Picture of Te Waipounamu / South Island
Caption: A Wild Snowboarding Adventure in
New Zealand
Caption: This is the start of my fourth year back in New Zealand and the 10th anniversary of my first trip. Over the last week and a half I have dived head first into the Ski Field culture and have been traveling all over the South Island with nothing but a Snowboard and a 40L backpack.
This is my first of many installments while traveling abroad. Enjoy........
Picture of Temple Basin
Caption: There is no place in the world quite like Temple Basin and it was the starting point of my journey.
Picture of Temple Basin
Picture of Temple Basin
Caption: Though not the powder we always crave it was perfect corn with great company and a nice way to get used to the board under my feet.
Picture of Temple Basin
Caption: When the next storm rolled in my friend Nick and I decided to head to Olympus but with sketchy roads covered in 10cms
we had to skin the final 7kms .
Picture of Arthur's Pass National Park
Caption: It was too good to be true Sadly as we were about to go to sleep the snow turned into rain. The forecast had called for the freezing level to be only 400 meters and we were at 1100. Turns out the SE storm had been pushed off by a NW front.
Only in New Zealand
Picture of Arthur's Pass National Park
Caption: But after a tractor went through we were on our way to Olympus on one of the sketchiest roads in NZ
Picture of Mount Olympus
Caption: And the snow and terrain was epic
Picture of Mount Olympus
Caption: 10 years on anticipation Once Nick left Mike and Luke showed up and we decided to head towards Mt. Olympus proper. It had been ten long years since I once stood on top of this line and I was happy to be back looking down at an area In my memories and old photos
Picture of Mount Olympus
Picture of Mt Cheeseman Ski Area
Caption: To Mount Cheeseman It was time to head east
Picture of Mt Cheeseman Ski Area
Picture of Mt Cheeseman Ski Area
Picture of Craigieburn Range
Caption: Before long it was time to part ways The beauty of the Craigieburn range is that there are 4 ski fields all within a days tour of each other. So with Mike having previous plans we both hiked half way and split ways with him heading to Broken River and I back to Cheeseman
Picture of Lake Wānaka
Caption: From there I made a short side trip to Lake Wanaka
Picture of Lake Wānaka
Caption: And hiked through snow covered Beech trees
Picture of Rob Roy Glacier Track
Caption: Arriving at the Rob Roy Glacier
Picture of Lake Wānaka
Caption: My final day in Wanaka I took in the sunrise.
Picture of Treble Cone Ski Area
Caption: And found myself on a solo tour at Treble Cone ski field
Picture of Te Waipounamu / South Island
Caption: It's great to be back in New Zealand
Picture of Te Waipounamu / South Island
Caption: Tomorrow I hitch back to Christchurch and the next adventure starts.
Te Waipounamu / South Island
Caption: Huge thanks to Chris, Mike, Nick Andrew, Zoe, Luke Sam and Niall for great company.
Thank you to Eddie Bauer, Karakorum Bindings, Chimera Backcountry and Licence To Chill for the support and Mike Wigley for amazing photos.
Starting tomorrow the crew starts to come in for two months of shooting and filming in one of the most beautiful places on earth
Picture of Te Waipounamu / South Island
Caption: Now where to go next?
