Skiing 2010a, bad weather
What if all fields are closed and weather conditions are pretty miserable ? Plenty of options: sledging, skiing with no lifts (nice physical exercise too), track walks, ... |
Climbing Ruapehu
Climb to the Ruapehu summit by 6.5 inexperienced mountaineers on 1th January. Do not remember whether it was that especially good sunny day or a bet or just the amount of Champagne consumed on the New Year celebration what initiated the adventure, but strangely everyone made it. The hardest time was had by the Dog (surprisingly they appeared to be not so good climbers, and, yes - bare freezing paws !). Many others suffered a bit too: Igor did not take sunglasses and could not see anything the following day; Tania slid the slopes in shorts with bare legs and lost 100sq.cm. of her skin; some were overloaded physically, some by responsibility :-) But these all was well paid off by personal “snow” title award in a special inauguration ceremony on return back to our base. |
Rails, Bikes and Streams 2006
This day, cycling from Ohakune to National Park, we discovered a nice hidden stream across the railway. |
Whakapapa winter crater walk 2009
From Whakapapa side, Far West T-Bar. 25-Oct-2009. |
Sauna Dam 2006
Each year we build a little dam under the “Carrot” bridge for refreshing a sauna. Normally building/maintaining of the dam happens in rainy summer days, when mountain tracks are not welcoming and we spend a good amount of time in the spa/sauna. Ohakune locals are entertained too by watching our runs in togs/bikini along the main road to the river :-) |
Skiing 2011, Snow powder
How often did you ski on Ruapehu in real snow powder conditions ? Myself only once. On 16th August right after a great snowfall caused by this first Antarctic "big chill" of winter 2011. |
Snowy tracks (Big Chills of 2011)
Perfect winter conditions have often drawbacks for Ruapehu skiers. So this beautiful sunny day, when everyone was dreaming about skiing in rare powder snow conditions on the mount, Mountain road was blocked from early morning by a sad bus accident on 18km(?). Even when the road was eventually opened just after 12am, it took 2..3 hours for most determined ones to get to the fields. We gave up and turned back at the ~6th kilometre, taking an opportunity, however, for a magical walk along snowy Blyth track. |
