Travelling solo: A road trip through New Zealand

My time in New Zealand is up. I’ve spent 6 incredibly quick and fabulous months here. I’ve met some outstanding people and been on some eye-opening trips, during which I’ve learnt more about skiing, hiking, the landscape and my mission buddies. Sadly it’s time to go, but it’s also nearly time for the next chapter in this winter chasing malarkey.

My flight back to the UK was to leave from Auckland, so in order to see more of NZ, I decided to follow what many do here, and hire a relocation car. It’s relatively cheap – I used Jucy, relocating for $1 a day, exc. insurance and 2 extra days on the road – it’s also a great way to see the country and its stunning landscapes at your own pace.

As I was going solo I didn’t want to over-estimate the driving, or my own company. So I chose 8 days to drive from Queenstown to Auckland. After picking up my ride from Queenstown airport, I went straight to Christchurch via Cromwell. Through Kaikoura, and up the coastal road to Picton. Then it was a 3 hour ferry over to Wellington, over to National Park to do the Tongariro Crossing (see the previous blog post for the full run down), then Rotorua and finally up to Auckland, where I’ve spent the last week in glorious sunshine.

The two islands are very distinct. South Island is all about the mountains and the landscapes. A natural, rugged and vast place. A ‘break down here and I could be waiting for help for a while’ kind of place. As soon as you’re off the ferry on the North Island, there’s much more human intervention: more traffic, more towns, smoother roads and brighter lights.

In retrospect, I could, and probably should have gone for a few extra days. The route was simple, I could bellow my throat dry in the car singing along to the radio (the new Adele song was pretty popular on Kiwi airwaves) and the driving wasn’t at all as tiring as I thought it would be, probably thanks to my weighty bag of scroggin on the passenger seat. Nevertheless, I ended it while the going was good, while I could still face my own company and without a scrape. I’ll take that and run, thanks.

Below are some snaps I took along the way. I’ll be heading to Bourg St Maurice in the French Alps in December, after a pitstop in the UK and Stockholm to catch up with family.

So long NZ, until next time.

Lake Tekapo

Cromwell

Kaikoura

Kaikoura

Coastal road from Kaikoura to Picton

Kaikoura

Cromwell

Kaikoura

Mt Ngauruhoe, National Park

Redwood Forest, Rotorua

Schnapps bar, National Park

Auckland

Season send off: Heli-skiing the Buchanan Range

As staff parties go, this one’s up there. A few days after Treble Cone shut its doors, my work mates and I were given the opportunity for one last hurrah on our planks – with a couple of choppers in tow.

The day was an extremely close call. With stubborn clouds not moving as quickly as they should have done, we held fire first thing in the morning, until the guides messaged us that it was on. Yes.

Then the clouds stopped again, and as we left the house all kitted up, we got a call to say that the whole trip was postponed. Tomorrow, they said. But the weather for the next day was looking just as unpredictable. After a slow and reluctant clothes change, my four housemates and I drove into town to drown our sorrows in hot chocolate, when, as we sat by the lakefront, there came the surprise third and final call. We were systems go. Causing somewhat of a public commotion, with our hot drinks and a mad scramble to the car, there before us blossomed a perfect window, which turned into a blinder of an afternoon.

Four beautiful runs, untouched terrain, and some mighty delicate ridge landings.

A huge thanks to Harris Mountain Heli-ski and Racers Edge for an unforgettable day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo: Sarah Dawes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo: Sarah Dawes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tramping: The hike to Brewster Hut, NZ

‘Gnarly’ and ‘steep’ were the words that kept cropping up when asking some work mates about the hike to Brewster Hut. Yet, before I knew it, I’d made a last minute decision to join a buddy, and his buddies on a hike and overnight trip to the little red hut on the plateau, which is located about an hour from Wanaka in the Makarora region of Mount Aspiring National Park (click here and here for a topo map).

The original plan was to take a touring set up with us, in order to then ski/splitboard off the back side of the hut, but the weather was due to come in and the snow wouldn’t be in great condition. So we decided instead on the NZ tramping set up, along with the all-important scroggin (trail mix, to you and me).

The Brewster Track started with a suitably alpine shin-high river crossing. From there it was a three hour climb 1450m directly up. There’s little give in the incline, but the variety of terrain makes up for it. At this time of year it’s a hot, fairytale forest and bush hike (very Grimms Brothers), followed by some spectacular –  and colder – snow-covered ridgeline ascents.

