I'm going to NZ for the Summer!!!

[midget]

So I just got a shop job over in Wannaka for the Summer. Myself and 2 others from the shop at The Canyons are going. I'm pretty excited about it to say the least! On top of that, my plane ticket is already paid for by a friend since I'm shooting photos of their wedding the first week I'm going to be there!

Really looking forward to this Summer, hopefully much better than Mt. Hood was this last Summer.

Do we have many NZ mags on board here?

[skea 457]

hey midget. Yeah I live in Christchurch, about 4.5 hrs drive north of Wanaka. I am sure you will have a great time there, wou will probably want to spend most of your time at Treble Cone, it is the steeper field in that area. Cardrona is cool too though but you have to look a little harder for the interesting terrain. Snowpark is a dedicated terrain park and is where Tanner Hall hung out last year.

The whole southern lakes area is pretty touristy and expensive though, all the really skilled skiers in the know are making the shift north to the Canterbury club fields, you should definitely check these fields out while you are here. They are a real slice of history. To get an overview of what is around THESE GUYS documented their sponsored road trip around the country (yeah sweet gig).

[bigtrubs]

^ I've heard sooo many great things about Treble Cone, and have you experienced a lot of Arthur's Pass? Which are the good clubs in the area? I was checking out the site for a club called Temple Basin and am planning to move down to the south island when I graduate next year... (half kiwi so I think I'll head down with no plans to return)

[Dromond]

^ I've heard sooo many great things about Treble Cone, and have you experienced a lot of Arthur's Pass? Which are the good clubs in the area? I was checking out the site for a club called Temple Basin and am planning to move down to the south island when I graduate next year... (half kiwi so I think I'll head down with no plans to return)

I went there. I think Idris has as well? Great terrain. Sketchy snow (when I was there,) sketchy rope tows and somewhat sketchy management.

[TeleAl]

Moving to Wanaka...be a ConeHead.

[Lane Meyer]

As noted in a previous thread (Christchurch Beta Needed ) I am moving to Christchurch in April/May (?) to start a PhD at the University of Canterbury. I'd love to hook up with some maggots there to get tuned into the ski world down south. I'm so stoked to be there. Anyone who wants to meet for beers or turns, please PM me this spring with contact info, and I'll do the same.

Midget - we should keep in touch and explore the skiing.


Skea457 - I'd love to chat about housing recs with you - is it possible to rent apartments/houses anywhere near the beach? Is the beach a reasonable commute via bike or car to the Uni? Thanks!!

[random]

Have fun! New Zealand seriously rocks my socks… I’ve usually gone over Christmas to visit family, so I’ve never been skiing there, but my dad has a bunch and loves it. The big plan is to do grad school at Otago in 2yrs, I think every half-kiwi has big ambitious plans to move there and never come back…

[Woodsy]

[pure jealousy] [/pj]
at least with your mad photo skills I can live vicariously.....

was planning to go for my 30th, but some major life changes forced me to abort.

soon 2 come.......

[snowfire]

^ I've heard sooo many great things about Treble Cone, and have you experienced a lot of Arthur's Pass? Which are the good clubs in the area? I was checking out the site for a club called Temple Basin and am planning to move down to the south island when I graduate next year... (half kiwi so I think I'll head down with no plans to return)

I spent 6 months down there, and skied all around the south island. Craigieburn was my favorite place for sure, closely followed by Temple Basin, and then Broken River. Temple is something else... you have to hike about 40 minutes up the mountain from the carpark to get to the base area before you can ski. All those places are awesome on a good snow day- the part of Temple called "Bill's Basin" was my favorite- a big bowl funneling into some nice chutes. Lots of good hike/skin/climb possibilities at all of those places. I did a skin/crampon tour at Craigieburn and got loads of fresh, untracked pow. Although, that's not hard to do even inbounds at those places since there's pretty much no one there. Definitely must go back there one of these days. I wouldn't mind living somewhere between Craigie and Arthur's Pass. Wanaka is cool, but be sure to get up to the club fields because they are like nothing else (except maybe La Grave. )

[skiHOG]

Wow, several people have been or are going down to NZ this year. I am headed down that way this year as well. Got a 12 month working holiday visa. Flight leaves June 1. Planning on living in Queenstown or Wanaka and getting a job at one of the surrounding mountains. Not sure if that's the best thing to do or not. Any advice from people who live down there or have gone down there for winter season?

[Buzzworthy]

You guys are going to have awesome adventures. Sounds a bit like party time!!

[cj001f]

Great terrain. Sketchy snow (when I was there,) sketchy rope tows and somewhat sketchy management.

That about sums up Temple. Cragieburn's professional, as is Broken River. Mt Olympus is a fun place to hit up as well - the road alone is worth the trip.

[bigtrubs]

wow sounds amazing, I'm intruiged by this whole idea of club fields, can't wait to check it out. what's the story for patrolling in NZ in general?
I've been to the north island three times growing up but I'm new zealand skiing retarded, I know nothing.

