Mt Cheeseman Race Clinic

Today I attended the Mt Cheeseman Race clinic Run by Grant Guise and Jane Harper. We worked on our transitions and went for a bit of a tour into Tarn Basin and then out to the wild west for a long lap. Bit tired to write too much, so here are a few photos from the day. Thanks everyone - really enjoyed your company today. Duncan, Kathy, Gillian, Tim,Grant and Jane.

My thanks to Grant and Jane for giving up one of their days off to run the clinic, and also thanks to Cheeseman for hosting the clinic and allowing uphillers onto their slopes!!

(I added this bit in later) As we were working on transitions, and we can all improve on these, I got to thinking 'how fast' should they be, so I watched some Skimo.org TV and timed their transitions ( I know, I missed the Rugby). So here goes: Skins off around 20-25 seconds. Skins on 40-45 seconds. I picked up a few tips during the day which will shave a few seconds on that time, so that plus the tour made it an awesome day.Incidentally, who has the fastest skin transition vlog? Rando Steve:55 seconds(while talking). Grant Guise 41 seconds. However --- The winner is--- Pierre Gignoux his 'repotage' is 40 seconds, and looks like he's going really slow!

Youtube video of Truck accident

Here is a link to a truck accident video that I attended as part of Arthur's Pass Rural Fire (I'm one of the yellow helmets in yellow overalls). The truck contained bitumen (180degrees), which was spread down the bank at the scene. Our role was mainly in communications between the site and the road, and clearing a track to transport the patient to the helecopter. The helecopter had to fly in under overhanging wires, and up the river valley to access this spot. It was extremely fortunate that St Johns just happened to be there and acted immediately.

Full credits to the guys who produced this video, I think they did an excellent job.

To view the video click on the link on the righthand side of the screen.

Temple Basin - Leader in Backcountry Education

Photo: Grant Guise and T- Roy Temple Basin 2007.
With a storm hitting the country its a good day for staying inside and writing my first Ski Field review.

I thought I'd start with somewhere I know well, which is my local skifield in Arthurs Pass - Temple Basin. You can find out all their info at www.templebasin.co.nz so there is little point in me repeating the info contained there, and I can get right in and give an honest INDEPENDENT review.Please note that as this is my first review, there are no comparisons available yet, so you may feel my ratings are a little unfair in isolation! This should change as subsequent reviews provide greater comparisons. Also, I have a strong tendancy towards backcountry use, so my reviews will probably reflect that a bit. My review is based on my impressions, and are simply my opinion and not a personal criticism of skifield staff.

So here goes. Firstly my ratings.10-outstanding 1-extremely poor.

10/10 Backcountry/Mountaineering. Not surprising I guess, but Temple basin is an absolute mecca for 'inbound' backcountry - meaning you can experience the solitude and isolation of the Southern alps, while your safety is assured by the ski patrol.(unless you choose to ignore them! Not reccommended!) Temple basin gives access to Mts Casidy, B'limit and Mt Phipps which are all excellent climbs of lower technical alpine skills (ice axe and crampon use). There are often Education courses run on backcountry skills such as Avalanche awareness, mountaineering skills and backcountry skiing clinics.If you are a fit and keen mountaineer than the road will not pose much of an issue. Accommodation is reasonable. At first I thought it was a bit expensive, but then you have to consider a few factors like freight, and running the goods lift, and balancing out good years and bad years. So yeah $60 is reasonable (includes meals).There is potential for greater growth into the Secondary Education sector.

8/10University Student/Backpacker
Temple basin also has a long association with the University of Canterbury and there is a University lodge on the mountain (of which I know very little, except its probably cheaper for the uni students to stay there). For a backpacker travelling alone temple basin is an excellent place to meet others in a friendly relaxed environment. You can self cater keeping the cost a bit lower and there is a student rate.

5/10 Overseas visitor
Ok there are a few factors here to consider. People expecting a 'ski resort' would be well advised to stick to Mt Hutt or Mt Cheeseman even. There you can park on the mountain and virtually ski from your car.You can also sit in the Cafe (cheeseman) and watch your kids playing in the snow. I've met many a bewildered tourist on the track surprised at how far up they had to walk! Gear is another issue here. You probably want the right kit, and often travellers don't have hats gloves and clothing to suit. Last week I met a lovely young lady in a mini skirt with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth! The walk up can take anywhere from about 45min continuous walking, to 2 hours depending on how much you need to stop. Larger groups tend to take longer too. Many of my groups of 30people take over two hours and you need to allow for that time in your day. The group need to stay together and keep an eye on each other. There is potential for harm to anyone wandering away from the track. The time factor may be an issue for travellers wanting a quick fix before they rush off to bungy jump off a stump.

