We're Checking Out The Snow Today

Tama · *by **Tama** on Mon 15/Jun/09 8:59am*

I've been spending far too much time in front of a computer working way too hard and am turning into a pale skinned grumpy hunchback. So we're taking the opportunity to avoid the office and head up to play in the snow.

Target: Mount Hutt
Snow base: 1 metre(!)
Last time I went skiing: a bloody long time ago

To be honest I'm not even sure what we're going to get up to but we have a car, we have some chains, we have a cut lunch ( :love:

) and most importantly I have the Nokia and PXT 2 Vorb.

You be able to check out ALL OF THE PHOTOS HERE

Trail · *by **Trail** on Mon 15/Jun/09 10:01am*

I was biking in the snow up Craigieburn on the weekend.

It was fun :thumbsup:

Snow was looking pretty patchy on the hills tho :blink:

need a decent dump of snow to fill in the holes!!

Tama · *by **Tama** on Mon 15/Jun/09 10:12am*

PXTed in by Tama at 10:12am Mon 15th Jun 09:
It's the infamous grey clag in Christchurch. How far to the blue skies?

Trail · *by **Trail** on Mon 15/Jun/09 10:14am*

Hororata.

crazychris · *by **crazychris** on Mon 15/Jun/09 10:27am*

Trail wrote:I was biking in the snow up Craigieburn on the weekend.

It was fun

Snow was looking pretty patchy on the hills tho need a decent dump of snow to fill in the holes!!

I was wondering how 'ridable' craigie was in these snowy conditions. I have yet to ride it, is it achievable in the snow with no prior experience, or should I drag along a guide?

Tama · *by **Tama** on Mon 15/Jun/09 10:40am*

PXTed in by Tama at 10:40am Mon 15th Jun 09:
Yup, it's grey - 400 metres visibility on SH1. The report for Mount Hutt is saying fine today so I'm looking forward to breaking through the cloud :thumbsup:

Tama · *by **Tama** on Mon 15/Jun/09 10:42am*

PXTed in by Tama at 10:42am Mon 15th Jun 09:
Yeah baby! Blue sky South of Rakaia!

RJD · *by **RJD** on Mon 15/Jun/09 10:45am*

Blue sky south of rakaia saturday too, had an ace day at dobson...

Trail · *by **Trail** on Mon 15/Jun/09 10:45am*

crazychris wrote:I was wondering how 'ridable' craigie was in these snowy conditions. I have yet to ride it, is it achievable in the snow with no prior experience, or should I drag along a guide?

The snow is only on the very upper parts of the track, but it does make those parts of the track hard going! Track is still easy to find at the moment, but if the snow drops any lower it would probably be too much work to get over to the track with a bike. Easiest to find your way with a guide, but if you are comfortable finding your own way on NZ alpine tracks and have had a look at a decent topomap then it is easy to find (but it is not really sign posted).

below the snow the track conditions will depend on what the weather has been doing up there. It does drain pretty quickly, but with the low temperatures things will stay pretty damp on the Broken River side of Lyndon pass (otherwise known as the luge). Lots of roots etc which are slippery when wet.

There are past weather conditions listed on this site here http://www.castlehill.net.nz/Weather/weather_charts.htm

and it is often worth checking out what the weather is doing up there before leaving Chch as it can be very different. Check out the webcams here (looking damn nice up there today!!) http://www.castlehill.net.nz/webcam.htm