In our last trip report, we told you about Craigieburn and the club fields of Canterbury, New Zealand.
Well, we’ve got another clubbie to introduce you to: Mount Olympus. And the question is, Where do we even begin?
Like all the club fields, Mount Olympus uses the nutcracker/rope tow combination. Nothing new there, and actually, the rope tows are probably a bit mellower than the ones at Craigieburn.
But then there is the road to Mount Olympus. If the parking lot of a ski area can give you a sense of the place and of what it takes to get there, well, take a look:
If it hasn’t snowed in a while, you don’t need one of these 4x4s to make it up to the ski area, but it’s still not a bad idea.
The roads aren’t graded, just leveled and plowed by a bulldozer.
And there’s about a 400-500-foot drop off the switchback road, so in winter conditions, chains are not optional.
But once you make it up the road, this awaits you.
And this:
There’s a reason why Mount Olympus is called “The playground of the gods.”
But what also awaits you is an incredibly good time. Mount O may be the playground of the gods, but it is often also described as (and I’m paraphrasing here), “a social club with a skiing problem.”
Hey Jonathan. Again, great pictures and thank’s for also giving some insight on the lifestyle in NZ. So the Austrian “Wunderdrink” continues its success story on the other side of the continent…How much is a can of red bull in USD down there? I rate the expensiveness of ski resorts by their “red bull index”….
Thanks, Hannes. And just to be clear, I’m not sure that any of the Olympus regulars actually drink Trash Cans – I think Eliot simply got us to. Because he’s evil.
Jonathan and Julia, is it customary to wear your helmet and goggles while facing a Grenade, or……?
No idea, Will, but in any case, I’d like to think that it is now certainly the only proper way to face a Grenade.
Jonathan…been logging in to check our the trip photo’s and see whats on your feet anticipating the latest bibby review. I met you late last season on the lift at Alta when you struck up conversation by commenting on my bibby’s. You were testing that day and probably missing your favorite ski. My favorite as well. I went to backcountry last week to size up the bibbys and am a little bummed with the less aggressive camber and curious what your thoughts are old verses new. I know the full on review will be in the works but wondering on the two minute down low version, ie. still awesome but about what we’d expect…a little more slippery at the price of edge bite…or about the same, still awesome or whatever…. Regardless I’m sure I will be getting another pair because like you I am a bibby addict. Just can’t imagine another ski or quite honestly improving on the old. With the crowds and weather being what they are even being an Alta local…I love the bite of the camber and the beef of the fatty. The width, shape, length, rocker and all that jazz look good on the new ones but curious on the detuned camber and your take on old vs new. Don’t spend more than a few minutes responding as i know your review will be the full-on commentary with your/our favorite ski and probably one of the most read of the season. Just curious on the quick down-low,…awesome, same, about what we expected….
Enjoy the rest of your trip and safe trip home. I will keep an eye open for you again this season at Alta. Rest assure i will be wearing the bibby’s….again!
Take care
Craig
Hey, Craig! By next Wednesday, all your Bibby questions will be answered. (Well, hopefully.) Review will be up by mid-week, and there will be a review (or homage, really) going up before that. Stay tuned!
Yeah….exited to hear your thoughts. We had a local shop carrying Moments last year with a great demo line but they closed their doors…permanently. We are now down to demo days late in the season or leap of faith via Backcountry.com here in the Alta/SLC vicinity. I will be exited to hear your take on how much bite has been compromised by the decrease in camber. I would guess everything else is great. Knowing myself I will probably end up with both and call last years Bibby my skinny and this years my fattie!! Looking forward to your review and will keep an eye out for you this winter at Alta.
Take care,
Craig
PS – Hoping you demo’d the new Governor as well. Sure would love to test drive that one. Beautiful ski.
NZ looks like a hoot! My wife and I are trying to plan a delayed honeymoon/adventure for next year (directly after our wedding last summer, we packed up our lives and moved to Utah, which was an adventure in itself, we are now based out of Park City). How much time would be enough to see some sights in New Zealand (including, but not limited to, Hobbit Holes) as well as take a crack at some of the ski areas? Which ones would you recommend?
Cheers!
Tim
Hey, Tim – we’ll be putting out some more specific info re: NZ over the next several weeks. I think your question is impossible to answer without knowing roughly how many days on snow you’d want to get: 3? 8? 15? Personally, if you’re traveling from North America, 4-5 days on snow is the bare minimum I’d consider, and even then I would still recommend that you to lie to your boss or spouse or parole officer so that you could stay for at least 6-8 days on snow. And then I would do everything else in your power to figure out how to get at least 8-10 days on snow, plus 3-4 additional days to “see some sights.” So that’s my answer, except that my real answer is that everyone should come for at least 15-21 days. So that’s a terrible answer I realize, but it’s not exactly a wrong answer!