3/10 Local Family
I'm assuming mum, Dad and a couple of kids. No! Don't do it! The kids wont appreciate that they were the youngest on the mountain - they just wont like it. The lodge itself is boring for them and it is not an atmosphere geared to younger kids. The cost factor wouldn't be worth it either, plus the lost time in the walk and loading/unloading the goods lift. Yes its a unique experience - something to look forward to when they are a lot older! My suggestion is to go to Porters or Cheeseman, where younger kids are welcome and can ski for free - a lot less stressful. In balance I have seen a few organised families who have planned and prepared for Temple well, and I'm sure those families would rate it a lot higher than my 3/10.

Cheapest/most expensive
Jetplains 20c, Bottle wine $29

The Good
The backcountry access under ski patrol advisory is outstanding. You can tour around the basin and ski fresh tracks all day, and not see another group. You can mix up a little climbing and skiing too, so that you have the best of both worlds.

Skiable terrain - there is something here for everyone. The majority of runs are intermediate to advanced with tight shutes, and some technical faces.

Another major bonus is the crowd factor - as in there just isn't one! There maybe ten others on the hill, rather than avoiding others (like you might at a big commercial field) you actually go looking for people to ski with. This is a major drawcard for anyone who has had a gutsfull of lines and crowded cafes - at temple you simply head into the lodge and make yourself a coffee.

Once in the lodge you are warm relaxed and comfortable in your own little mountain world - Really easy to relax and forget the stresses of everyday life.

The lodge is friendly and relaxed with good hearty food. The staff all have to work as a team to live and survive in their unique environment so there is often a bit of friendly banter going on. There is also the club factor, those really keen can join and extend their involvement longer term if desired. The downside is that there is the occasional club member who views customers as intruders, which is their problem.

One final, but critical factor is weather. Temple basin, as with all alpine fields has its fair share of bad weather. However the basin is located in a North Westerly facing basin, so often can be quite good in a Southerly, while everywhere elese in the Cragieburn range is pouring with rain Temple Basin can be lovely and sunny, so it defenetly pays to check whats happening with the weather. I've had some famtastic 'rainy' days at Temple, and I think if you live in an environment that get seven metres of rain a year- you just have to get out and do it anyway.

The Bad
Temple is all natural - which means no on piste skiing. You generally need to be of higher ability and fitness to ski the variable conditions than can exhist. When its good its great, but equally when its crusty, and you've committed your time to Temple you need to develop other interests apart from skiing. Also some years are good and some aren't and Temple may not even open for the season.

Another factor is the rope tows. Not my favourite way to get up the mountain in my opinion! I'm always worried about pulling the ropes off and getting my fingers and poles caught in them - something I frequently do when useing them! To me an adult lift ticket for $60 is too much for a rope tow.

Obviously the walk has its downside too, limiting for people with mobility issues etc.Walking down again dosen't take long, but can be pretty hazardus when icy. It is often a good idea to take your time and carry a headtorch and ski poles if attempting the road later in the day.

The Ugly
Temple Basin is on Conservation land. Every year they have to get a concession to operate there forcing them to work within DoC boundaries. The 'road' itself is not really considered to be a road, but gets used every year. Run off on the road has created some minor erosion in the area. The toilets are on septic tanks, so there is no water contamination. In general environmental impact is minimal, and besides what would the keas do if there was no Temple Lodge???

Perhaps the ugly are the ill informed who attempt the road ill-prepared,and go expecting 'something else' and are surprised not to find a french style resort village at the basin. However for the ski mountaineer, temple basin is their Shangriela!

So thats my first Ski Field Review. I welcome comments, and I hope people find it useful???? Please let me know.

New Zealand Ski field Review The Beginning

Today I ran the goods lift at Temple Basin, and then later in the afternoon skinned up to Temple Col. All day I chatted to friendly like minded people(most of whom I vaguely recognised). Then I skied down and dropped into the lodge to chat to folks about their day. I just thought to myself ; This is such a cool friendly happy place.

Then on the walk down I got to thinking of a dad and mum i'd met a couple of weeks back who were walking up the track with their six and eight year old girls. Dad was away ahead with the eight year old, who was crawling through the wind and blowing snow and NOT HAPPY. Mum was even worse off, left behind to encourage the weak and stumbling six year old. I helped out as much as I could, but the difference in experience got me thinking....

What if there was an INDEPENDENT review of what ski fields are really like? And what type of person would really enjoy which particular fields? So the idea was born... The New Zealand Ski Field Review ... By Snoel.

So what would this review have in it? Well, this got me thinking also. Whats the most important factor? Prices versus facilities? Lift ticket costs? Seasons passes? Discount rates for families, single adults and children's ages. For example as a family often it makes a huge difference costwise if under tens ski for free, as I found at Porters a couple of years ago I could take my three kids and only pay for myself (which I didn't cause I just skinned) So yeah the days we had there were free!(Thanks Uli).

