HelperElfMissy 42 Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 Just give it a go Minty. I couldnt get the hang of the silly little one at Hanazono - it was too low for me to keep my balance being natural. The kids reckon I should have clipped in and ridden switch. However I mastered the T-bar last year at Thredbo after years of avoiding it and therefore missing out on some of the best terrain on offer. It is actually really easy once you get the hang of it. Easier when there are two on the t bar instead of one. And easier still if it is a skier with the snowboarder. If you are a single call for a partner - they will stabilize you just by being there. Link to post Share on other sites
Mintyjulep 0 Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 Thanks Mamabear Mr Minty is pretty good at sticking with me, so that should be fine - and why I'm progressing so quickly I think. But he and his family are all cardrona-philes and always get very negative about club fields facilities. We do have tonnes of choice, I love it and I want to get out there and ski all over the south island. The lack of money with saving for the wedding and Japan do make it a bit hard though I'm super excited about Hanmer! As for the Porters expansion - OMG!! Crystal valley looks mint, and I can't wait until it is all done. The progress so far is going ok - Porters have made an agreement with DOC to give the land the access road is on to DOC in exchange for the land crystal valley and the village will need. I did hear some minor difficulty had arisen since then though - not sure on the details. But these things will always be difficult in NZ because we care about rocks and trees and stuff! I was reading over some of the comments a few pages back with lots of people complaining about how expensive places like perisher and threadbo are, and I was thinking basically that these places are so expensive because they provide so much in the way of services. A skifield in Japan or NZ gets a lot of natural snow and won't have to spend so much on making snow, where as in Australia a huge part of their service is making snow. Surely that would result in a large price hike? I was really impressed with what you said about Threadbo's snowmaking abilities Mamabear! Link to post Share on other sites
JA2340 16 Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 I've only done one trip to Cardrona. Foggy to the point of around 0.5m visibility. Having taken a coach up there, and having to stay until the coach left, we spent an inordinate amount of time and money in the coffee shop! No fun sliding when you don't know the area and cannot see a bleeding thing! Link to post Share on other sites
Mintyjulep 0 Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 We had two bad days up cardie last year, but the good days more than make up for the bad ones - same as anywhere I guess Link to post Share on other sites
Tex 3 Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 Originally Posted By: JA I've only done one trip to Cardrona. Foggy to the point of around 0.5m visibility. Having taken a coach up there, and having to stay until the coach left, we spent an inordinate amount of time and money in the coffee shop! No fun sliding when you don't know the area and cannot see a bleeding thing! That's when you head to the trees... oh yeh that's right Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 LOL! My kids have been to Cardrona 4 times total (2 each) for a week at a time, one of those together - so 3 years running ('09,'08,07) - first week of the July school holidays (WA) each time. They have had variable conditions - white outs, throw you down winds, dumping snow and bluebird days. One year was particularly icy and low cover - but #2 son maintains it is still his favorite Southern Hemisphere resort so far. We hoped to convince him otherwise with the Thredbo trip this year, but the lack of natural snow did naught to convince him to switch his allegiance. Link to post Share on other sites
Jynxx 4 Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 #2 is wise. The bottom bit gets a bit boring but that's ok. I don't know if I'd go there 4 times in a row lol. I like Wanaka, too. Good crowd. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 cancel the wedding then!! you're a skier Minty, rght? Riding the tows are easy on ski's, riding on a board takes a bit longer to get used to. Back home, thats what most of the "lifts" are and I have spent many a day getting dragged half way up scotlands hills while the lifty is shouting at me to let go! Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 Yeah - Minty IS a skier...just saw the ski's on the 'pretty pic's of gear' thread I assumed boarder coz I don't think I have heard a skier complain about T-bars before. It is usually a boarders complaint. MINTY! Just do it. You be fine!! Link to post Share on other sites
