Southern Lakes including Queenstown and Wanaka
Free and Independent
A few light dustings in the last few days on top of our two mega dumps have set up all of the Southern Lakes snow areas very nicely thank you very much. Snow participants are well spread out so the queues have been very un spectacular and the grins have been very wide!
For the serious snow explorer the heli skiing and riding is also pretty supreme. If you are in Queenstown between August 9 and 13 and you want to do some hell bent charter heli skiing then make sure you read about the Heli Day to Die For.
Evan " let me up there " Bloomfield
View our previous snow reports online.
>+++ nzski.com present the Australia New Zealand Cup
Racing goes big time at Coronet Peak with this Continental Cup FIS race on August 18 - 21. Top international and New Zealand racers will contest Slalom and Giant Slalom events. Get up to the Peak and watch the action while you go up the chair.
>================ Last Issue
>================ We Get Mail - Comments and tips from SnowReport readers
Here's one from Laura Smit in OZ.
"I just got back from a week in Queenstown snowboarding in that lovely fresh dumping of powdery magic followed by days 'as good as gold' "
" 11 of us had planned this expedition since last year & heartily agreed it was well worth every bit of overtime worked to get there."
"We are definitely coming back for more & longer & a few more riders who were so jealous of our tales of adventure & impressive (ha) home video footage!
Lucky you Laura! Nice timing.
And for all our Australian readers we have an exclusive BIG COMPETITION announcement in a few days so watch this spaccccccccce. Meantime why don't you enter our competition to guess the date when snow will next fall on the trees in our CoronetCam.
>================ rip curl heli challenge
It is on! And boy is it on. Like a bees to a nest the best riders and skiers from around the world have been congregated in Wanaka for this outrageous collection of great excuses to burn heaps of jet fuel while exploring the depths and breadths of the Southern Alps. Sounds like my kind of competition! Here is the last three days program
Thursday 5 August - relaxing down town for a game of golf at the Wanaka Golf Course. "Unleaded" pumping out the sounds by bonfire at Maungawera in Hawea in the evening.
Friday 6 August - half pipe jam session at Treble Cone. Skiers & Boarders showing their best new school moves in the natural terrain of the Gunbarrel Half Pipe! PULSATE WANAKA BIG AIR Press Conference. Meet the competitors, PULSATE team, interviews, and all press info.
Saturday 7 August - TREBLE CONE SUPER-X - Witness the exciting head-to-head ski and snowboard racing from the top to the bottom of the mountain Treble Cone Ski Resort.
Saturday evening - PULSATE WANAKA BIG AIR - An exhibition of aerial talent that brings the mountains to town! Partying with Grinspoon + Unleaded + Deep Kick. Lismore Park Wanaka 10:30pm "AFTER-BURNER" Rave Party.
Here's a report on the Chinese Downhill from the official site;
http://www.helichallenge.co.nz/
The Rip Curl event again showcased what sets it apart from any other contest in the world: the ability to access vast areas of untracked mountain terrain only a helicopter ride away from civilisation. 63 of the world's best skiers and snowboarders gathered deep in the Mt Aspiring National Park for the Chinese Downhill event. This year's chosen site was the spectacular 7,000 plus foot Mt Brewster, a steep and radical peak running into a crevasse littered glacier that had only ever been accessed by a lucky handful of locals until today due to it being deep in the backcountry of a National Park. Chinese Downhill is competition in its purest form, testing the limits of courage and ability as competitors race at lightening fast speed down steep undulating terrain in a "no rules, first to the bottom wins" format. It was unanimously agreed that today's races were the most challenging in the event's five-year history, with both skiers and snowboarders reaching speeds of up to 110 kph down the 1.5 km virgin slope.
And guess who's up there with them! Well Queenstowns very own Chris Vile
from BoarderZone of course;
http://www.boarderzone.com/99_helichallenge.htm
Under perfect blue skies yesterday, and on a variable cover of wind blown powder snow, day one of three competition days - Backcountry Heli Freeride Day - of the Rip Curl World Heli Challenge saw some of the newest cutting edge freestyle mountain riding ever seen in the Southern Hemisphere as the worlds best snowboarders and skiers showcased their skills.
>================ nzski.com celebrates new Zealand tourism awards
Well nzski.com pulled off a stunning coup by taking out four awards at the New Zealand Tourism Awards - Visitor Attraction, Education and Training, a distinction award and a $5000 Air New Zealand travel package.
And what are they going to do with the travel package? Well fly a whole bunch of snow over to OZ and dump it in the middle of Sydney of course!