The hut sleeps 12 and is relatively new, having opened in 2007. We had fun reading the log book, albeit slightly concerned when we read that folk had been forced to turn around and hike back up for a second night in the hut when they reached the river and saw that it was too deep to cross. ‘BEWARE OF RAIN!’ it read, but the more experienced trampers among us had no doubt the river would not be roaring. And so, we settled down to a night of wind and rain.

By morning, a steady drizzle had turned our track into a stream, which we happily stomped through. Back down it was, and after over 2 hours of descent through mud, moss and rain water, two by two, we waded through a fresh, hip-high river. Soaked, but revitalised. I could get used to hut life.

Treble Cone days out: Gottleib’s Saddle

Bags packed, alarm set. It was forecast to be clear, bright, and oh my, what a day it was.

After chucking a pair of skis and a splitboard into the Subaru Legacy (standard Kiwi ride) we drove up first thing and managed to avoid the university crowds that have descended upon Wanaka this week.

It’s nearly Spring here in NZ and you can start to feel it in the snow. Plan A to drop off the back of the summit was put on hold as the sun hadn’t quite softened the snow there enough. So towards Gottleibs it was, on the far (looker’s) left of Treble Cone. Out of the breeze and catching the morning sun, what followed was some hiking, climbing, ridge-lining, some freshies off the top and a T-shirt weather skin out from the valley floor. A beautiful three hour round trip.

 

Milford Sound: A road trip to Piopiotahi

My Wanaka bubble has been broken. Last week, the skis, boots, poles and general winter faff-garb was packed away for a weekend and replaced with one car, two backpacks and one bulky camera now known as The Ballast (no lightweight GoPros here). The drive: three hours. The direction: towards Fiordland National Park and eventually Milford Sound, located on the West coast of The South Island.

Twentieth century Milford was named after Milford Haven in Wales, when the first European settler, John Grono, arrived in 1912 and renamed the ancient glacial terrain after his Welsh birthplace. The fiord’s original name however, is Piopiotahi or ‘a single piopio’ which harks back to Maori mythology, after it was first discovered over 1000 years ago. According to legend, the great Polynesian demi-god, Maui, died when he tried to gain immortality for mankind. His task was to enter the womb of the Goddess of Death, travel up through her body and exit through her mouth. Accompanying Maui was a single ancient native bird, the piopio. After Maui died, the piopio is said to have flown to the fiord in mourning.

The closest town to Milford Sound is Te Anau (pron: teh ah-noo) and the drive there from Wanaka is as much a part of the trip as the well-established cruises through the fiord. Dawn light behind snow-dusted hilltops, frost-covered fields, lakes and the view from the crown range will make 3 hours disappear quicksmart.

From Te Anau you can catch a tour bus or drive to Milford Sound where you’ll arrive at one of the most dangerous roads in the world, according to Frank the bus driver. Supposedly, when ideas for what would become the Homer tunnel and the access road were being put forward as far back as 1889, the result was a route through the bottom of a deep valley, in the shadow of vertical, craggy peaks and in the bullseye of perfect avalanche run-out terrain. That’s Kiwi attitude for you.

Despite the naturally crazy-beautiful landscapes, the reality is that there’s no getting away from being a tourist at Milford. There’s a smorgåsbord of New Zealand emblazoned caps, a screaming child or two, packed lunches and folk snapping photos through tour bus windows *clears throat*. But being part of the foreign crowd is a minor factor. The punter banter is hilarious, and Frank is just adorable when he’s not building snowmen and then running them over with the bus. It’s all totally worth it. A fiord journey by sea and a spectacular road trip by land.

Down days are pretty sweet in NZ.

The hitch and the hike: towards Treble Cone summit

The sun has been shining, the -20 windchill has moved on and the school holidays are over, which means the housemates and I have finally had the chance to pull out the cameras.

This post records a journey from our regular hitching point in Wanaka to the summit at Treble Cone. It’s not the ski-in ski-out of Europe, but it can be much more of an experience and there’s a fair chance you’ll meet some lovely and interesting folk along the way.

It’s about a 25 minute drive to the chairlift, and if you don’t have your own car it’s a 5 minute walk from town to the hitching point. Hitching is very much the norm and it’s always good getting to know a few more locals, should they be on their way up. This particular day we got picked up by the Haka Tours bus, a company that drives customers to 6 different resorts over 7 days.

