Patience Rewarded

On Friday, July 31st, Treble Cone was closed due to severe weather. As is always the case when this happens those few times during a given season, the staff of the resort and the staff of our neighbors at Cardrona and Snow Park were all wandering aimlessly around town all day, sipping coffee at any number of cafes, and generally working hard to appear occupied. This morning, August 1st, there were clear skies in Wanaka as we left town on the staff transport, and the storm lifted from Treble Cone just as the crowds were beginning to line up for a great powder day. We conducted our regular morning instructor training clinics with the sun striking us head-on, making turns in a foot-and-a-half of fresh powder (on top of some already great conditions). I was fortunate to be able to ski all day - first while conducting a clinic and then with some guests who ski well and know the mountain's particular nooks and crannies. It was a terrific day without qualification, and we definitely reaped the rewards of patiently awaiting the end of the storm. There are another few storms literally lined up and waiting their turn to hammer us with snow here on the South Island of New Zealand, and the skiing and riding should continue to amaze even those of us who work here. I hope to post some more ski specific photos in the coming weeks, but today I was a little too busy actually skiing to stop and pull out the camera. This photo of skiers' tracks off the Treble Cone summit this afternoon will have to suffice in the meantime.