Forum

Posted: 26 Jun 2009 16:51      quote | report

Carried over from old forum

Posted: 01 Jul 2009 21:13      quote | report

I haven't worked out how to carry stuff over from the old thread, but re the discussion around backcountry access and patrollers trying to keep people to certain areas and the statement last week from RAL that....

"Early season conditions exist with limited trails. Please respect all closures and safety signage. There is no back country access."

Well good news for those worried about the cotton wool pc nana state thing. Apparently a "discussion" took place and RAL have agreed they can't / won't stop people accessing the back country. Those choosing too need to take real care, but still some good news for the eager.

Posted: 01 Jul 2009 21:18      quote | report

yep, noticed it on the snow phone report on the weekend. They said back country access at the moment is recommended for experienced people with the right equipment... or something to that effect....

Posted: 02 Jul 2009 10:19      quote | report

wooo, flash as...

Norwest snow for whakapapa tomorrow and sat

Posted: 02 Jul 2009 15:07      quote | report

You see our discussions DO get noticed. Paua to the people!

Posted: 02 Jul 2009 15:08      quote | report

Hey Guys, anyone know if they have a terrain park set-up at papa yet? and whats up there?

also has turoa got more then just one box and one rail yet?

Posted: 02 Jul 2009 16:16      quote | report

Papa is a terrain park....when there's snow that is! But as de-mon said..

Posted: 02 Jul 2009 22:29      quote | report

Back country access is the High Flyer isn't it?

Posted: 04 Jul 2009 7:25      quote | report

I think its mainly packed trails and ice......and they say there's some rain heading in, maybe snow on the upper. Whole deal needs another proper dump ........ These charts are pretty accurate > Your text to link here... [ski.com.au]

Rocks all over right now....

Posted: 05 Jul 2009 17:44      quote | report

snowing today at turoa , visibility was an issue in the afternoon but nice dry snow...this week is setting up very nicely with snow until wed.. off trail was do-able but only if you knew where to go

Posted: 05 Jul 2009 18:50      quote | report

i might have to check it out this weekend

Posted: 06 Jul 2009 3:08      quote | report

This weekend is looking killer. Now I just need to find somewhere to stay.

Posted: 06 Jul 2009 6:39      quote | report

im struggling with that. got any tips?

Posted: 06 Jul 2009 7:27      quote | report

you can park up a van at our place in ohakune if need be....

Posted: 06 Jul 2009 9:25      quote | report

thanks for the offer, but aint desperate enuff to sleep in my car!

Posted: 06 Jul 2009 9:25      quote | report

whats the name of that website, that you can check late availability of accommodation. Not travelbug or wotif, another one.

Posted: 06 Jul 2009 13:41      quote | report

Don't bother with bookabach, already looked there....

Posted: 06 Jul 2009 16:22      quote | report

Was up Thur/Fri/Sat, all good days. Friday was low visibility but that kept the masses away and stopped them from scraping the snow off the tops of the runs by sideslipping indefinitely down all the nice steep bits (grr).

Seriously if you can't manage a bit of incline why ski the ***king slope?

Here's a few pics:

http://img11.imageshack.us/i/dsc01374c.jpg/ [img11.imageshack.us]
http://img11.imageshack.us/i/dsc01379o.jpg/ [img11.imageshack.us]
http://img90.imageshack.us/i/dsc01380.jpg/ [img90.imageshack.us]
http://img223.imageshack.us/i/dsc01382l.jpg/ [img223.imageshack.us]

Got to use my new K2 Xplorers properly and I think I'm in love, seems the perfect ski to me for Ruapehu (excepting park, which I suck at anyway so no loss). They just charge through everything.

Still needs a lot of snow cover to open up the backcountry though On trail is fine.

Posted: 06 Jul 2009 16:27      quote | report

I've had success with no available accom & ringing the ohakune information center on occasion, might be worth a shot.

Posted: 06 Jul 2009 16:54      quote | report

think there s a few backpackers..matai, the park, crossing etc have some hard bunks!

Posted: 07 Jul 2009 6:50      quote | report

Harrr July madness!! Fog, ice and parents stopping in the middle of trails to hike up little Billy's ski pants. Mental......wait till August then you'll have some windows for weather and accomodation!

Posted: 07 Jul 2009 7:23      quote | report

ha ha ha ha )

Posted: 07 Jul 2009 8:00      quote | report

hmm..might do a day trip saturday. Hows the weather looking?

Posted: 07 Jul 2009 8:08      quote | report

^^^ Looks like I can stay home to go boarding!!! The kaimai's will be going off Tee Hee

Posted: 07 Jul 2009 9:25      quote | report

yeah the forecast is calling for a lot of snow, next good day could be midweek next week..we still need some serious snowfall before turoa is really cranking..alpine meadow has good cover though

Posted: 07 Jul 2009 9:37      quote | report

so will this weekend be no good?