And how are they going to celebrate? By having a special Two For One day! Season pass holders get to buy a mate a day pass for half price OR if you buy a Day Pass you get one free! Here's the days and terms.
Thursday 5 August - Mt Hutt - that's today!
Friday 6 August - The Remarkables
Friday night - Coronet Peak - night pass only.
Can't wait to see the snow in Sydney.
>================ Coronet Peak
Recent Snow falls
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Base
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Top
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26 June
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10cm
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15cm
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03 July
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80cm
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1m +
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08 July
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5cm
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10cm
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12 July
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3cm
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26 July
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15cm
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15cm
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27 July
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25cm
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25cm
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02 August
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2cm
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4cm
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05 August
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dusting
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Amazing what the Peak can do with a few centimetres. Icing on a fine cake. The Wigley Cup starts today. Named after Sir Harry Wigley the legendary aviator and founder of the Mount Cook company this 4 race FIS series brings together some of the top international and local ski racers.
>================ Cardrona
Recent Snow falls
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Base
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Top
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26 June
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8cm
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03 July
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70cm
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1m +
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08 July
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8cm
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12 July
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2cm
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26 July
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5cm
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5cm+
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27 July
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25cm
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25cm+
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02 August
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4cm
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6cm
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05 August
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dusting
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Wednesday was the Musterers Mayhem chaos and the qualifier for the Big Air - and they were doing Big Air. The word was it was lucky it was such a soft landing!
>================ Treble Cone
Recent Snow falls
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Base
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Top
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03 July
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65cm
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1m +
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08 July
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5cm
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12 July
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7cm
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26 July
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3cm
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5cm
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27 July
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15cm
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15cm
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02 August
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8cm
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14cm
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Treble Cone Cam goes live. Yep the lateset in the KiwiNewZ.com SnowCam sites. This is an on mountain shot from Treble Cone's own camera, thanks TC. Check out the scene on Treble Cone today.
Race one of the Boardhouse Boardercross last Sunday saw Juliane Bray taking out the women's race. The men's division was hotly contested with plenty of body contact especially round the first two gates. Japanese riders Tomohiro Takasue and Naoya Kunihiro were too strong for the local riders, gaining 1st and 2nd place respectively, with Christopher Kirkham in third place.
"Looking very sharp out there".
>================ The Remarkables
Recent Snow falls
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Base
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Top
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26 June
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10cm
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15cm
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03 July
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1m +
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1.2m +
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08 July
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5cm
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8cm
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12 July
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5cm
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26 July
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15cm
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15cm+
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27 July
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25cm
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25cm
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|
02 August
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5cm
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8cm
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Primo Terrain park riding well. Family combo deals are red hot.
>+++ Thanks to our sponsor == Cardrona Alpine Resort
Four National Events including the Disabled Alpine Champs, Freeskiing Champs, University Nationals and Snowboard Nationals in an exciting calendar
Check out Cardrona's event calendar;
>================ Waiorau Snow Farm
Waiorau Nordic Ski Club's team is in serious training for the International Kangaroo Hoppet which is to be held on August 28. And to help them out is Norwegian cross-country skier Jannike Oeyen. She has been ranked 10th in Norway and her assistant coach is our top cross country skier Sam Lee. Another great event to check out if you like the idea of a cross country is the Merino Muster on 21 August.
>================ Heli Day to Die For - August 9 - 13
Picture this .... 8 to 10 runs at 3 000 foot plus vertical with a 8 - 10 like minded expert riders and skiers for about NZ$580 depending on how loose you want to go .......
Don't believe it? Well KiwiNewZ.com can't stand by and watch all those people in the Heli Challenge use up all the fresh so we have put together the Heli Day to Die For.
Here's what we do. Grab together 8 - 10 expert skiers and riders, wait for the best day between Monday 9th and Friday 12th August, charter a chopper, grab our favourite local heli guide Carmel ( aka shed gurrrl ) and I will be your second guide and we will head out in to the hills.
Now how do you get in on the action? Well if you are in Queenstown between August 9 - 13, are at least good intermediate and want to join in on the action just Email me, phone me on +64 3 442 6017 or fax +64 3 442 8342 and I will keep in touch. You need to tell me your name, number of people in the group, when you arrive / depart Queenstown and your contact phone number or accommodation in Queenstown.
So if you want to be able to rave to your friends about the Heli Day to Die For let me know now!
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>================ Contact Details
Evan Bloomfield fx +64 3 442 8342
PO Box 2125
Queenstown 9197
AOTEAROA
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