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.