As an Ex husband/ holiday dad/ partner to Julie / but often skiing alone/ I can view these skifields from a few different angles. For example for me Porters is great, cause you pay a $10 single ride lift ticket and ski the backcountry for the rest of the day. Whereas Julie loved the facilities at Coronet, cause they were friendly and chatted to her(while I was off skiing the backcountry)so for her facilities are more important. Also Ruby (my eight year old daughter) loved Cheeseman because they had a few really cheap lollies that she could afford with her pocket money. Often ski fields are too expensive for eight yearolds! (not cheeseman though - she skied for free and ate raspberry licorice until the money ran out!). I think back to my days in Southland skiing the fields in Queenstown - If i'd only known about how good clubfields were back then - !

And one last thing a review should have- the good, the bad and the ugly! Sounds like fun. So Snoels New Zealand Ski field Review!!!

What I thought I'd do is start with the five fields that are so close to me and work my way to the others as the opportunity arises. Watch this space!!!

Photo: Cadronna Backcountry

Life goes on..

I've had a couple of great days skinning and skiing. Firstly after the race Grant, Jane and I headed up the tows at Porters and skied from pt1997 down into Crystal Valley. This is fantastic steep terrain where a bit of width under boot probably paid off (for a change). Then back up to the ridge and skied into the Goldney stream catchment for another 300m or so. Grant and Jane carried on and did a huge lap probably 500m, while I was content to do a shorter lap after the race.

Today Grant and I went searching for a hoodie he had left at Temple last year! No luck, but we did manage a couple of laps, then did a bit of a transceiver search, which proved useful revision (especially for me).

The photos are Grant and Jane above the Goldney catchment, and the 'blastshield' from the x wing sequence from star wars has found a new application!! That's me experimenting with a new stretching technique! But hey! I'm not wearing the race suit!

Porters speed up!

Ok today was the first race of the SkiMonNZ 2008 series, and as predicted I came 5th. In balance there were some highs and lows during the race, but in general it was a fantastic experience.

Firstly it was great seeing everyone from the series last year with a few notable missing persons such as Gary McPherson (Queenstown). Everyone looked fit and well and ready for a fast race.

The course was three short laps. The longer first one was only 100m, then two laps of 85m, so it was going to be quick.

Right from the word 'go' we were off and running. Gena, Duncan then I all ran to the first skin track, then settled into that order for the first climb, although Duncan passed Gena going into the first transition, but then had a slower transition down the bottom, allowing Gena to re take the lead, and then I passed Duncan during the second lap (things were looking good at that stage, but not for long!). After the skiing down for the third lap I put my skins on for the last up hill and my right skin was frozen, and just wouldn't stick. I kept going, but the problem caused me to slip back, slow and then finally towards the top of the 85m lap I was reduced to taking my skis off and running! At that stage Tim, Duncan and another guy called Nigel flew by and I came in 5th.

It was all over for me in about 27minutes. Gena was impressive with really good consistent transitions and just heaps of power. He Lent me a race suit, which was pretty hilarious.

There are some photos of the race Taken by Grant on my camera

Training at Temple

With the race coming up on Saturday I didn't want to do too much today. After work I headed up to Temple and did some laps at Casidy tow.

First off I set out a 100m vert skin track, and skied that.I also assessed the avalanche risk in the area as the patrollers had not opened it today. There had been a (class one) wet slide. The powder was just over ankle deep.Any activity was likely to be smaller sluffing, which had not occured on my first descent.

After that I wanted to see how i'd go in race conditions, so did my skin track three times, with five transitions. The first lap took 8mins! On the second lap I fell and had to take my glasses and put them into my jacket. so the second lap was completed in 21mins! So then the race was on as I wanted to complete the last lap in under 30mins. And I managed to finish in 29.30mins. Obviously with slight margins like that falling can cost a couple of minutes, so it is better to lose a few seconds on the down hill, and ski safely, rather than tumble and completely blow the race. Phew! Full on eh?

The good news is the transitions went well, and I sorted a few issues with gloves and whether to take off the up or down hill skin first when transitioning to down hill... I'm not going to tell yet! Don't want to give things away, but it makes a world of difference!

Things are looking fantastic at Temple too, with very few rocks showing. It was great to meet up with a few more of the locals up there too. Tim and Carena were up there and of course Ben is the manager. The photos are Ben doing important management type stuff, and the bridge to Casidy tow with new snow loading.As for training tomorrow- do I work on reducing my lap times, or do I start the rest process? Did I leave training too late???? Surely 3 days is plenty!