Symphony on Skis: A West to East crossing in 5 days The team and photo credits are: Ian McIvor, Karl Greasley, Liv Barron & Anna Brooke. This is one of the trips that should be on every ski-mountaineer’s list. It offers changing mountain and snow conditions, glacier travel, steepness, playful lines, and a smorgasbord of…
Kaimakamaka Peaks, Ben Ohau Range
I understand that Kaimakamaka means ‘knucklebones’ in Maori. If this is so, then the peak is aptly named, as it sits like a solid fist on the ridge; rocky knuckles festooned with steep parallel couloirs. When the springtime snow line is high, a quick flight up to the Kaiamakamaka peaks is worthwhile. This area gets…
Ohau’s northern bowls, Ohau Range
August 2018 Ohau ski field is well known for having good access to ski touring. Indeed, search this website and you will find the posts for Mt Peterson, Mt Stafford and Mt St Mary. These peaks are accessed from the ski field, from above the top lift, via the south ridge . Other more common…
Mt Aspiring / Tititea via NW Ramp
Tricky to get this one on with conditions but if you do it will make for a memorable journey skiing the Gnarr. Was skied in firm wind pressed snow, the ice cap had a narrow ribbon of soft snow through the typical 3000m NZ sastruggi making it skiable off the summit. |After that it was firm but…
Awakino ski field access to St Marys Range
by Zucco – St. Marys range ski touring – Awakino ski area, “the pearl of the Waitaki”, is located in North Otago and provides easy access to the St. Marys range via Kurow and a well maintained 4wd access road to the base lodge at 1200m. The field is open mostly on weekends only so…
The Prelude and Ski Rhapsody, a multi-day ski traverse; Mt Cook NP & Two Thumb Range
THE PRELUDE: Starting from Bush Stream Bridge at Mesopotamia in the Rangitata Valley, to the eastern summit of the Brabazon Ridge. West along the Brabazon Ridge, sidling north of Mt Brabazon and south of Points 1785 and 1797, then following the ridge via Point 1852 along to Brabazon Saddle. A little care initially, descending to…
St Arnaud Range; Arnst basins & Paratitahi Tarns from Rainbow Ski Field
In July 2018 we were fortunate enough to catch the St Arnaud Range after a cold NW front, which whipped a mass of moisture laden, cold air from the deep south and coated the hills with a stable puff of fresh cold powder. We joined a throng of keen Nelson skiers in a convoy up…
Ski area access guidelines
There are lots of great tours available on this site, which begin (or end) at a Ski area. A bit of courtesy and respect for the operations and hazards will go a long way to keeping relations with the areas positive, and the access as open as possible. This guideline was developed by the Federated…
Mt Murchison, Shaler Range, Canterbury
Karl Greasley and Liv Barron Mt Murchison. We chose to break up the walk-in up by walking into Carrington hut on the Friday night. It took us four hours to reach Carrington hut from Klondyke corner. However, we did stop to check out Anti Crow hut as it was the first time we had been…
Mt Bealey, Arthurs Pass.
Jason Watson and Colin Kinnison – Skied on the 24/08/2018 This trip is easily done in a day from Christchurch with an early start. We left Christchurch at 0500hrs and started from the Mt Bealey track end just after 0700hrs. The initial 2 hours climbs through the bush and is on a marked trail that…