New Zealand
Went on a short tour on Thursday in Tarn Basin (behind Cheeseman ski area). Some great powder turns, I have good pictures so I can make a sweet little trip report once I get good internet. Tomorrow I am going to go on a ski tour with WildSnow commenter Grant and some other people. Should be fun. They are having amazing conditions down here right now. Great recrystalized powder. There might be a little snow and wind tomorrow.
New Zealand really is amazing. The people are all super friendly, and the terrain is terrific. Super cool mountains as far as you can see, to where they end just before the ocean. There is good access as well, off of the ski areas and from other roads and passes. There is hardly anyone skiing the backcountry. Five or so days after it snowed, Tarn Basin still doesn’t have many tracks in it, even though it is only a 20 minute hike from the ski area. I am in Castle Hill right now, at Grant’s house. Castle Hill is a town in the valley at the base of the Craigieburn Range. It’s a super small town with a huge amount of ski touring really close.
More later. Have to run now and ski more powder.
Louie Dawson earned his Bachelor Degree in Industrial Design from Western Washington University in 2014. When he’s not skiing Mount Baker or somewhere equally as snowy, he’s thinking about new products to make ski mountaineering more fun and safe.
