Puku

Single Cone, Remarkables

As usual , the addicts that we are, we were hoping to Ice climb, hot temps meant it was a little dangerous so we decided to head up Single cone instead.

We snowshoed to Wye Saddle, then followed the ridge line, changed to crampons and axes quite high and popped accross the face, up the couloir on the east face,  to the top.

There's a halo but he's no angel

AMAZING veiw at the top of the couloir

Couloir was full of snow and easy, but the rock step above this pic always feels very exposed and scary even though it's not that difficult. Tomas soloed it earlier that day, he's a brave man.

Traversing to the summit

On the very tippy top

Mucking around, above Q town

Dusky trail- Twizel

We spent a lovely but sad weekend in Ohau farewelling Simon and Pip before their departure for Copenhagen

One afternoon we rode the dusky trail

Pip giving it hell up the hill

Simon about to rip Down the single track

Dusky trail is largely on farm roads has a couple of river crossings( they were about mid thigh in Summer but it had been raining recently) Easy terrain, fun bit of single track, big skies, great company!

Other Fun around Home( wakatipu)

As well as the usual rock climbing at Wanaka and Wye creek we have been Biking, Flying and Supporting friends in the Godzone race( 6 days long!)

Rude rock trail Coronet peak

Rude rock

Aaron flying off Coronet

Fishing down the road in the evening

Lake dunstan at Midnight. Bex blowing a vuvuzela in support of team placemakers

Sam eating cold de hy. They have been on the go since 7 am and were shattered

In the Pisa ( crown range) Trying to figure out where our team might be

Petzl Nao was good to ride by as I had lent my Bike lights battery to sam as a spare

Aaron flying off Treble cone

A quick visit to Aoraki National Park

We had a few days at Aoraki/ Mt cook area over our easter break.We hiked up to Mueller hut dumped our gear then did some scrambling based around there. The next day aaron hoped to fly his speed wing down but it was not to be so we spent a bit of time waiting Taking photo's  chilling out before walking down. We did some Tourist stuff Including the visitor centre where I saw Lizzie in the rememberance book. And the glacier walks.

The last day we did some easy rock climbing at Sebastapol bluffs, nice rock but alot less trad and not as adventurous as I had imagined.

Aaron at Olivier summit cairn

Alpine Plantage

Aaron hoping the wind comes up

Me and my love. Probably at top of red arete

Aaron rapping off

Fishing on the way home with Aoraki in the background. Aaron releasing my tiddler

We were in for a late night, since we fished until dark

Kopuwai/ Obelisk, Old man range

We rode up to Kopuwai Via the Prospect hill track and down the Omeo gully track on an overcast day
There is quite a bit of climbing( 1300m) on 4wd road which hurt at first but you settle into it.

All the warnings about alpine Weather at any time are worth heeding.
I had a big synthetic puffer jacket but my hands were painful cold. It was Sleet and about 40km winds  on the top although Most of the way we wore t shirts.

Really good ride I agree with 3*. Watch the Nav on the descent as there are Tracks everywhere and it's easy to be having too much fun and rip past your turn off.

The sign where you turn off the main rd

The second half of the Climbing is lovely and scenic once you clear the farm land

The Showers are starting we are about to need our Puffer jackets

The migthy Kopuwai

Aaron only Posed for a couple of seconds as it was too cold to stay still

The wind stipped Trig infront of Kopuwai

The boys catch trout

While they were here Richard and Pet came fishing with us. We all caught fish but only Richard and Aarons were big enough to eat

Richard with a trout on the line

Proud fisherman photographing the dinner he provided

Pet's Bday

Aaron's mum turned 60 and The family came to town

3 generations of Ford's Bowling

Mother and son at the Millhouse

Aunty Sheryl, holly and Patrick

Squeezing one out at the Historic chinese village at Arrowtown

Panning in the Arrow river

Wakatipu grill

Jack and Jollies pass ride, Hamner Springs

A 2 hrs gravel road ride Looping around Mt Isobel and crossing 2 passes.
Nice Scenery.
We did the Pylon Descent from Kennet bros book. Thick Slushy Gravel Despite being 2 days of 30+ degree weather. Inconsistent consistency and Water rutted, Not much fun. It would have been better to stick to road I think
1 * but if you like fitness rides more, the veiws were Cool

Jollies pass before the descent mistake

During the descent

By the Clarence river

Dun Mountain Trail/ coppermine trail

Right in Nelson City. Great while visiting rellies.
Grade 3 now, all the steep stuff, and Carrying is out of date.
Old railway so lovely gradient the whole way up! 2 hrs pedal time up hill and flat then descent .
Berms down really Cool! No Pic's too much fun to stop.
I will be doing this ride again...Really cool.. 4* from me!

WARNING  detour around logging in valley at the end which means an unexpected hill just when you think it's over!

Rameka track

Graded 3, in Kennet bros, I found it harder 4.
It was 2 hrs pedalling up, I had to stop and push on many of the creek crossings and some of the rockier bits both directions, and the steeper bits on the way up. The marble/ Lime was pretty slippery But there had been rain the day before.
The forest is beautiful on the top half so worth the pedal up to spend time in it. The single track descent on the bottom half: so Awesome smooth and flowing. So much hard work on the Rameka project, pack track and Klics
You can get a shuttle to top from Escape adventures, takaka or shuttle the single track bottom sections Via the Rameka track road.

1st half is farm track on way up Berms on the way down!

2nd half varied forest with birds

Aaron checking out the ferns for Tim

We did the short Canaan loop at top and I was pretty tired By the end of the descent, Probably should have done it another day

Croesus Ride, Blackball

The broken glass in the carpark had us concerned about the security of our car, but local runners assured us that it was old and the Culprits caught.

Generally Technical but OK riding this was the only section I had to push other than one River crossing

Above the Bushline we got awesome veiws!

Technical riding, small rocks all the way like the roughest cobbled path ever. Well graded.

To the hut and back including lunch and Photo's, and a small side trip, but not to the summit, was about 4 hrs in summer heat ( 2hrs 20 to Ces Clarke hut including quick snack stops and lots of photos.)

I would agree with 4* in Kennet bros book on my 4 inch bike but Aaron didn't find it as good on his lighter bike coming down