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Snowjunky in NZ 2013 - a bitter-sweet trip


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A great early start to the NZ season in June turned to crap when it was followed by the warmest July since they started keeping records back in the thirties.

 

Still, August was still better in NZ than OZ apparently. Based in Queenstown this time we got some decent days at Cardrona, and Remarkables and a frustrating half day at Coronet Peak (AKA Concrete Peak) which is situated at too low an altitude for the sketchy conditions.

 

Also a bitter-sweet trip as I lost my contour helmet cam after a ripper face plant during my first heli-descent on Mt Nicholas about 20 minutes flight south of Queenstown. - Bugger!, as i had around 4 days footage on it.

 

I have posted a few pics below and will follow with some Iphone video shortly.

 

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View from our room at The Hermitage, Mt Cook Village. The peak in the middle background is Mt Cook

the highest mountain in Australasia at 3,754m

 

 

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OOPS sorry didn't mean to make it that big - can't change

View from the bottom of the tasman glacier looking towards lake Pukaki

 

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Looking across the Tasman glacial melt up to the glacier ice face

 

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Lake Tekapo

 

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Eight wheeler fun

 

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SJ, Jen & Snozz

 

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View from our room

 

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The Remarkables

 

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View from Queenstown Skyline Lookout - easy gondora ride up and then.............

 

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.........Fly down

 

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Waiting to be picked up by Southen Lakes Heli-ski guide.

 

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Staging point at Mt Nicholas Station

 

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Lake Wakatipu

 

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Mt Nicholas

 

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Mt Nicholas

 

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Mt Nicholas

 

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Mt Nic

 

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I want one!

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Thanks for the comments guys.

I made a claim on my travel insurance for the Contour camera which was paid in full.

As the one I lost was 5 years old I took the opportunity to throw a few more bucks in and upgrade to the new model with GPS and bluetooth connection to my Iphone.

 

And GG, sometimes I steps out of my green pants and dons my med_gallery_10039_58_1271.jpganonymous outfit.

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Snow junky, Good to hear you recovered your contour on insurance. Did it get questioned? I have heard a few stories now about people losing go pros and such, spending hours searching for them. If you don't mind me asking, how was the contour attached? I have been toying with idea of buying a camera eg go pro or contour or similar but not convinced with setup, on a pole or attached via a sticker. Maybe slr would be the go? Sounds like a new topic, not trying to hijack thread, so let me know.

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Thanks I love Zao - The flight from Brisbane to Christchurch is around 2.5 to 3 hours depending on the winds.

It is a magicly scenic country.

 

Rucky Inu - my contour was attched by velcro and a tether to another fitting that was attached to my helmet with super strong MMM double sided tape. The helmet fitting is still there still strongly attached.

I have had plenty of stacks over the last 5 years and not lost the cam but this time I must have not tied the tether securely enough.

 

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The lost cam - let me know if you find it !

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Some more Pics I grabbed off my mate Snozz's GoPro.

 

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Follow Miss Jane, our guide

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I threw a ski & took a tumble. My good mate Snozz came down, picked it up and threw it down to me - Missed, and it kept going another 100m - seemed longer walking down to it. It's good to have mates,

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Meet up with the other groups for lunch halfway down the mountain

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Lunch is over

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Ha! take that Snozz - that'l teach ya for thowing my ski away before

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A couple of shots at The Remarkables ski area to finish with. Yes it's turned on.

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stunning pics SJ......NZ looks a beautiful place. Very interesting as well how only the upper mountains are snow capped.....is that always the case? How tall are these mountains? They look damned big! With the apparent lack of trees, does that make the snow icy and windblown a lot?

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Great stuff Snowjunky, looks like you got some pretty good conditions. The heli terrain looks awesome.

 

stunning pics SJ......NZ looks a beautiful place. Very interesting as well how only the upper mountains are snow capped.....is that always the case? How tall are these mountains? They look damned big! With the apparent lack of trees, does that make the snow icy and windblown a lot?

 

Sometimes the snow will get down to sea level in the south island, but not often, most of the time only the upper parts of the mountains are snow covered. With no trees, yes you can get alot of wind affected and icy snow, and also visibility can make a much bigger impact than if you have tree lined slopes, however if you seek out the lee slopes you will find the goods after a blow. Mt Cook is the tallest mountain in NZ, at 3,754 meters, but most of the skifields are between 1200m and 1600m base height and up to about 2300m highest altitude. Biggest vertical is just over 700m from memory.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Normaly NZ $800 but I got it at $600 on a Warren Miller promotion..

NZ 600 = AUD$500 - I would not get it cheaper anywhere in the world

Worth every dollar

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Normaly NZ $800 but I got it at $600 on a Warren Miller promotion..

NZ 600 = AUD$500 - I would not get it cheaper anywhere in the world

Worth every dollar

That's great as a normal ticket would cost around $100 anyway well worth it

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