Full on in NZ

With the best start to a Wanaka season since I can remember I am right back into Regular winter life. As it turns out I picked the right year to be injured as 2014 seemed like a pretty average season for Freeride. 
It's so awesome to be skiing in NZ, even after only missing one season I feel like its been for ever. My knee is feeling really strong and stable so I am stoked!

I am ski instructing full time at Cardrona again as well as training towards my Level 3 Ski Instructor certification, so I have been busy. 
Its good to be fully stacked again after a full but relatively cruisy last year. 
I have only had a small amount of time to ski outside of my ride breaks at work (which I have been making the most of) but all the skiing I have done has been awesome fun!
A lot of lines have been on at Cardrona this year that aren't often skiable, including some tight stuff down the Valley View chutes, which is exciting. 
I was even able to fit in an early season ski tour out the back of Cardrona!

The NZ Open Big Mountain FWQ 3* is coming in hot with only a month to go.
I have been invited through to the final day, which is pretty rad!
I am really looking forward to skiing this comp again, it is a classic and hopefully with the early snow we will have some new stuff to play around with. 

Last weekend Icebreaker took all of their snow sport ambassadors including myself on an overnighter up the top of Lake Wakatipu at Mt Nicholas Station, which is one of their Merino wool suppliers. 
It was great learning about the process of farming Merinos as well as the journey the wool takes from sheep to shirt. 
We also had a sneak peak into some of the new range for next year and its safe to say there is some rad new gear coming out!
I also managed to get my shoes wet more than once and I have splinters and prickles in my hands, so that is a great indicator of a good adventure!

This year Head has brought back the Monster range. 
I have been riding the Monster 108 this season and I am thoroughly impressed with how it skis. 
The 108 is a total beast, stiff as balls, 25 meter radius, full camber with only a slight early rise and a flat tail to top it all off. One person I talked to described them as battleships, which I think is about right! These things will charge through everything. 

Treble Cone Opening Day, Photo by Keith Stubbs at 360queenstown-wanaka

Tight stuff behind Cardrona

Balance practice on a narrow metal bar at Mt Nicolas Station during the Icebreaker Getaway