sooooooo... made it down to the old volcano for our 1st ride of 2010, what a mission 5am steez on a sunday...

had a rad little crew featuring pretty much just my self from the OG D.O.P gang, + my beloved Meiche, Vida (sans knee brace, the old track bike fixed that - no pun intended), and our new homie/grom from Snow Planet, Samuel.

and there was pretty much no snow...

but non the less super fun, they had a very limited 'park' built but it was rad to get back into non the less,

Meiche

Vida

and que sweet myspace photo...


dope day, need more snow, but more will come!

i hear the park may be on the waterfall t this year so that should be the jazz with super nice natural rollers to build booters on!

could have sworn KV was up the hill when i saw this on the way back to the car in the afternoon...


fuckin hillbillys everywhere these days.

Lookin' pretty on point for this weekend.

Keen for a shralp!?

Turoa is all go, besides the High Noon Express that is, ha come on its a little funny

First decent snow fall at Turoa, Opening next weekend.

Snow Caps

Little by little the snow is starting to fall, not long now...

First Snow Of 2010

Summer SP Sessions

but its a real bitch taking shots inside SP the lighting all wack! so until winter just the mission of getting into shralp gears in late 20's heat, its a mission!

Transcend – GPS Integrated Goggles

Zeal Optics In cooperation with Reco Instruments has developed a snow goggle with integrated “Head Mounted Display” system. With the push of a button the rider can call up data right in front of his/her eyes and like a jet pilot display information such as speed, altitude, temperature, time, GPS location, and stop watch. The jury considers the “Transcend Goggle” an excellent example of applied “Wearable Technology” and selected it as the winner in the category Accessories.



See more...

Long Time No Post

Well its been summer!

we have been, to snow planet a few times thanks to vida making us go! and it has been super fun.

2 weeks ago i had an operation to correct a fall i had in the park at Cardrona in 2002 yep left it 8 years!

heck yes metal plate!

hope to get most of this coming winter if all goes to plan! 6 weeks in cast to go...

New Knoll Ridge Facilities

When the original Knoll Ridge Café was constructed and extended in the 1980’s, the old chairlift return was located 12 metres above it’s current location. With the installation of the Express chair, people now had to climb two sets of stairs to reach the main level, something not overly easy to do in ski boots.

“Twenty five years on, we have a better environmental understanding” says Dave Mazey, Ruapehu Alpine Lifts General Manager. The old café has a large visual impact looking up the mountain and a lot of the building was wasted with stair space.

Café seating in one entry level, easy skier access from the Express and Valley T-Bar were important reasons for the new design. Combine these two essentials with the desire to maximize the sun, while taking in views of the Pinnacles, Te Heu Heu Valley and across the ski field with an effective linkage of inside and outside spaces with extensive decks.

The new location is 50 metres downhill of the old site on the edge of the western bluff. Most of the building is one the main level with toilets and staff facilities below. The impressive 400 seat café reflects the changes in the way we use the ski area over the past 20-30 years. With the increases in snowmaking people can more freely move up and down the mountain all season, hence the decision to shift the equivalent seats to the road end.

Part of the redevelopment plan includes an extension to the Top of the Bruce café facilities and a larger retail space. “These decisions reflect the cultural and environmental considerations – to have smaller facilities higher up the mountain” says Mr. Mazey. “The new design is aimed at lowering the visual impact of the facilities. It will be a better building” he continues.

The new groomer shed is set to go below the Valley T-Bar drive station and is also in a new location from the destroyed original. This new location gives back what is great piste area and takes the shed out of the way and doesn’t take up any ski terrain.

At 30-40% smaller than the original shed, serious consideration was given to the placement, size and layout of the new building. It was even questioned if a facility was required at such an altitude, but it was decided that situating such a facility down the mountain would be impractical and access would be too restrictive with skiers and boarders using the area too.

Thanks!

and with the winter over, summer is upon us! enjoy see yall in a few months!

pep CGK for a bit of fun in the sunny (ha) AK city!

Droppin Duckets

Well chips...



and transmission fluid!

Blue (Bird) Monday

Monday was the last day Whakapapa was open but due to the forecast for the afternoon we decided to head to Turoa, glad we did as the blue bird morning packed in at mid day and was super nasty at whakapapa but not to bad at Turoa.











and a little video of a buttery wild cat off a wind lip by fran, i was super gutted that my camera ran out off battery just befor Kelvin poped a nice Rodeo 3 of this same lip! props K Dog you killin it this season!

Stackin'

Rockapapa Sun Daze

Well its getting rockey thats fo sho, but Whakapapas all closed up now, we got an awesome rad sick shukka day in just before it closed though some rad crew up from down south, good times all round!

Jackson!

Morgan up from QT and busted over from TGA



Our beloved Whakapapa park crew decided that with the lack of snow etc that they would make just one feature so, we got an Up Flat Down Flat Down total of about 12meters long, and with melting snow conditions not much of it was very straight! Kelvin, Fran and i managed to get the entire thing also props to Vida for getting some sneaky front board action on it! but Kelvin copped it 1st so pep the technique!

CD's?

Kris Kros

Says Jump! Jump!




Hows these two have this sort of energy after a day on the Gnarr i will never know!
but i do know jumping over stuff with UBER sag pants is a little tricky!

Wednesday Weather Weeport

Wed Oct 21 Issued at 7:00 am 21 Oct 2009 NZDT
Fine at first. Cloudy periods increasing about low levels from afternoon, with drizzle possible overnight.
Wind at 1500 meters: Westerly 30 km/h developing this morning, and rising to 60 km/h tonight.
Wind at 3000 meters: Southwest 45 km/h rising to 60 km/h this evening.
Free air freezing Level: Rising to 2000 metres this morning, and to 2400 metres by evening.
Thu Oct 22 Issued at 1:31 pm 20 Oct 2009 NZDT
Cloudy with drizzle patches, mainly in the west, turning to rain during the afternoon, falling as snow above 2100 metres, lowering to 1500 metres overnight. Strong westerlies, possibly gale about the tops, turning southwest at night and easing.
Free air freezing Level: 2400 metres lowering to 1800 metres overnight.
Fri Oct 23 Issued at 1:31 pm 20 Oct 2009 NZDT
Showers, falling as snow above 1200 metres, gradually clearing. Strong southerlies.
Free air freezing Level: Lowering to 1400 metres.
Sat Oct 24 Issued at 1:31 pm 20 Oct 2009 NZDT
Mainly fine with southerlies becoming light.
Free air freezing Level: Rising to 2000 metres.
Sun Oct 25 Issued at 1:31 pm 20 Oct 2009 NZDT
Fine with light winds.

Vans X Airblaster

So not onlky did they realease these super limmited crazy rad boots, but also this pair of Vans Era's, and they are waterproof! what more could a New Zealand snowboarder want?!

Choice,

Spotted @ highsnobiety.com