Mintyjulep 0 Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 I'll do it! When I get a chance to! It's easy to complain when you've never tried it and only heard negative stuff, but I find it very hard to be negative once I get out on the hill so I'll do it! Haha, cancel the wedding, nice try TB. Mamabear might be able to back me up here - it has been the focus of my saving and planning and pretty much life for a year now (we got engaged July 09 at the beginning of what turned out to be a bit of a blizzard at Cardrona, thanks Fedex for holding the ring up so Mr Minty couldn't propose on a nice day) Jynxx - so true! Everyone is so nice in Wanaka Queenstown was really depressing after Wanaka, full of rude people. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 lol Big fancy wedding was not us Minty. We did it on a budget at 19/20 and were married less than a year after we got engaged (he proposed without a ring, off the cuff). But it is all good - we have been married 21 years this December - so the lower key wedding did nothing to detract from the longevity of the commitment. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 Big news of the day. Merritts lift at Thredbo broke down today about 1pm and they had to belay evacuate the 60 odd passengers down (took and hour and a half). Merritts is out of action for the next few days at least, while they scratch their heads and come up with a fix. Apparently a couple pulled a chair off the cable - how? NFI! All the n00bs heading up to the Cruiser Chair are going to have to go via Gunbarrel and come down via the challenging High Noon. Link to post Share on other sites
jared 0 Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 For ski in/ski out in NZ - you can stay on the snow at pretty much all of the club fields, snow park and Cardrona. One of my best skiing experiences was staying at Mt Cheeseman for a week. Link to post Share on other sites
Tex 3 Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 Originally Posted By: Captain Stag For ski in/ski out in NZ - you can stay on the snow at pretty much all of the club fields, snow park and Cardrona. One of my best skiing experiences was staying at Mt Cheeseman for a week. Cheeseman has his own mountain? Link to post Share on other sites
CptSlow 0 Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 Cardrona is one of my fav fields in NZ, have spent a couple of weeks up there, the mountain is so big and has something for everyone for sure. TC is much steeper and for more advanced people in my opinion. Link to post Share on other sites
Mintyjulep 0 Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 Mr Minty would agree CptSlow - I tried to convince him to take me to TC and he said nay as I am too much of a nub. Mamabear - we're not doing big and fancy by any means, but I have turned it into a massive project for myself lol. Always trying to make things difficult. CptSlow and Captain Stag (having a laugh now because I think Cpt is short for Captain) have either of you ever skied at Hanmer ski area? Any tips? I've scoped it out online as we're going at the end of this month, but Mr Minty has never been cos he's all anti club fields. I had heard bad things about it in the past - that it doesn't get much in the way of snow and such - true or false? Link to post Share on other sites
Mantas 3 Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 The sacrificial snapper ritual has worked !!! Over 35cm at Thredbo yesterday. Now I'm going to sit back and listen to the superlatives flow. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 So I heard. Shame it looks like I am NOT heading over next weekend Link to post Share on other sites
jared 0 Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 We got lots of rain. But dont worry! if you read the snow report its a good thing. Currently they have """"Very good skiing and riding on soft moist spring like snow.""" Thats why I get my snow updates from avalanche.net.nz rather than the ski resorts. Link to post Share on other sites
Jynxx 4 Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 @ "soft moist spring like snow" meaning? snow is soft. It's not ice. moist means wet. spring like means shit? Wish you all a good one . Hope it snows more for youse Link to post Share on other sites
joshnii 2 Posted August 2, 2010 Share Posted August 2, 2010 Sounds lovely! Link to post Share on other sites
Mantas 3 Posted August 3, 2010 Share Posted August 3, 2010 70 cm in the last 36 hours. 20cm in the village. Sounds like thier arses have been saved. Link to post Share on other sites
Jynxx 4 Posted August 3, 2010 Share Posted August 3, 2010 You going Mantas ? Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted August 3, 2010 Share Posted August 3, 2010 Thredbo is claiming 1.1m now (55cm in the last 24hrs). And more to come. Supposed to be on the plane on Saturday night... but I am nursemaid to BFG. I am hoping he gets his fibreglass cast on before next week wednesday and is doing ok....then I can leave him with Mum and still go for at least a long weekend. It sure is tough having a season pass, seeing it FINALLY turn it on, and knowing you can't go. Link to post Share on other sites
Jynxx 4 Posted August 3, 2010 Share Posted August 3, 2010 Why, not ? Just a broken bone. He's a big boy, isn't he? If it was my parents, they'll say "In the old days you were considered grownup to become samurai at 12 yo" "Well then treat me like one. One day I'm a kid. Next day I'm not" Link to post Share on other sites
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