Treble Cone itself is rugged, steep, and for the most part, all-natural terrain (a good way of describing the drive up too, perhaps). For those who like freeskiing, this is the place. I feel constantly challenged here. One run can feature a massive variety of terrain and snow conditions. Whether it’s the rocks poking through thin snowpack, the steepness, or the wind-loaded gullies, TC keeps you on your toes and forces you to think more about your next move. I love it. It means you learn, and you ride more creatively. It also means the kids who have grown up with TC as their local resort will likely end up skiing like Wanaka local Sam Smoothy, who grabbed everyone’s attention after this run at the Freeride World Tour. Kids young and old who are from Wanaka work hard and ski harder. Your postie is probably a sponsored athlete and your hairdresser is probably a local instructor. (Come summer, you’re in the minority if you’re not training several times a week for a big endurance event).

From the parked car, the 2088m high summit is just 2 chairlifts away (that’s the total number of chairlifts in TC), and the views just keep getting better. The summit hike is a great one to warm up the legs at the beginning of the season. Nothing too hardcore, easily accessible, along with the reward of a darned spectacular view at the top.

Photo: Sven Gorham

The summit. Photo: Sven Gorham

 

Photo: Sven Gorham

Photo: Sven Gorham

From there it’s down the Summit Slopes, a hop off the High Street and down the Upper Gun Barrell. Through Side Winder over the Creek and back to the Home Basin – maybe for another run, maybe for a beer at the bar…

Gear review: Top ski picks for 2015/2016

While the summer continues in the UK, here in Wanaka it’s been a chilly -20 windchill factor at the top of the hill. The cold is keeping the snow dry, and despite big school holiday crowds, rumour has it that it’s been the best start to the winter season for years.

New Zealand just so happens to be one season ahead of the northern hemisphere when it comes to ski industry gear, and so, over the past few weeks, some work mates and I have been able to demo the planks that are heading their way to Europe later this year. Skis from Atomic, K2, Salomon, Volkl and Blizzard, to name a few biggies, have been on offer. For this season, there’s a continuous trend towards lightweight skis that don’t compromise on stability or overall performance, especially in the freeride category. So, after much chairlift debate, below are some of our top picks.

CATEGORIES

All-mountain frontside skis

A ski with piste DNA but has developed to be wider underfoot than a pure piste ski, in order to perform in some playful skiing off the groomers as well. This ski is designed for the piste as the priority, carves gloriously and prefers shorter radius turns.

All-mountain backside skis

A ski that is designed to go everywhere – the one-ski quiver. It prefers bigger radius turns due to a wider underfoot width. The perfect carving turn is not the priority here, but this ski is able to handle a much bigger variety of terrain, thanks to a slightly softer flex and a wider width.

Freeride skis

A ski that is designed to ride on fresh tracks and unmarked, natural terrain. As a result, the ski is much wider, with early rise tip and tails for better flotation and less sidecut for longer radius turns.

TOP ALL-MOUNTAIN FRONTSIDE SKIS

Salomon X-Drive 8.8

If you want a responsive, powerful piste orientated ski, this is it. The 8.8 really excels carving, but also holds an impressive edge on cruddy snow and isn’t easily knocked out of a turn, where a narrower ski would be. The airtip technology ensures a nimble and quick turning feel, but they’re also incredibly stable (and quiet) whatever the speed. ‘Hugely satisfying’, according to a couple of the guys.

Dimensions: 130-88-116mm
Lengths: 165, 172, 179, 184cm

Volkl Kenja

The Kenja really stood out for me on demo day. I haven’t skied on anything like an 87mm women-specific ski for years, but these girls had me beaming. They offer a beautifully smooth, glidey ride on the piste, with a playful pop from edge to edge. They’re stable at speed, due to a slightly stiffer construction and they’ll improve your carving turns no end. The redesign from last year now also includes tip and tail rocker for stability and versatility. Great for intermediate to advanced skiers who like to rip the piste.

Dimensions: 127-90-110mm
Lengths: 149, 156, 163, 170cm

TOP ALL-MOUNTAIN BACKSIDE SKIS

Atomic Vantage 95

Atomic’s Vantage series was an overwhelming hit in the UK last season and their success will more than likely continue into 2016. The 95mm underfoot width of this ski makes for a fabulous 50/50, piste/off piste ski: perfect if you want to explore the whole hill, or if you’re looking for a solid one-ski quiver. They’re highly versatile and nimble on varied terrain and snow conditions. Despite the wider width they still put in an awesome performance on piste with clean edge to edge grip, whilst being wide enough to float happily on the fresh stuff. FYI, the men’s and women’s Vantage 95 are exactly the same ski, but have a different top sheet.

I have no doubt the 95 will be a hugely popular ski this season as it’s so versatile both in what it can do and who it will work for. All in all, a great option for seasonnaires and seasoned skiers alike.

