Snowboard/Skiing Thread!!

[Real Pol]

I've got a pass from she who must be obeyed to burn a few hundred $$ on a day at Alpure Peaks

I've actually clicked on a link for once. So are you going cat boarding then? That would be pretty cool. We were going to try and look into that this season, but I've got budget restraints.

I may acutally be interested on what you have to say about it!
(See, I'm trying hard this Sothern Hemisphere Season).

[sami]

you guys are all so lucky, coming from south Africa we dont get to snowboard, i have been to Switzerland well zermatt i did not even snow board and it was prefect, i still to this day im angry with myself! haha

[RJD]

Just back from a weekend in Queenstown visiting Hang11 and boarding coro sat/sun. Watched the big air comp (what was on anyhow) had fun, got soaked, should have taken my wettie..

[Real Pol]

Hey Southern Hemisphere bods! What was your season like this year? Much in the way of powder?

So the plan so far for this season is Ischgl (Austria) and then Davos/Klosters (Switzerland). Last two weeks of January. Roll on winter!!

[Hang11]

Pow days have been thin on the ground, mid winter had a lot of warm rainy days, the base held up but the avi risk went off the scale, and there's been a few people killed

However, winter reappeared last weekend, and we've picked up 75cm over the last week, with cold temps. So it's rocking.

North of the south island is stuffed, middle of the south island is stuffed, south of the south island is looking like the best spring conditions in a decade now.

In other news, Danny Kass got nicked with a big bag of weed just over the hill, then tried to drive his van up the cardies half pipe, and got kicked out the country. Don't think the local cops want him back in town too mich

Have a good time in Europe.

If you get a chance, check out Bataleon boards, the TBT thing has blown me away this season. Hopefully get to try some MTX and BTX boards over the next few weeks and see how they compare, but only heard good things about them. Standard camber is a thing of the past IMO.

[Real Pol]

I was going to ask how that Bataleon board worked out for you. However I've just ordered a replacement for that Palmer board I had last year. I really liked it, but I noticed some internet folk scathing Palmer. Still if you followed everyones opinion you saw on the internet you'd be fecked!
I can't really get my head round the TBT stuff. I'll take your word for it that it's better. It seems to me that it might be good if you are a beginner and you catch edges all the time but does in really have such benefits for advanced boarders?
Unfortunately I don't get to try our boards before I buy them, I just have to go with experience and reviews.

[Hang11]

The TBT thing is basically a curved base accross the width of the board at the nose and tail. It definitely helps to stop you catching an edge, and it feels more responsive edge to edge. I think for a beginner it would work well because of that, but it's saved me from stuffing up a few sketchy landings. I think the payoff is that the board feels pretty slow when it's on the flats.

For a cheap board to muck around on it's been pretty good, tho it's on its last legs now after a season. I'd get another one, but it's not a massive difference to any other board. Lots of people I know have been saying great things about the various rocker/magnetraction boards, but there's not been any around for demo here. If I can find a cheap one on the internet after your season, I might get one for next year.

[Real Pol]

Here we go! My new powder board!

Palmer Carbon Circle II

[Hang11]

Nice!

What's the stance set back on that? One of my colleagues has been riding one of those this year, really rates them.

I blagged a go on one of the new Lib Tech C2 BTX boards yesterday morning. I'm totally sold, considering I was riding in late season boiler plate/slush the things was amazing, just held an edge at warp 9 and not even a hint of it washing out. Think I'll buy one next year for messing around on.

[Real Pol]

Don't know what the setback is on it. The nose is about 5-10cm longer than the tail. I'll only use it on powder days so I'll have the bindings set further back.

[kitesurfer]

Hey Pol seeing as the southerners season will be drawing to a close soon it must be nearly time for us to start gloating? Made any plans yet as to where your heading?
I've got a 3 week trip in my van planned around jan/feb time. Not sure exactly where, but somewhere with lots of snow.

KS

[Hang11]

^^^don't gloat too soon We got 20cm on the way tonight, another 20 at the weekend, and the helicopters have all got cheap now the ozzies have buggered off.

Been an alright season here tho, not many of the massive pow days, but nice and consistent. I'm on 41 days, so will probably crack the 50 mark by the end of it all. My wife's there already and my 9yo has managed the same, even after breaking her wrist, and she's still got 2 weeks of school holidays to go. Wish I was 9 again.

[Real Pol]

It's over Hang11, OVER!!!

Accept that it's our turn now!!

I've booked my flights to Zurich for 16 January. Plan so far is to hire a massive 4x4, stop over the mountains (running over any fauna that gets in our way) into Austria to Ischgl, spend a week there and then dive back across the mountains into Switzerland to Davos for another week.

[Real Pol]

What's the stance set back on that? One of my colleagues has been riding one of those this year, really rates them.

-20

I've been looking all week for that and it was on a sticker on the board!

[Hang11]

Righto, last day of the season for me on Sunday, hooting snow at the moment, I'm off to Treble Cone for a couple of days to make the most of the 30cm or so of fresh we should be getting.

Been a bit tight with the pictures this year, so here's one great big fark off post of shots from this winter, just to cheer up Real Pol. All taken on the bottom half of the South Island of NZ.
The Remarkables



Speargrass Flat and Arrowtown



Lake Johnson



Queenstown









Stormy day at Coronet Peak


Glenorchy



Snowboarding at the Remarkables





Hoare Frost



Lake Ohau





Mackenzie



Mt Cook Airport



Lake Pukaki



Mt Cook



Ohau



Porter Heights



Moke Lake

[ericdeko411]

Great spots.
I like boarding at the Remarkables.

[PapaW]

Just out of curiosity is anyone planning a ski/snowboard hol and needs numbers? Ive been toying with a change of scene this winter but there arn't many people here who go. - (EU based tho)

[hawaiiSUCKSexceptsurf]

hang 11 those pictures are amazing. over the past few years ive figured out im more of a hiker than anything else. surf and snow is icing on the cake, but climbing the mountains is where its at. so my question to you is: how can i naturalize? i mean, CO had nice mountains, so does hawaii. but not like that.

[Hang11]

You need to get permanent residency, it's not that hard to do, there's a few ways, if you've got a skill the country needs, then you can get in that way, pretty easy if you've got a job especially, otherwise you can apply for a work visa, do that for a bit, then convert that to permanent residency. If you are under 30, you can easily get a working holiday visa, but you're pretty limited to how long you can spend in one job, and it can't be converted to stay for longer.

Have a look at www.immigration.govt.nz

There's a special category for Pacific Islanders, but not sure if Hawaii counts on that scheme.

If you do go for it, I've got a few contacts down here, might be able to get you an interview for some guiding/maintenance work in the mountains.

[hawaiiSUCKSexceptsurf]

my specialty is work with autistic kids. cant you an I just have one of those false marriages?