Posted: 07 Jul 2009 10:12      quote | report

I assume if there's no snow between now and then it'll be pretty much like it was thur->sat for me. Groomed runs that get chopped/scraped to sh*t around 3pm or so.

The snow wasn't too bad though, well groomed hardpack with plenty of loose stuff, although I think there was a light dusting Wed.

Weather looks ok, I'm definitely going up, skis are waxed/edged for optimum carving-around-holidayers action.

Posted: 07 Jul 2009 10:19      quote | report

its looking good for sat ish...but the forecast looks like snow for sunday and monday..best bet friday this week or tue next week?..

Posted: 07 Jul 2009 11:32      quote | report

Looks like Wed night should see snow for sure and then next Sunday/Monday not sure about Sat tho!....if I was uber-keen I'd be going Thurs to Sat avo...but I will wait for the feeding frenzy to subside.... .

Bottom line is another load is needed, especially for Papa' ....hopefully it should happen by mid August.

Posted: 07 Jul 2009 13:37      quote | report

Well all I can say is you should have been at Whaka on Sunday if I had time to load up some pics I would. But for now you will have to just believe me when I say it was the lightest snow they had ever had (also confirmed from patrol). 45kg per m3 where as it is normally 300kg m3 a cubic metre of water is 1000kg.

While the vis was not the best it was more than enough to enjoy the boot to thigh deep dry stuff.

One unnamed person in our party lost there skis and after 2 hours probing and digging with spades we still didn't find them. If anyone has a metal detector we could borrow it would be appreciated. Dont wont to wait till spring as the moisture will kill them.

Posted: 07 Jul 2009 16:01      quote | report

Sounds sweet Rob....like good snow for shure'.

July viz is usually balls tho' and with every child on skis in the North Island on the mount...... another dump would spread out the crowds.

Hope the school hols' leave some after July.......

Posted: 07 Jul 2009 16:53      quote | report

hope we get some decent dumps soon. A 5 day blizzard dumping a metre or so of snow over the school holidays would be good! hasn't been anything major since back in may!?!? Hopefully that blob on the satellite image heading towards ruapehu will bring a bit tonight or tomorrow still waiting for my first run for the season. busy till next wednesday so might just wait till the holidays are over and they get some more lifts open!

Posted: 07 Jul 2009 23:27      quote | report

Anyone keen to go down to Turoa during midweek to avoid the crazy weekend crowds. Will split accommodation and petrol cost equally depending on the number of people travelling down. I drive a fancy V8 with leather seats so preferably if you have a 4WD or car it would be better or I can use my wife's Caldina wagon that will fit 3 humans + gears comfortably. Contact Merv 021-72 95 72

Posted: 08 Jul 2009 9:40      quote | report

Im heading down to Kune' from Orkland after the 20th: Mid week mainly only for good weather windows right through August and Sept when I can.

Have a solid Diesel Hilux 4WD that is used to getting a bit muddy. Will be looking for bodies to split fuel etc. late July.....keep praying for a big puking mother load during school holds'!

Posted: 08 Jul 2009 11:42      quote | report

McAulay - Yup I am keen after the 20th, just name the day and time. I normally stay at the Mountain View Lodge, it's cheap and cheerful. I wouldn't take the Mrs there but it's good enough for blokes who just need a place to get some ZZZZzzz.

Posted: 08 Jul 2009 13:36      quote | report

Hmm is Mountain View Lodge the one just after Nat Park heading to Kune. I have a room in Kune that I stay in, but could be keen for some mid week days if you are doing Turoa.

Posted: 08 Jul 2009 14:05      quote | report

I'm heading down this weekend. Weathers looking good, hopefully that storm coming from the NW doesn't hit till later on Sunday.

Posted: 08 Jul 2009 14:06      quote | report

Tomorrow, tomorrow.......

Posted: 08 Jul 2009 14:07      quote | report

I can't wait for tomorrow, it's only a day away...

Posted: 08 Jul 2009 15:25      quote | report

What's happening tomorrow?

Posted: 08 Jul 2009 15:40      quote | report

Where did the little Sunshine icons go from the forecast???

Posted: 08 Jul 2009 15:53      quote | report

typical RAL scenario..sun on long range forecast..for long enough to ensure people make bookings, then when its too late to pull out, change the forecast to snow. Its a conspiracy i tell u, kune motels in cahoots with skifield to fleece money from you any way thay can.

Posted: 08 Jul 2009 15:54      quote | report

the sun is shining the powder is sweet....an excellent afternoon at turoa..it will be a big day tomorrow...backcountry still roped off from what i hear...

