...bullshit!
August 19th
After licking our wounds from yesterday's access road defeat, we decided the smart choice would be to try the country's ski field that claimed easy access. We pulled up to the access road entrance around 8, and AJ was ready to cry.
"I'm done with this!" he barked.
A large sign indicated that 2 WD vehicles would requite chains. Though we had a fresh pair from our side trip to Christchurch yesterday, AJ barked, "I'm over it."
We questioned a young guy about the road, asking how it compared to Mt Hutt's access road, and he said it wasn't so bad, though he hadn't been here in a bit. Before AJ could drive us away from the mountain and into a ditch (in a fit of rage), I suggested repeatedly that we get changed and hitch a ride up the 15 km access road. I rationalized, 5k equals 3.2 miles, times three, that's under ten miles, and hell, someone will stop for us.
Fortunately for us and for you, fair reader, we did not spend the whole morning walking the steep, windy, slick, narrow, snow packed pass. The third vehicle eased to a halt and the driver moved a car seat and some extra skis to make room for us. Andy drove us up the access road, which may have provided a third opportunity for our camper van to bust a set of chains. Andy used to work for aspiring guides, the company we're doing our glacier tour with. He instructs guides in training now and was actually working at the mountain today.
Mt Dobson was no frills. The ticket window and cafeteria were small shacks. Nothing was heated. In fact, there was a sign in the women's room to close the toilet lid so the "services would not freeze."
We bought our tickets, and since the one lift wasn't yet open, we got on line for the t bar. That's right, Emari versus the T bar, south island rematch. I shoved that t bar between my legs and threatened to choke it out with my thighs if it didn't behave. I also religiously followed the advice Ste'en gave me. "Be the puck." So zen. I kept all of my weight forward and barely put my back foot down. And dammit, I made it all the way to the top. Fuck yeah. T bar, until we meet again...
AJ was not having as thrilling a time. Despite 15-18 inches of fresh snow and not knowing the mountain, AJ followed a skier off piste and hit rocks and took a core shot up near his board's nose. The following two runs his board sustained more injuries: scrapes, core shots, and rail damage.
"I'm so done with this," he barked. So much for his new split board. I felt bad that he injured his board and that he couldn't get shake the bad vibe this brought. But I was having fun. The trails were nicely groomed, there was fresh snow to slash on the edges (if you avoided rocks), the snow was fast, the sun warmed my face, and it was a gorgeous day at a new mountain in NZ. And I rocked that f'n t bar.
After AJ found a good bit of powder along the side of a trail, he was ready to venture off piste again and check out some majorly untouched snow along a bowl and chute. Whoo-hoo!!
My board just floated. Whoosh. It was amazing. Then came the hike out. Steep and deep. I wish the men who preceded me in this climb out had taken smaller, more lady-like steps up the mountain. I was falling over myself trying to stay in their tracks. But it was worth it. We took two more of the same bowl/chute runs and then entered from higher up. It was incredible. The snow was so smooth. I ripped across like a hot knife over an iced cake.
We hiked out out, patting despite all of our P90x training and managed to hitch a ride back down the mountain with Andy.
After those powder runs and hike outs, AJ was happy, but he conceded the worst decision he'd made the whole trip (of course there's room to trump this) was leaving Springfield, not waiting for the road to open to Temple Basin, leaving behind over five feet of fresh snow. He is still smoldering over this decision and ready to shell out big bucks to go heliboarding early next week, if the snow's still pristine and the weather's right.
We camped up by Jubilee Park on the outskirts of Queenstown. Tomorrow we embark on our 6 line zip line tour (where in despair AJ is going to zip line without the harness).
Can't wait for more.
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