NZ Snow Season Gets Underway

June 21, 2009

We’ve been here a month now and I think we’ve done more in the past four weeks than I’ve ever done in a month at home. We couldn’t resist waiting for the resorts to open, so we hit up the Remarkables on June 1st.

The resort didn’t actually open until yesterday (June 20), but with a few rails set up in the car park and a bit of hiking, it couldn’t hurt anyone. The snow was perfect and the sun was shining - we’d been waiting so long for a snow injection that we were so happy just to be there. Queenstown itself was blanketed in cloud, but as we passed through that cloud layer, we struck the blue skies. I’ve never seen views from a resort like it - coupled with the fact only five of us had the mountain to ourselves.

But the day’s fun didn’t end there as the guy who was driving us decided to take a detour on the way home via a llama park, of all places, where we ended up feeding so many animals to the picturesque backdrop of Queenstown’s lakes and mountains. Maybe it was one of those ‘had to be there’ moments, but leaving with four of us grinning like little children in a car covered in buffalo saliva, just ended the day perfectly.

A few days later Coronet Peak opened, and despite the fact it hadn’t snowed for a while, the mountain was in great condition. It’s so different from European riding. Firstly the resorts are much smaller, and secondly it’s super strange to have no trees. But the lack of people, the great snowmaking and the unparalleled views from the top makes Coronet Peak far better than we’d expected.

What I noticed most, however, is that with such few people, you realise you either know or recognise everyone there, plus all the staff are genuinely friendly, making it such a homely experience. My favourite run of the day was via the Greengates lift which isn’t usually open on the first day of the season - but it was empty, ungroomed and pretty challenging, with plenty of fun natural kickers to play on.

But by day three, we had out first ‘disaster’ (a word I’ve just picked up from my boss’ son meaning ‘to bail massively’!) and while sitting at work, I received a text from my housemate saying he needed help urgently. After contacting him and contacting the resort manager, who sent out ski patrol straight away, they carried him off the mountain. It turns out he’d broken his ankle in the back bowls, where no one else was - six weeks in a cast, followed by six weeks of physio.

He was not a happy bunny when I rescued him from the health centre. But we were super impressed by how quick and easy the rescue was - and how much the quaint, clean health centre resembled something from the Flying Doctors (think doctors with high-waisted corduroy pants, and polo shirt). I did tell him not to go riding when I was working, but he didn’t listen!
   
But now riding has started (for everyone but my mate - sorry man!) winter has hit town, and there’s a ridiculous amount of ‘Welcome to Winter’ parties - sick DJs, loads of free stuff, and plenty of free drinks. The Quest party last Thursday was one of my favourites, although it reminded me I shouldn’t be drinking til 5am with work at 7. But then last night, dubstep and DnB hit town in pretty much every bar and club.

Yes it may have wiped my riding sessions today, but it was worth every minute of manic dancing with lots of other sweaty people. Having discovered the less touristy hangouts in town, we’ve managed to avoid all the Kiwi Experience English kids in town… although sometimes the 2-for-1 backpacker vouchers still comes in handy!

Yesterday was the opening of the Remarkables, and once again we were sitting on top of the clouds (start ‘feels like heaven’ cliché!)! Not only were we blessed by crystal skies and a plastic cup of champagne, I had my best riding day yet. Remarks is so different from Coronet. It’s a snowboarder’s paradise with park features on every run, interlinked by very fast, groomed trails. Once again, it was surprisingly empty and so I finished every run with that much-loved snow grin.

We even discovered the Homeward Bound bowls, which is a short cat-track and hike over the other side of the mountain. The bowl was empty, the sun was shining, the snow was immense, and my blood was buzzing. I stopped every now and again just to comprehend how amazing it was. And thankfully the Remarks are kind enough to come and pick riders up from the street after they’ve hit the bowls, to take you back to the resort!

My broken housemate didn’t appreciate my snow hyperactiveness, but this immense riding day was topped with the sickest dubstep all night last night, and I’m now sitting here in the recovery position, watching the sun turn the top of the mountains pink from my lounge window. Winter hasn’t even started yet apparently. I’m legitimately in awe at this place already, so can’t wait to see what more the QT Winter Festival brings next week to ‘officially start’ the winter off in Queenstown.