Posted: 08 Jul 2009 16:00      quote | report

if you believe this then thurs,fri are only decent days:

Wed Jul 8 Issued at 1:03 pm 8 Jul 2009 NZST
Cloudy, with occasional showers, clearing this evening. Snow level 800 metres.
Wind at 1500 meters: Northwest 30 km/h, changing southeast 35 km/h this afternoon.
Wind at 3000 meters: Northwest 45 km/h changing southeast 25 km/h this afternoon.
Free air freezing Level: Lowering to 1000 metres tonight.
Thu Jul 9 Issued at 1:03 pm 8 Jul 2009 NZST
Cloudy periods, mainly south of the mountain. Long fine spells in the north.
Wind at 1500 meters: Southeasterly 30 km/h, dying away overnight.
Wind at 3000 meters: Southeasterly 30 km/h.
Free air freezing Level: Rising to 1200 metres in the morning.
Fri Jul 10 Issued at 12:54 pm 8 Jul 2009 NZST
Morning cloud clearing and becoming fine. Light winds at low levels, southerlies about the tops.
Free air freezing Level: 1400 metres.
Sat Jul 11 Issued at 12:54 pm 8 Jul 2009 NZST
Cloud increasing in the afternoon and a few snow showers developing. Southeasterlies developing and becoming strong and gusty in exposed places.
Free air freezing Level: Lowering to 1200 metres.
Sun Jul 12 Issued at 12:54 pm 8 Jul 2009 NZST
Occasional snow showers. Southeasterlies, strong in exposed places. Monday: Often cloudy. Southeasterlies dying out.

Posted: 08 Jul 2009 16:01      quote | report

maybe go to whaka OS?

Posted: 08 Jul 2009 16:02      quote | report

hey freshie i dont think they (the motels)are that sophisticated...the weather has been hard to call all week but now the sun is out and the mtn looks sweet..basically a slow torture for me today as i had to work knowing the snow was ON just 20min away, tomorrow the alpine meadow and madness with the nephews and nieces..hoping we get a flick of snow on sun/mon and then a day off!!!

Posted: 08 Jul 2009 16:25      quote | report

maybe go to whaka OS?

By Freshtracks


Was the plan, now Turoa is looking better at this stage. Maybe just check it when I get to Nat Park

Posted: 08 Jul 2009 18:26      quote | report

Man just use the links below, between them all you can suss out whats gonna' happen, but with the current fronts/seasonal weather, trying to see 3 days ahead never mind 5 is pretty tricky!

Watch for windows then boost! I say Thurs Friday with Sat a maybe......


Metvu. [metvuw.com]

METSERVICE.. [metservice.co.nz]

Anything below the blue line on the COLA charts should fall as snow.

COLA.. [ski.com.au]

Posted: 08 Jul 2009 18:41      quote | report

Meh, passing cloud. I'm optimistic.

Posted: 08 Jul 2009 19:25      quote | report

The feedback coming down off Whaka today was exstatic. Deep and fluffy. Where was I? Working!
Knoll tomorrow....

Posted: 08 Jul 2009 20:15      quote | report

^^^do u work at edge to edge or own it?

Posted: 08 Jul 2009 20:29      quote | report

Deep and fluffy......ahhh man.....

Posted: 08 Jul 2009 20:32      quote | report

rob_rips : Mountain View is located in Ohakune itself. just off the main road near a roundabout as you enter the main street. I will be planning to go down midweek on the 20th for 2-3 nights depending on the forecast. Call me if you are keen

Posted: 08 Jul 2009 21:19      quote | report

is that near the camp ground?^

Posted: 09 Jul 2009 7:29      quote | report

Has anyone done the Master the Mountain course at Ruapehu?

Posted: 09 Jul 2009 7:54      quote | report

Weather has gone to sh1t.

Posted: 09 Jul 2009 8:13      quote | report

Makes me feel better about sitting in an office in Welly. Heading up Sat for a whole week tho. Hopefully I'll get one fine day.

Posted: 09 Jul 2009 8:30      quote | report

I own it Freshie.
Jude a number of my clients do master mountain. Their feedback is as good as the instructor they have of course. Isn't that the bottom line in any program? If you want to be an aggressive skier, you need an aggressive instructor. Some want to do the 'perfect turn' poodle style, some want to do the hardest turn. Which are you?

Posted: 09 Jul 2009 8:38      quote | report

Want to keep up with the boys, so I guess that means 'agressive'. Had a taste of 'backcountry' last season and want more. Current setup Salomon MaiTai with Marker Baron bindings. Hoping to lean how to use the skins this season.

Posted: 09 Jul 2009 9:25      quote | report

jude..if you are into skinning up mt ruapehu give us a call..most good days we are usually wandering around the bc..