New Zealand!
New Zealand
Looking at the Tairn Chutes of the day from the Cheeseman boundary
Mt. Cheeseman ski area itself doesn’t have very challenging terrain, although it gets tracked out at 1/100 the rate of any American ski area I have been to. Behind the ski field, however, is amazing access to super backcountry skiing. I have been able to do great skiing when I get the chance.
I had an afternoon off of work a few days after a nice dump. The avalanche danger was low, and there were almost no tracks in the Tairn Chutes, which are less than half an hour hike from the ski area boundary
Stu, a fellow Cheeseman employee, and I were able to get some amazing runs in Tairn Basin. It is amazing that 4 days after a storm, as whole faces are usually still without tracks a mere 20 minute hike from the top of a lift. I guess that is New Zealand for you, pretty mellow; just not that populous. We made one run in Tairn Chutes, and two in an area dubbed Tairn Forest, for the snow plastered rock outcrops that surround the chutes. It was all amazing powder turns, and I was back in time to do the evening sweep!
I skied the chute on the right, Stu took the one on the left
Best July powder ever!
Stu ripping up Tairn Forest.
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Awesome, Louie!
So jealous. NZed Pow! I wish I was there, but thanks for sending the stoke “up over”
Looks great! Wow – so your summer will be substantially better than mine….
Sweet! Thanks for the stoke! I am working today and it is near 100 degrees outside here where I work, nice to see you shredding pow. Good job.
This keeps the summer doldrums from weighing us down too much. Keep on hiking!
Un Zed does have its commercial ski areas, but the real gems are the club fields. Just remember leather gloves, a harness and nutcracker as rope tows rule. I’ll be there for a week in September (Cheesman, Broken River and a few others) and some heli. If I wasn’t stuck here on the other side of the ditch, Christchurch would be a wonderful place to live. Enjoy Lou.
Thanks for the stoke pics…. that looks simply dreamy off the lifts….chugachian in a way. Stay safe, ski lots….
Looks like a great adventure Louie. Might have to put New Zealand on the list of “to do” in our summer. Mt Hood is great this time of year, but not the fresh you’ve got. You’re living the life!!
You had great time and this keeps your summer relaxed.
NZ looks awesome! The closest I ‘ve come to skiing in the southern hemisphere was 2 years ago when I accompanied my mum on a pilgrimag back to her homeland of Australia. After two weeks of driving a bunch of old women through the Aussie countryside, I made a break and drove like a mad-man, 8 hours of winding roads throught he Snowy Mountains, to Thredbo, only to find it had closed 2 days prior. But not all was lost, I borrowed some skis from the shop and hiked to the top (2000 v) to find a futball field size run (and not much steeper) at the upper limits of the mountian (Kozsieco, hi. pt. of Aust. – a mile or so distant.). Nothing comparable to your shots of NZ though. I need to go back.
I think I must be living in the wrong Hemisphere. It is getting a little crowded in North America, even way out-of-bounds. 1 more Republican Prez & that’s it!
Be careful over there Louie……. Your Mom and I don’t want to worry tooooooo much! Love and hugs, Susan in Virginia Beach
Hi Lou,
Welcome to NZ and to the Craigieburn Range! I usually hang out next door at Broken River Ski Area, but plan to come to Cheeseman in the next few weeks – I will have to come and say Hi as I’ve been a fan of your site for years. You will have to come along the range and visit us on one of your days off, the touring from Cheeseman is fantastic – either along to BR and Craigieburn or into the Ryton towards Olympus. If you get to BR on a weekend it’s likely I’ll be there…
cheers
Megan
Megan, it’s my son Louie who’s down there, not me, but I’m sure he’ll be glad to go skiing with you guys! He’ll be easy to find up at Cheeseman…
‘best, Lou