Atomic Vantage 95 (women-specific)
Dimensions: 131-95-116.5mm
Lengths: 154, 162, 170cm

Atomic Vantage 95
Dimensions: 133-95-119.5 (178cm ski)
Lengths: 162, 170, 178, 186cm

TOP FREERIDE SKIS

Rossignol Soul 7 and Savory 7  (men’s and women’s version)

Rossignol’s S Series were marketed on release as ‘revolutionary’ for freeride skis.
In truth, the Soul 7 has become the second best selling ski, ever. It was the ski that started a new shift for freeride skis that other brands have since followed: a ski that is wider underfoot, yet incredibly short turning, and a ski that is stable, yet lightweight. This was completely new at a time when a wider underfoot width meant less sidecut and therefore wasn’t as quick and nimble to turn as other narrower skis, once it got away from fresh pow.

I bought last season’s Savory 7 in November 2014, hoping the 108mm underfoot and powder-turn rocker would work for deep powder days in Japan and that the camber and relative stiffness would work for rougher, steeper terrain in New Zealand. Along with that, I wanted a relatively long, lightweight, yet stable ski that I could tour on. These skis truly do it all, and respond beautifully to whatever terrain you throw at them. They feel stable at high speed, soak up choppy, untamed terrain but also carve beautifully. Give them wide open backcountry spaces, chutes or the steep stuff – even groomers. These guys feels safe anywhere.

The innovative honeycomb tip is here to stay, keeping them lightweight. Rossignol have also followed what’s becoming an industry trend in decreasing big underfoot widths by cutting this model by 2mm this season. As with the Vantage 95, the Soul 7 and Savory 7 are the same ski, but with different top sheets. So for tall ladies, or if you prefer the graphic design, there’s another option in the Soul 7. If you’re doing back-to-back seasons, or if you’re after a truly versatile freeride ski, the Soul/Savory 7’s won’t let you down.

Savory 7 (women-specific)
Dimensions: 136-106-126mm
Lengths: 162, 170, 178cm

Soul 7
Dimensions: 136-106-126mm
Lengths: 164, 172, 180, 188cm

Volkl 100 Eight  (men’s and women’s version)

Closely behind Rossignol, Volkl have totally nailed big mountain skiing versatility with the new 100 Eight. This ski (a replacement of the legendary Gotama) just doesn’t ski like it’s 100mm+ underfoot. As freeride skis are getting lighter and turning shorter, the 100 Eight is a serious contender due to its flex, sidecut, full rocker and Volkl’s 3D Ridge technology. This one will charge hard all over the mountain, yet still feels light and playful.

The only thing different between the men’s and women’s version is the core. The laminate strips of wood are fewer in the women’s version to reduce the weight. Other than that, they offer the same performance and the same stiffness. Drop it, charge it, this one will respond brilliantly to anything. The cherry on the cake? Epic graphics (check out the picture up top!)

100 Eight (women-specific)
Dimensions: 141-108-124mm
Lengths: 157, 165, 173cm

100 Eight
Dimensions: 141-108-124mm
Lengths: 173, 181, 189cm.

So there you have it. Keep an eye out for these guys come October!

Exploring Wanaka, NZ

It’s been two weeks since I arrived in the beautiful, little lakeside town of Wanaka, NZ.

New mountains, new people, new job. There’s been a lot to take in and lots to talk about with old friends and new.

This season, which is to be my last big pitstop before heading home for a while, inevitably means I’ve started to think about what’s next. As ever on this journey of chasing winter, it’s been both uplifting and relieving to be able to hear stories and share thoughts with others who are in the same boat, when it comes to wider questions of where to go and what to do afterwards.

For now, I’m taking in my new home for the next 5 months, before the road up to the ski area Treble Cone opens its doors on 21st June.

Wanaka is a playground. Here, there’s something for everybody, all year round. Water sports, snow sports, mountain biking, hiking, trail running, ice climbing, rock climbing, sailing, abseiling, paragliding, frisbee-golf (yep. It’s a thing), are all accessible and located in the most picturesque of places. The snow may well be ready up the mountain, but you’ll still find runners, climbers and bikers ripping around the trails in what is still almost T-shirt weather lower down the hillsides.

There’s no sense of ‘all the gear and no idea’ here, either. Here, it seems folk have all the gear, more gear, and all the knowledge. As a result, there are plenty of professional athletes and outdoorsy expats here in Wanaka, and you quickly find out why when you explore the surrounding areas.

Here are some photographs from walks my new housemates and I have done since we all arrived. A walk up Mt Iron, a trip to Mt Aspiring National Park and a stroll round part of Lake Wanaka.

It feels great to be back in the mountains, but very special to be around such spectacular landscapes.