Southern Lakes including Queenstown and Wanaka
Free and Independent
Last issue we had two lucky winners! David Kalcher from Australia guessed the correct date for the big dump on the 2nd of July, and Daniel Newman from Pukekohe won the pick me competition. Here's what Daniel had to say;
"You must be joking, I have never won anything like this before in my life, can you please email me back asap with some of the details of the prize, oh my god, I think I'm going to kiss you .... this is going to be so awesome!!!!! "
So Daniel has booked to Queenstown from the 17th to the 20th of September. When are you coming over from OZ David?
Evan "time for more snow" Bloomfield
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>================ Last issue
Last issue we had two lucky winners, SnowCam Land featured in Net Guide, QANTAS made it's first flight in to the the Lakes District and did a storm follow up.
You can view our previous snow reports online.
>================ David and Davies predict the big fall
David Kalcher from Australia one the Snow on the Trees Competition and sent us this email when he found out.
" I really don't know what is more amazing! The luck that I have or simple the fact that 1 meter plus of snow dumped all over the New Zealand South Island ...".
Being the inquisitive type of guy I am I asked David how he predicted that snow was going to fall on the 2nd July to which;
" Well it was all luck and some help from Rob Davies web page "THE NEW ZEALAND SNOW PREDICTION".
Those of you that read our 22 June Issue
will remember this fab little web page from Rob Davies at Victoria University
in Wellington that produces real time snow forecasts for the whole of New
Zealand.
http://www.geo.vuw.ac.nz/~robd/snow.html
Has anyone else been following Rob's forecasts? Whats the feedback? Send me an email.
Here's an email I got from Rob;
Thanks for including the info in the KiwiNewZ report - my page has become quite popular and since I got back I extended coverage to SE Australia, although for the moment it's proving a depressing reminder for them of how much better it is this side of the ditch. I've also added a set of surface temperature maps that also include the lapse rates as contours (i.e the typical change in temperature per 100m in the range 0-1500m). I'm hoping to have Europe and N America pages up in time for their next season!
There was some disruption to the page while I was away due to a power cut here in Wellington, although it seemed to have fixed itself by the time I got back. A much more serious problem was that the Met dept here changed the boundaries of the areas they downloaded each day which meant that my forecasts were for the Chatham Islands area rather than for NZ (i.e. the weather forecast for an area E of NZ was applied to the NZ topography)!!! Oh dear. That will teach me for taking long holidays! It should be ok for the rest of this season, and indeed it will run for as long as the VUW Met dept continue to download NOAA weather models.
Meanwhile, with some regret, I'm off to Europe for a spot of surfing for a couple of months, but should catch some more snow when I get back. Here's hoping this season lasts until Xmas!
Go Rob. Get on over to his site, put your finger in the air, however you predict the snow the slate is clean and the competition is on again. All you have to do is guess the date when snow will next fall on the trees. Only one guess per person please.
>================ Snow Reports, Saturday 17 July
Well a quick scan through this mornings faxed Snow Reports provides interesting reading. All the fields are reporting variable weather with the big storm that had a bash at Sydney then pelted the far north of New Zealand heading our way.
In the Wakatipu Basin the Peak has a moderate NE breeze at the top with cloud on the upper slopes. All facilites open except the terrain park and today is the Big Air competition. Now these guys get biG aiR so get up and watch the show with NZ band Stellar pounding out the tunes. The Remarkables have groomed all the trails in the Alta and Sugar Bowl with tracked and wind drifted snow off piste, moderate SE winds, overcast and light snow flurries.
Over the hills TC has groomed all their trails, dry winter conditions with snow showers are expected. Cardrona has moderate to strong NE winds with limited visibility, lifts open subject to wind and a nice little touch - half day lift rates.
Elsewhere Harris Mountain Heli Skiing are not operating and Mt Dobson is closed due to blizzard!
>================ Coronet Peak
Recent Snow falls
|
Base
|
Top
|
|
|
07 June
|
0cm
|
5cm
|
|
13 June
|
10cm
|
15cm
|
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16 June
|
2cm
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5cm
|
|
26 June
|
10cm
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15cm
|
|
03 July
|
80cm
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1m +
|
|
08 July
|
5cm
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10cm
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12 July
|
3cm
|
One of the highlights of the winter festival the Dog Derby was on 15 July at Coronet Peak. Local farmers ride the chair whistling to their dogs running below then they both run, slide, bark, and roll their way to the bottom. Talk abouit a chaotic cacophony! Greg Metherell and his dog snow won the event. Brian Dagg covered the course like a concorde being the fastest .... trouble was he couldnt find his dog .... Speed. And who won the Dog Barking that night at the Arthurs Point Pub? No one can remember!
