Week 2

Some god rays breaking through the clouds at Treble Cone

The week started out with a couple of great ski days. Monday was solid up at Treble Cone and Tuesday the girls and I met up with Mike at the Remarks. The day at The Remarks was especially great and we all agreed that it was easily the best day of the season. We spent most of the day lapping an epic run that was sandwiched by a pretty grueling 15 minute boot pack hike straight up the face of the mountain and a hitchiking ride back to the main lodge. It was all worth it, however, as the extra effort scared everyone else away and we were the only ones who ended up laying tracks in a super long run full of playful wind lips and little cliff drops.

The hike at The Remarks

A pitt-stop on the way to Gunns Camp

After skiing we there was a big going away party for one of Mikes friends, but I'll spare everyone -especially mom and dad- the details. The next day Mike and I hitched a ride with Tucker and her friend Nicole to Gunns Camp where we met up with a couple other buddies and spent the night in a quaint little cabin. The majority of the night was occupied nursing alcoholic beverages and making fun of Nicole's awesome/ridiculous swiss accent. Most of the night's games were tailored to include some comedic version of an English saying that she had somehow butchered, but the trip itself didn't revolve around cabin shenagins. We saw a couple of cool lakes, a sunset on the Milford Sound, some glow worms and took a cruise through the Fiords.

One of the aforementioned fun features on the hike

Sunset at Milford Sound

We got back to town on Thursday and I immediately caught the bus back to Wanaka so I could get my board and catch what was supposed to be over a meter of powder by the next day. Friday, Ben, Kristen, Melinda and I got up at the crack of dawn (8:30) and hit the slopes by 10. We were blessed with a beautiful sunny day and we got to ski TC's best terrain in knee deep pow for most of the morning. One of the highlights to the day had to be watching two pros throw a backflip and then a front flip off of a 30-35 foot cliff. Ben and I attempted to follow that act with a couple of drops on slightly less sketch lines. I would also be remiss if I didnt mention us trying to throw our own back flips. The snow was the definition of hero snow, deep enough to make you feel you can attempt anything. Neither Ben nor I were successful, and I'm pretty sure that I shrunk a couple inches after getting 3/4 of the way around and landing primarily on my head/ upper back. Hell, you only live once.

Ben skiing in the hero snow at Treble Cone

The last couple days have been a little less eventful because the weather has been pretty bad. We've woken up every morning to check TC's webcam, but we've stayed in town cause its been pure white out from summit to lodge. Right now we're starting to get ready to move out of 190 Stone Street while  planning and packing for the road trip. Everyone is getting awfully stoked as the trip becomes more imminent and the plans solidify. As of now, we're going south by Te Anu and Fiordland before tracing the coast line accross what is known as the Southern Scenic Route. After that we'll cut through Wanaka and head up the West coast along the glaciers and eventually circle around the northern end of the South Island before ending up in Christchurch on the 15th. The plans are hardly set in stone, but hey, that's half the fun. I'll try and keep you guys posted as that goes along, but odds are that we'll hardly have internet so don't hold your breath. Until then, keep on keeping on and just have a little faith that we're all alive and well.