Snow-Less in New Zealand

**midget** · 07-10-2005, 06:16 PM

So I flew half way across the friggin world for Winter and what have I got in
return so far? A FUCKING 30cm base….not INCHES, 30 FRIGGIN
CENTIMETERS!

Here’s a photo of Snowpark taken on July 5th

Cardrona, July 8th

Also since there’s no snow, there’s no work in the local shops in Wanaka,
so I have no work. I’m driving an hour each way across the sketchiest
(or “dodgy”) mountain pass I’ve ever driven to Queenstown so I can work
in a ski repair shop 3 days a week. Other than that, I’m burning through my
savings account (what’s left of it) and paying way too much in rent because
there’s no where else to live but this expensive place I found.

OK, I’m done with my rant. If it ever snows this place will suddenly become
wesome again.

**FollowMe** · 07-10-2005, 06:22 PM

Is it too late to head to SA? Not sure how the pack is there, but looks like it'd be tough to do much worse. Then again, if you did leave it'd dump a day later.

**Lane Meyer** · 07-10-2005, 06:23 PM

I know how you feel, dood, but hopefully it will come. Or maybe we should just sell our cars and buy tickets to Argentina.....

**skiHOG** · 07-10-2005, 06:46 PM

Hey midget, you should up north. I'm based in Welly right now, getting paid $25 and hour to do bullshit work and I can take off whenever I want to ski. Everywhere is a little behind right now but club fields will be fine and the heli skiing is sweet as right now. I head down to do two days with Methven heli in August and I talked to a guy from there yesterday where they had 30cm of fresh overnight. He is sending me pics. Once I get them I will put them up for you. Maybe they'll help cheer you up about NZ. Don't worry, the snow will be fine.

**Lane Meyer** · 07-10-2005, 06:51 PM

Yeah man, hang in there! Come up here for a few days and go surfing, or we'll go tramping or something.

**snowfire** · 07-10-2005, 08:05 PM

When I was there two summers ago, it was pretty dry through July and half of August, and then snowed like hell in late August and especially September. It was long overdue but it was sweet.

**skier666** · 07-10-2005, 09:23 PM

Yeah, a friend of mine in Queenstown hasn't been his cheery self due to the weather. What do I do?, send him TGR links of people skiing on more snow in July in California

**slim** · 07-10-2005, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by skier666

What do I do?, send him TGR links of people skiing on more snow in July in California

That's not funny dick.

I'm sitting in Raglan right now. Spent most of the day surfing in the rain. The Mrs. and I are basically just crusing around and waiting for the snow to start down south.

**skiHOG** · 07-10-2005, 11:26 PM

Sounds like there are quite a few maggots here in NZ. Any thoughts of a summit? Any have any personal experiences with Methven heli?

**skier666** · 07-10-2005, 11:31 PM

Originally Posted by slim

That's not funny dick.

I'm sitting in Raglan right now. Spent most of the day surfing in the rain. The Mrs. and I are basically just crusing around and waiting for the snow to start down south.

Maybe if you are nice to me, it'll snow

**tjb** · 07-11-2005, 06:11 AM

Midget, I'm hearing you ... It does suck to travel and be snow less.

The last weekend in SE Australia saw snow to levels lower than we have seen for many years (settling below 900m asl). We drove the last 100 km to the NSW ski areas this last weekend all on snow, something we have never done in the last 20 years of skiing.

It was incredibly gloppy snow though, but great to help rebuild a base that was partially wrecked by rain in the last 2 weeks.

Our base is probably hovering around 1 - 1.5 metres, but much of the snow on our rolling hills settles on grass so that is plenty ...

Best of luck, we'll try to send some fronts your way.

**Baconzoo** · 07-11-2005, 08:01 AM

Originally Posted by jtq_99

Sounds like there are quite a few maggots here in NZ. Any thoughts of a summit? Any have any personal experiences with Methven heli?

Good luck with the snow, I feel for you.
http://tetongravity.com/forums/searc...earchid=189461

One year I was rolling tortillas for $3 an hour while waiting for snow. Thank God for Speights.

AH · 07-11-2005, 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by Baconzoo

Thank God for Speights.

**slippy** · 07-11-2005, 09:16 AM

Good luck down there, midget. I'm still envious.

**TeleAl** · 07-11-2005, 12:02 PM

Go golf a round at Terrace Golf Course (7? K$).
Nice micro climate there.
Grab a pie at the fill up station just as you get close coming from Wanaka.
Bring beer and smoke.
Try not to terrorize the sheep.
Have fun.

**freshie247** · 07-11-2005, 02:58 PM

Unfortunately,I've heard this many times as well as the really good snow is usually only available to the Heli -crowd.

**Idris** · 07-11-2005, 03:16 PM

Sounds like your winter in NZ is like mine was. Hang in there the snow will come. Don't leave the snow arrived when I gave up and returned home.

Where will you be for the nothern winter?

**slushed** · 07-11-2005, 06:09 PM

Don't worry, southern seasons are always variable. It will snow eventually

**midget** · 07-11-2005, 10:52 PM

My problem is with no snow = no work.

If I had any money left, I'd just go travel around. But with $300 left in the bank account and only 2 days a week of work I can't do shit but try and shoot some jibbing. If I had any money left I'd be happy as a clam!

**slushed** · 07-11-2005, 11:06 PM

actually, there could be some good news for you. It looks like its going to dump down in tassie later on this week, so IF this system keeps moving along nicely you should get some loving early next week (for a very rough guess).

**fineline** · 07-11-2005, 11:07 PM

arrived 2 weeks ago- just got to queenstown, I've had the time of my life so far though, and thats with virtually no money either. Went up to wellington and made $300 selling crappy merchandise before the game, mostly putting tepmorary tattoos on drunk guys faces at shooters. Went paintballing in the rainforest, blacksmithed my own sweet knife, met some really cool people, its goes on... I am still trying to decide where to set up, wanaka or queenstown but I might have found a perfect job in a hostel as the "boot bitch." No clue yet where I will be skiing once the snow does fly, but I am down for some sort of summit- it would be cool to meet everyone else down here! Too bad I have to leave the middle of August, with my luck thats right when it will start to get good.

**skiHOG** · 07-11-2005, 11:22 PM

feelin a bit of weather change here today. southerlies today and snow at Canterbury down to the southern lakes. Keep your hopes up. After talking with several locals and some shops guys they said it always starts like this with people bitching about no snow, but when August rolls around everyone is pretty happy. If you can afford heli right now that's the thing to do. I here it's going off.

**midget** · 07-12-2005, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by slushed

actually, there could be some good news for you. It looks like its going to dump down in tassie later on this week, so IF this system keeps moving along nicely you should get some loving early next week (for a very rough guess).

FUCK I HOPE SO

**Alyeska_Skibum** · 07-12-2005, 05:48 PM

damn! hopefully the season improves quick! I'm headed down there on August 5th.

**skea 457** · 07-12-2005, 06:12 PM

I just got sent this pic and another from a friend who was up at Mt Hutt over the weekend.

So while the Cardrona conditions may be rock-dodging off piste at least there is some off piste (icy as it is). I am planning to head town to Wanaka next weekend to get some turns in.

The three day forecast is saying we will get a dusting but nothing huge:

http://www.snow-forecast.com/maps/nz...ext3days.shtml

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