barryj Posted January 30, 2018 Report Share Posted January 30, 2018 The wife and I are traveling to the Southern Island/Christchurch to visit our daughter. Will be there 3 weeks Is it right time of year to bring all the skis and boards ?? She is working on Stewart Island at the southern tip but will come up to meet us and we will take a week+ making our way back to Stewart Island via Mt. Cook Nat. Park....and some skiing/boarding along the way?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allee Posted January 30, 2018 Report Share Posted January 30, 2018 (edited) The hills don't open until mid June in a good year, and not until the last week in a bad one. I'm guessing you're thinking of hitting Queenstown, and Mt Hutt just outside of Chch - they're the biggest areas on that loop with the most reliable snow. If the snow is good when you get there and you're heading to Mt Cook, Ohau might be worth a swing-by as well. You'll get some riding in, but I wouldn't bring your best gear. Unless it's an exceptional season, you can bank on the coverage being pretty thin. On the plus side, the lower South Island is amazing, one of my favourite places in the world. You'll have a ball even if you don't get to ride. Edited January 30, 2018 by Allee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryj Posted January 30, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2018 Hey Allee Thanks for the reply! Are the resorts all above tree line, like on glacier like in Europe?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrider Posted January 30, 2018 Report Share Posted January 30, 2018 (edited) No trees they can't grow between the rocks . At least the rocks aren't white. Edited January 30, 2018 by lowrider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigelc Posted January 30, 2018 Report Share Posted January 30, 2018 All above the tree line. June is about a 1 in 5 or 1 in 10 shot I would guess. Mt Hutt near christchurch is often the first to open. Coronet peak in queenstown has the best snowmaking, if its cold enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryj Posted January 31, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2018 Doesn't sound like we will haul the ski gear with those odds! How about trekking in and around Mt. Cook that time of year?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunSurfer Posted January 31, 2018 Report Share Posted January 31, 2018 (edited) Weather in the Southern Alps is always unpredictable in June. Lots of places where you can do day walks, but any multi day walks involving en route accommodation are usually booked out months in advance. There will still be plenty of tourists around at that time of year. Work on the coast road between Christchurch and Picton is still ongoing after the big Kaikoura earthquake a year ago. Beware: We drive on the left. Several Americans die on our roads every year because they look the wrong way/ end up on the wrong side of the road. Total road toll annually is 350-400 people out of roughly 4 million. If you're in the Alps beware the keas. They're clever, funny, steal things, and will trash the rubber bits of your car. NZ ers are not fans generally of Don J Trump. If you're a Republican, don't wear your heart on your sleeve. NZ and the USA are very different societies, built on very different values. Edited January 31, 2018 by SunSurfer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipstar Posted January 31, 2018 Report Share Posted January 31, 2018 Kea is an alpine parrot, it's a bird. Btw Taniwha is a mystical powerful animal living in the water. U probably won't see one Kiwi is both the fruit and also a flightless bird that looks like a hairy mop with a beak. Only seen in zoos as very rare. South Island is beautiful, Auckland is worth a day or two to see the Harbour. Wellington great city too. Be aware nz has a substantial thieves breaking into cars problem in cities like akld (had it happen several times in the last few trips including a stolen passport), hide as much as u Can in a sedan boot (trunk) and parking in safe carparks isn't a guarantee so try not to leave luggage visible. Its a magical country...but June can be a bit early...if there is snow maybe be ready to rent and just ride lower grade gear. Hardly any HB scene there now, sadly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allee Posted January 31, 2018 Report Share Posted January 31, 2018 (edited) Above the tree line? Oh, you're in for a treat. This is not Tahoe, where you drive to town and catch the gondola. Once you get to the gate, you'll get to fit chains to the car, and then drive between 30 and 45 minutes to get to the lifts. The road up to Mt Hutt is roughly one and a half lanes wide, sketchy as all get-out and with a vertigo inducing plunge on the exposed side. Coronet in QT you can drive up to on tarmac, anywhere else you'll be on gravel for a very long time. If you plan on going up to ride, rent a 4WD of some sort, you'll need it. I put a pic of the Cardrona road below, to give you an idea. Mt Cook is beautiful, and there's some great short loop day hikes up there. But as SunSurfer says, that's true high alpine and you're going in winter, so you'll need to be sure of your conditions before you set out. To give you an idea of the weather, that's where Hillary trained for his Everest expeditions. And yes, watch for kea, and don't leave anything where they can get at it. They'll destroy anything they get their beaks on, and they like to hang around car parks in packs. The taniwha are more likely to keep to themselves :-) Edited January 31, 2018 by Allee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryj Posted January 31, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2018 Thanks for the info guys.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryj Posted January 31, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2018 ..........and I'm not a Trump fan either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allee Posted January 31, 2018 Report Share Posted January 31, 2018 Kea in action ... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowrider Posted January 31, 2018 Report Share Posted January 31, 2018 (edited) From the look of the road in the above picture i'd come away with the impression 400-500 deaths a year were on resort roads. Sure would be tough to grow the sport !! Any chance you guys heard of guard rails ? Edited January 31, 2018 by lowrider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigelc Posted January 31, 2018 Report Share Posted January 31, 2018 The hooker valley trail in mt cook is not high alpine and relatively easy. Doable even through winter. The trip up to mueller hut is fantastic but not advisable if the snow is in unless you are fully equipped & experienced. There are some fabulous walks around the port hills & Akaroa is always worth a visit, as is Hanmer Springs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryj Posted January 31, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2018 Alee that was great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryj Posted January 31, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2018 Great info guys! We will leave the skis and boards behind this trip! Hooker Valley Trail and Mueller Hut trip sounds up our alley! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigelc Posted January 31, 2018 Report Share Posted January 31, 2018 The walk up to mueller hut from mt cook village looks short & easy on the map, but climbs from 750 m to 1800m. On the way you pass the sealy tarns. I would check in with the visitors centre in mt cook village where they will tell you if the walk is advisable or not. I have spent hours up there staring across the valley at the mt sefton face watching avalanches pouring down every 15-20 minutes. There is a story about a kea there that managed to lock a climber either in the hut or the toilet for a few days..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allee Posted January 31, 2018 Report Share Posted January 31, 2018 (edited) Aww, come on Lowrider. It's more fun than you can shake a stick at. At least they have guardrails at The Regrettables, that's a fancy resort. I've hang-glided off this road, it's a decently long way down. Edited January 31, 2018 by Allee 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigelc Posted January 31, 2018 Report Share Posted January 31, 2018 https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/36247/hundreds-of-skiers-forced-to-spend-night-at-mt-hutt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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