The Return of Winter

 

After five days closure due to ultra-warm days and saturated snow pack, TC opened again on Thursday to a small crowd who didn’t mind skiing in the mist and rain.  We stayed at home and I ticked off yet another bike track. On Friday MetService predicted a better day.  We welcomed the return to familiar ground after exploring most of the runs and craft beer options at Cardrona earlier in the week.

It was snowing heavily at TC when we arrived and visibility was marginal. A couple of runs on a very slick Easy Rider and Mainstreet were enough to earn coffee time. New snow accumulating on the piste slowly changed the mood and the skiing started to improve. After a lunch drying gear by the fire the webcams showed a clearance up top.  

Photo credit: Pete Platts. With weak sunlight finding holes in the swirling clouds we walked to the summit for fresh tracks in about 5cm of powder. 

Later, down in Wanaka, some things don’t change, and one of them is the fine food at Relishes café. The squid entree and steak main were superb, especially when preceded by drinks to celebrate Ray and Audrey’s 90^th birthdays. The town and restaurants were busy and we are lucky to have such a normal life when our friends overseas are still subject to strict anti-Covid measures.

Saturday on the hill was even busier as the Wanaka locals were enticed by the bluebird day and fresh snow. I teamed up with Campbell who had a desire to jump off one of the TC summit rocks.  Three hikes to the top and three jumps to nail the photo. The powder runs were just a bonus. You can’t do this at Cardies.

With the return to winter conditions we decided on Sunday to hunt out the frost-dried powder that waits out of bounds along the Towers Ridge.  It’s just a bit further away and out of sight which means less chance of seeing other skiers and a greater likelihood of having the slope to ourselves.  It turned out we were beaten by two early-birds who left a perfect set of tracks down to the end of the run.  Campbell got a chance to test his new backcountry set-up.

The Treble Cone facilities seem tiny after the more international-feeling complex at Cardrona.  I can’t help thinking what might have happened to Treble Cone if the company hadn’t been sold.  With Covid-19 and then the closures this week it could have been the end if Real Journeys hadn’t thrown the lifeline. So far, a win-win for everyone.