stoddart stay at the base to shoot from there. This line is definitely the longest and fastest that I've had in my whole trip. It is so nice to finally be able to unleash the horses, and power down in knee deep powder as fast as you can!! The day ends with a feast at the base hut, which is an all-you-can-eat lunch for only $15. The perfect way to end a big skiing day and a four day trip which made my trip in New Zealand unforgettable.
A bit of advice for skiers who would wish to go and ski the clubfields:
Check the weather a couple times a day, it changes very quickly in NZ and is unpredictable. Since the clubfields are not very spaced out from one an other you could change your plans easily based on the forecast.
You need a car and a good one, 4x4 and carry chains. It's not a joke, roads are pretty gnarly and long to access the base.
Plan at least 7 days for your trip as you are likely to change resorts or get stuck in one which road would not have been cleared.
Word: Nicolas Cruz Mermy
Pictures: Camilla Stoddart
We wake up early on the Thursday to check out the weather, and unfortunately the snowfall overnight has closed all the clubfields. So we're on hold. If we're lucky, for once, we might be able to go night skiing in Broken river, which could be sick!
If you're not familiar with the clubfields, here's a short description of the places you need to go ski in New Zealand. They used to be private clubs where only men were allowed to join. Back then it was like a cigar club, something fancy and exclusive. It turns out that now, they are the smallest resort you can imagine, with just the tow-rope to get you up-hill, but with the best terrain and atmosphere. Forget Treble Cone, and its most expensive skipass in the world, and the 2000 people you would be skiing with if you ever get a powder day over there! Head to the clubfields for a real feeling of the kiwi mountains. The crew that hangs around there are real passionate skiers, you shouldn't find yourself surrounded by any look-at-me punters.
So we finally decide to head to Broken River. We get at the bottom of the goods lift at night fall. We stuff everything we can in the lift and start our 20mn hike to the hut where we are going to spend the night. It's snowing a lot, I mean even in European standards. It turns out the people have only been night skiing for the past two days because there was no viz during the day. The night before they skied from 8pm till 4am!! We put our skis on and head with a big grin our faces to the slopes. Only one lift is open and lit but it's enough since there are only 30 people skiing. The snow is so light we feel like we're somewhere in BC. We end up skiing thigh deep snow for hours, the best is that it doesn't get tracked at all. We then head down to our hut to crash for the night. The next morning it's bluebird, while most of the skiers around are taking the snow of the stairs we're shooting, which is quite nice. There is at least 70cm of fresh snow. So I manage to climb on roofs and we get sick shots with the whole valley in the back ground. After giving a hand to clear the stairs we score the first lift up. All the tracks from the previous night are completely covered! The best part is that we got snowed in during the night so no one can access the resort. That day I skied one of the lightest snow I have ever skied. At 4h 30pm we were still getting faceshots!! What else can I say, It's definitely the right place and the right time. Camilla who has spent the past 7 seasons in NZ said that she has never seen so much snow here!! I feel very lucky!
The next decision is crucial, shall we stay another day and risk seeing the mountain get really crowded or should we move on to another resort because the conditions we scored cannot get better. We decide to head to Porters the next day, it's only 1h from Broken river. The terrain is amazing, if you hike a bit you get at least eight or nine hundred vertical meters of slope, down to the lift. The only thing is that the wind is blowing so hard that all the powder we had the previous day is completely packed. We need to find a place to shoot that's sheltered from the wind. We meet up with Hancox, Tom Dunbar and 'nurse'. Nurse who works at the marketing of the club fields knows this place inside and out, and manages to get us in some places where the snow is still very deep and light. We have a killer day at Porters, the runs were long and nicely accessible.
The Freeride comp in Craigieburn has been canceled due to an avalanche which took down the lift. We all decide to move to Mt. Olympus a couple hours away, where the snow fall is supposed to have been massive. Weather looks good for the next day, so we head towards this high resort, cutting corners and going off road with our old Subaru. The hut is absolutely packed when we get to it, beds are double or triple booked, but we manage to get a few hours of sleep before the sun rises. In the morning we head to the lifts with our cars but the guy who is supposed to clear the snow off the road did a terrible job! A line of cars forms itself on the really gnarly road awaiting the grinders return. When we finally get to the top, I witness some of the best terrain and possibilities for Freeride that I have seen in NZ. All the lifts are open, they get you up to 2100m, with the top part only at hiking access. This part is called little Alaska, and looks really awesome to ski. It is the weekend and the resort is getting pretty packed, it is a bit harder to find places to shoot than the previous day, but still plenty of possibilities. Dunbar and I traverse all the way around the bowl to score a long line, Hancox and Stoddart stay at the base to shoot from there. This line is definitely the longest and fastest that I've had in my whole trip. It is so nice to finally be able to unleash the horses, and power down in knee deep powder as fast as you can!! The day ends with a feast at the base hut, which is an all-you-can-eat lunch for only $15. The perfect way to end a big skiing day and a four day trip which made my trip in New Zealand unforgettable.
A bit of advice for skiers who would wish to go and ski the clubfields:
Check the weather a couple times a day, it changes very quickly in NZ and is unpredictable. Since the clubfields are not very spaced out from one an other you could change your plans easily based on the forecast.
You need a car and a good one, 4x4 and carry chains. It's not a joke, roads are pretty gnarly and long to access the base.
Plan at least 7 days for your trip as you are likely to change resorts or get stuck in one which road would not have been cleared.
Word: Nicolas Cruz Mermy
Pictures: Camilla Stoddart
Found 0 Comments
Add Your Comment