Harris Mt. Heliski, August 27, 2006

Tony Crocker

Administrator
Staff member
The piece de resistance of this trip. A bluebird day, rare in NZ. Adam and I skied 4 runs with Harris in 1997, but they were very weather constrained.

Today I signed up for their 7-run package, and we were only constrained by a first timer from Ohio who had neglected to rent fat skis. Our guide Eric took charge of the situation and arranged places for him to rest while the rest of us stepped it up. The other 2 skiers (we were in small Squirrel helicopters that have the same capacity as A-Stars) were also first timers, but Graeme from Melbourne had skied in Whistler, Switzerland and Italy and Steve was a younger snowboarder from Sydney.

As the fresh snow was 6 days old it was not deep, but on protected south exposures it was silky smooth and stable. Thus Eric found some serious terrain: 40 degree chutes, a couple setting off shallow sloughs. No heli operator would ski some of this stuff if the snow was only a day or two old.

New Zealand was at its photogenic best, with Mt. Cook 90 miles away being visible. The pilot shot some video of our extra 8th run which I am trying to get eventually to FTO for viewing. 16,600 vertical.
 
Thanks for your NZ postings. One of my skiing goals is to ski "down under." I spent about a week in the Sidney Australia area in March of 1968 while on an R&R from Vietnam. My wife doesn't ski, but loves to travel, and she wants to go visit. She is willing to let me get in some turns while we do a longer visit to AU and NZ. Looking forward to it.
 
I had a great time with HMH also, i unfortunatly had to got to NY right after i got back from NZ so i havent had a chance to get the posts out, but ill make shure i do that tommorow. Our Guide also shot a video of our 7 runs and il will try to get that up as soon as possible too. All in all i had a great time in NZ.
 
I'm quite surprised they put you on 40 degree slopes. When I used them in 2000 they were very conservative. ...not that it's any hardship to ski 30 degree pitch or less when it's perfect untracked snow. I might have done a few whoop-dee-doos at the top of the slope that were more than 30 but not for more than a half-dozen turns.
 
Finally the pics:
082706_board_track.JPG

082706_guide_dropin.JPG

082706_chute_tracks.JPG

082706_ohio_last.JPG

082706_track_slough.JPG

082706_last_chute.JPG

082706_last_guide.JPG

082706_shadow_tracks.JPG
 
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