It was time to head back to Wanaka for the winter. But not without a few detours on my way south.
I stopped in at Mt Nimrod Reserve campsite in order to complete the day hike that heads into the small reserve, visits an impressive waterfall then climbs up onto a limestone peak before descending back to the campsite. You can also access the Hunter Hills from there for more extensive tramping, but at this time of year I prefer sleeping in my car than in a tent!
From Mt Nimrod I headed to Geraldine and Fairlie, then up past Lake Opuha to tramp out to a hut up the North Opuha River. It was pretty easy stroll upstream, with great views up to Fox Peak. There were a couple of mud patches to negotiate but otherwise a good 4WD track all the way to the hut, sitting on a terrace looking out over the tussocks to the headwaters of the Orari River.
It was a very chilly morning with a decent frost, but clear skies and no wind made for a pleasantlywarm walk in the sun back to the car.
And then it was back to Wanaka.
As usual, it's a waiting game. Arrive back in town and move back into the flat I've been sharing with Karen for 8 years, go to onboarding signup for Cardrona, and then sit around for the mountain to open and work to commence.
The onboarding usually happens in early June, a couple of weeks before the mountain opens, which is a bit annoying, as in recent years the weather has still been pretty good for further preseason adventures.
So I went for a bike ride or two, and one day Jude brought her kayak over the hill and we went for a paddle up Stevenson Arm.
It was an inversion and brutally cold. Very scenic with not much breeze, but brutally cold. Next time we'll choose a better day.
Early season there is never much snow, but with cold temperatures the mountain can make the stuff and get the mountain open weeks before natural cover would allow. Sure it would be limited terrain, but it gets paying customers up the mountain and cash registers pinging. Except it's all cash free so EFTPOS machines beeping!!!
Trouble is, June is getting warmer, which means less cold days so less snowmaking can occur. But we did get open on time, if only with very limited terrain available.
And then it was back to teaching people to ski.
That's next....