Boardercross and Half Pipe competitions have been fizzing at Coronet Peak with some of the world's top riders competing. Wednesday 14 July saw NZ olympic hopefuls Thomas Jones and Greg Prouse riding against last years winner Aron Jameson of Queenstown, Spanish rider Felix Pons, English rider Stuart Rea, Swiss Boarder X champion Antoine Pellard and American Scott Anfang.
Most of the main trails are getting nicely groomed each night so search them out in the morning and enjoy that smooth ride. The off piste is skiing particularly nice with Exchange Drop one of the favourites.
>================ Cardrona
Recent Snow falls
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Base
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Top
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|
|
13 June
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10cm
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|
|
14 June
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5cm
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|
|
26 June
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8cm
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|
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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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|
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12 July
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2cm
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Wednesday 14th July report from the team at Cardrona ....
" Conditions are excellent over the entire mountain. Cool temperatures at higher elevations mean Cardrona has not had any 'Spring' snow conditions yet. Still 100 percent packed powder on groomed runs and dry (in places silky) snow off-piste. There has been quite a bit of wind earlier in the week and this has affected some of the upper ridges but all in all - it's great snow.
" Place to ski right now. Captain's and Arcadia. Lots of wind blown powder and just excellent cover. The top 3 chutes are all filled and the first run of the day for the Development Centre staff right now. Boardercross course is taking shape for the first of the Primo Canadian Airlines series of 6 on July 23rd. This will kick off events with the K2 Snowboard Challenge on the 24/25th.
" The Pipe Park is full on rebuilding right now. International is wearing
thin but should hang in until Saturday when a full rebuild will take place.
The Monster is being cut as we speak with both the Rookie and Johnny Pipes
going well. Adam Longnecker, USA, who is running the Olympic Solidarity course
is really happy with the Johnny right now. That's it for this week. Basically
ego snow all over. Miss it at your peril.
>================ Treble Cone
Recent Snow falls
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Base
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Top
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|
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08 June
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10cm
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|
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13 June
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5cm
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15 - 20cm
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26 June
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5cm
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12cm
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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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|
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12 July
|
7cm
|
Dry winter snow still hanging in there with "masses amount of grooming on the Saddle Basin and good conditions on the corduroy". All terrain is open. Day trip from Queenstown leaves at 8am. Great improvements to the Crown Range Road definitely make the journey over the hill easier.
>================ The Remarkables
Recent Snow falls
|
Base
|
Top
|
|
|
13 June
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10cm
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|
|
19 June
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6cm
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8cm
|
|
26 June
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10cm
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15cm
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|
03 July
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1m +
|
1.2m +
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|
08 July
|
5cm
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8cm
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|
12 July
|
5cm
|
Cold winter snow wind drifted off peak. Groomers are keeping busy and laying on some good trails. Homeward bound is open and pumping " acres of snow".
>================ Waiorau Snow Farm
All the main trails are groomed up at the Waiorau with those classic double lines stretching for miles around the top of the Piza Range. Mary Lee describes the conditions as the best they have had for ages so it must be good!
This weekend they are having a ski orienteering competition langlauf style. In the morning learn all about orienteering on skis then the long course starts at midday and the short course at 12.30pm. Grab your compass and maps and go explore! Great fun for the kids and adults alike!
The Waiorau Snow Farm welcomed their flat land Norwegian coach Janike Yyen recently. Yanike is the coach for all those keen X Country racers and she is available for lessons as well. Heck, if you are going to learn the art you may as well learn from an expert!
>+++ Thanks to our sponsor == Cardrona Alpine Resort
The big news in 1999 is the launch of a $99 season pass for children between 6 - 12 years. The offer is valid all season and is open to all current New Zealand residents. Children 5 years and under already ski for free.
Now that's a fab deal for the family.
>================ Queenstown Winter Festival 10 -18 July
Well the festival couldn't have been blessed with better snow conditions and weather. The events have been rolling along as all of us here in the Wakatipu Basin get out our timetable of events and consider which ones to check out. Spaghetti or ice cream eating competitions? Name your flavour. Dog barking or lake plunging? Take you pick. Jazz night or the titanic ball? Choose you outfit.
Slide on over to check out the Queenstown Winter Festival events calendar and start planning for next year!
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>================ Contact Details
Evan Bloomfield fx +64 3 442 8342
PO Box 2125
Queenstown 9197
AOTEAROA
Copyright, KiwiNewZ, 1999