[random]

Wow, several people have been or are going down to NZ this year. I am headed down that way this year as well. Got a 12 month working holiday visa. Flight leaves June 1. Planning on living in Queenstown or Wanaka and getting a job at one of the surrounding mountains. Not sure if that's the best thing to do or not. Any advice from people who live down there or have gone down there for winter season?

My dad (non-kiwi) constantly goes on about how kiwis tend not to hire internationals very easily… But that being said, my cousin worked from there worked a winter at Lake Louise on some work exchange program that’s set up between Canada and NZ or something… I don’t know the logistics behind it, but I know it wasn’t set up before she came here, so maybe something like that would work for people going there?

[Steezus Christ]

Watch out for the Keas man!

http://www.schoolworld.asn.au/species/kea.html

[skiHOG]

My dad (non-kiwi) constantly goes on about how kiwis tend not to hire internationals very easily… But that being said, my cousin worked from there worked a winter at Lake Louise on some work exchange program that’s set up between Canada and NZ or something… I don’t know the logistics behind it, but I know it wasn’t set up before she came here, so maybe something like that would work for people going there?

That sucks. Why wouldn't they hire someone who has experience with working at a mountain? I really don't have to work at a mountain, but it would be nice because the whole reason I'm going to that area is to ski for the winter. I could work anywhere as long as I get my time on the mountain.

[random]

It does suck! But, my dad’s experience was 20yrs ago, so things might be different… It seems like a weird system to me… But now that I think of it, I have friends who've worked down there, not at a mountain mind you, but I’m sure it’s possible. I’ll ask around about it a bit more, but all my connections are farm or surfing related, so I don’t think I’d be of much help.

[Trackhead]

Huge score man. Sounds like a good gig.

[slim]

Mrs. Slim and I are there on our honeymoon July/August.

NZ-mini Summit!

[bcrider]

Congrats!

You will freakin love it!

[skea 457]

In terms of the job market, it is very competitive because there are plenty of people from NZ as well as the US, Japan and Europe who all want to work on the resorts. So to avoid any problems with immigration the resorts will only hire people who have the right paperwork. They end up with about 90% of their instructors coming in from overseas, about 50% of the patrollers and a lower number in the F&B and liftie type jobs. If you have the right visas you should get a job, but it may not be your dream job. If you want an work under the table you will have to look in the townships themselves and you may or may not get lucky. I am not sure how difficult it is to get a work visa here, when I went to the US on a working holiday five years ago I was jumping through hoops for a few months before I got it.

BTW Temple Basin is pretty much my local field, sure it can be sketchy at times (snow, lifts, staff, weather, avalanches) but it is half the fun. It as as far away as you can get from the pasteurised, homogenised, vacuum sealed, disney skiing experience that you get at most US resorts. As long as you have a clue or two about big mountain skiing you will be fine though. The last person to die there was a German tourist 3 years ago, he left the walking track to get a photo from the top of a 300 foot waterfall and ended up falling off.

See the photos below taken on Temple Basin's closing day last year.

[Rusty Nails]

Hmmmmm. Was gonna hit Argentina this summer, but plans would put me there before most maggots came. Mebbe I will hit NZ for a couple weeks instead and save Argentina for a trip with better timing to do it with the right group of friends.

midget -- totally stoked for ya!

[skiHOG]

In terms of the job market, it is very competitive because there are plenty of people from NZ as well as the US, Japan and Europe who all want to work on the resorts. So to avoid any problems with immigration the resorts will only hire people who have the right paperwork. They end up with about 90% of their instructors coming in from overseas, about 50% of the patrollers and a lower number in the F&B and liftie type jobs. If you have the right visas you should get a job, but it may not be your dream job. If you want an work under the table you will have to look in the townships themselves and you may or may not get lucky. I am not sure how difficult it is to get a work visa here, when I went to the US on a working holiday five years ago I was jumping through hoops for a few months before I got it.

BTW Temple Basin is pretty much my local field, sure it can be sketchy at times (snow, lifts, staff, weather, avalanches) but it is half the fun. It as as far away as you can get from the pasteurised, homogenised, vacuum sealed, disney skiing experience that you get at most US resorts. As long as you have a clue or two about big mountain skiing you will be fine though. The last person to die there was a German tourist 3 years ago, he left the walking track to get a photo from the top of a 300 foot waterfall and ended up falling off.

See the photos below taken on Temple Basin's closing day last year.

Wow, thanks for all the info, Skea. I do have a working holiday visa that is effective June 3, 2005-June 2, 2006. Would it help if I've worked at a resort here in the US? And, I'm still not sure if I want to head to Queenstown or the Wanaka area, or possibly somewhere else if the skiing is as good and there's job possibilities.

[cj001f]

he left the walking track to get a photo from the top of a 300 foot waterfall and ended up falling off.

On the way up? Pic 2 is the Upper Bills traverse, no?

[midget]

Damn, some good info here already!

LM, definately keep in touch about all this.....

I'm sure more Americans will be taking time down there with the way the snow is not falling in the NW for the Summer sessions at Hood and Whistler this year.