Monday, October 19, 2009

a big drive and then no action


BIG hail


Looking at the weather report we knew it would be closed Saturday, so arrived in Ohakune Saturday arvo hoping for Sunday. It would be great if it was another good Sunday like last Sunday! Instead Saturday evening brought us intense hail and thunder. Alas Sunday was closed...

Closed at 13km mark on Sunday

Monday, October 12, 2009

after the storm

After the big snow, my lovely other half snuck away on the Wednesday for a day of fresh snow, wicked lines, and an all round awesome day... while I was stuck at work. There was still a lot of snow around, plenty down to the one lane bridge on the Ohakune Mountain road. And the trees, oh the weight of the snow (and lack of wind) brought many branches down and leaning over the road.

here is a movie (I think made by mountain staff) coming down the Ohakune Mountain road and into the tree line before the snow and trees were cleared and it reopened on Wednesday.

Well, it was another sketchy weather forecast for the weekend but we headed down. So Saturday the 10th rolled round and the mountain was CLOSED. It was windy and snowing up at Turoa again tho. Many people like us had taken the drive for a look and see what was going on up there. Those even more committed were hiking up the Sisters (above the Alpine Meadow) and taking various means of sliding down.

Alpine Meadow @ Turoa

Sunday 11th: It was snowing as we headed up the Ohakune Mountain Road to Turoa... and then cleared to blue sky as we arrived at 8am! No gales force winds as predicted, and it felt like no one was there, pretty deserted. There were nice snow stashes down Slider, Branchline, and the Why Nots. The Jumbo T bar wasn't running, but to end the day we did 3 runs in a row of cutting over from the Why Not's to the far side of Raceline where it was untracked and creamy. We rode first to last lifts - great day and well worth the drive!

wind drifts above Slider

High Traverse above Big Bowl

High Noon Express - not many people 

Why Not?'s are now the 'where are they?'

Monday, October 5, 2009

wrong call

The forecast looked bad so flagged going boarding... but Saturday turned out to be a nice spring day! On Sunday it dumped down in the afternoon: snow down to Taihape and as far east as Hawkes Bay, plus the Napier/Taupo road (trapping 100 or more cars in the snow). Snow also closed road desert road and SH49 from Ohakune to Waiouru.

Never mind. At least it's topped up the snow for spring riding.

Here's my Ohakune flatmate Tracey and friends doing a spot of EXTREME sledding on the Sunday. (video by Tim Simpkin from the Snow Centre)