September 8th – 12th, 2013

Location: Remarkables Ski Field, South Island, New Zealand

Weather: Mixed bag…IT’s NEW ZEALAND!

Riders: Slaythegnar, NZphotoslave, and GlenLeggs

Photographers: NZPhotoslave & Slaythegnar

NZphotoslave in a rare exercise mode…

SLAYTHEGNAR stretching from just flying across the world…

POV VIDEO Chuting for Kiwi Spring Slayage @TheRemarks NZ – September 8th – 12th, 2013

Chuting for Kiwi Spring Slayage @TheRemarks NZ – September 8th – 12th, 2013 from SlayTheGnar on Vimeo.

Music: Dispatch Recordings on Rinse FM – Ant TC1, Survival, Amoss, Cern B2B & MC JC (2 hours) – 31.07.2013

Java Porn: Mmmmmmm NZ COFFEE

Synopsis:

Its hard not to love the South Island of New Zealand. Good coffee, friendly people, crystal clear lakes, stunning vistas and of course, the Remarkables. You see, not only does this ski field cater to families but it has some seriously addicting ‘hike to’ terrain that challenges even the most veteran skier. The Alta Chutes zone is a short 10 minute hike from the Shadow Basin lift and is southern aspect mecca full of nooks and crannies that usually holds great wintery snow deep into the season. Highlights in this video include laps down Pipeline, Elevator, Diagonalator, Telex, East Face (nobis), the Nose.

With local photographer Miles Holden as my guide for the week, about a foot of new snow, and case of blueberry Red Bull, we explored every inch off the Shadow Basin chair. We encountered early powder runs down Mid Station bowl, Valley Floor as well as Homeward and Outward Bound. As luck would have it, gusty conditions continued to hit the daily ‘refresh’ button by blowing in beautiful wind blown snow. Timing is everything on a ski trip and thankfully, it looks like that I ventured up to Remarks at an ideal time.

PRESS RUN TO BEGIN:

Time to fly from SFO to ZQN…looks like I’ve got some legroom.

Made it to Auckland, now headed on the All Blacks special to Queenstown…

During my brief layover, its customary to get a quality kiwi breakfast…

Saying goodbye to the North Island…

Finally some snow comes into view…

NZphotoslave grabs a view from the other side of the glass…

Pretty stoked to finally meet Mr. Seth…although not a great Sherpa.

Yep, transitioning to ski clothes in the airport lot…

And we’re off for a half day up there…

And we’re on snow!

This is the respect I get flying all the way here for the USofA????

Slaythegnar has some bundled up energy and heads directly to the Alta Chutes…why not?

Diagonalator will do…

New Deathwish were stoked to be in their playground…

Winter snow is a nice find after a long flight…

Who doesn’t love that natural right turn…

Is it me or is the snow always good on that turn?

Slaythegnar is fully stoked…I guess

Needlessly aggressive face shot on the first lap?

Yep, let’s do another in that playground behind my shoulders…

Jet lag setting in as I wait for NZphotoslave to meet me at the Chutes…

Pipeline is up next…

On lap 3, I noticed the view to the North…

NZphotoslave gets extreme in Pipeline…

Lap 4 we return to Diagonalator…

Lap 5 the sun pokes through…

From here, Telex (hidden middle chute) looks prime…

So Slaythegnar heads in for today’s last run…

Its always a bit dodgy on the first turn….

And he’s now committed…

And it was SO GOOD!

Beer-30 at the Red Bull house and some fried Pāua….

The next morning at a lakeside cafe…

With the Holden family….

Sure looking nice from the access road…

Do I spot fresh snow?

Typical drive with a Kiwi…

That’s better mate…

Views are never boring here….

Oh man…looking rather swell…

Glenleggs points to where we need to go….

Slaythegnar spots an air…

His POV (technology nerd)

Follow cam by NZPhotoslave in the pow…

Slaythegnar moguls up the line….

Sure, twist my arm for a hike to the Alta Chutes…

Its a bit windy eh?

So many options, so little time…(that whole face is fair game btw)

Slaythegnar grabs some untracked….

So does NZphotoslave on the way to Pipeline…

Slaythegnar tries to pick an alternative line…

Did I mention how fun it is in here?

Looking soft as can be…

I told you…

The rest of the Remarks…remember, everything you see is accessible.

Double Cone pokes out of the clouds to say hello…

NZphotoslave on Nobis….

Slaythegnar follows his lead…

Back up to the Alta Chutes, Elevator is looking wind-buffed and prime…

But Pipeline is always more fun…

A trip to the Remarks isn’t complete without a hike to the scenic overlook on a clear day…

Lake Wakatipu and its green valleys…

How about one more?

This is fair game as well…

This rarely gets skied…and sheer death if it slid

Glenleggs and I headed out to Outward Bound for a few road laps…

Groomed pow awaited us…

At least you can still ski to the road eh?

That night this went down…

The next morning…slaythegnar checks the weather and was laughing at the horrendous forecast.

A quick ride up to the Remarks showed us what the rain did to the snow-pack…

Oooooh, that’s not looking pow-like…

I still found some hints of winter in the shade…

And also some corn on the bottom of Shadow…

At least I skied that day…time for a beer with a view at the new Hilton.

So I guess my Coronet Night Skiing poster is still in use eh? That guy sure can rip 😉

The next morning the snow report reported ACTUAL snow…so it was time for the access road yet again.

Chains required…good sign for skiing.

Kiwi’s installing chains be like…

With the Alta Chutes closed for avalanche control, we headed straight for Homeward Bound…

Another session of groomed pow was ok in my books…

It was fun…if you like high-speed pow SG turns.

Double looking like winter again…

Elevator sporting a new coat…

Pipeline was unreal…

…the ice layer was non=existent

Headed to Diagonalator to search for steep pow…

Glenleggs drops in first…

Given the few turns, it must be good…

NZphotoslave is next and takes the skier’s right line…

Hell yeah mate!

I drop in on skier’s left…

Slaythegnar on his favorite turn at the Remarks…

Oh my, that was yummy!

NZphotoslave isn’t complaining either…

You can tour to all these spots…I’ve only been up to Double Cone once on a ‘firm’ day but I’ve ridden everything looker’s right as well

Another lap, and a quick recon mission on Elevator yielded positive results…

See you next time Alta Chutes and beyond…

Outward Bound is once again calling our name…

Glenleggs acts like this is his backyard. Funny, because it is…

Definitely not super deep but oh so fast and smooth…

A trip to the Remarks is not complete without a nice Kia shot…

Maybe if I hold my breath…ahhhhh forget it

Fly away mountain parrot, fly away…

Apres ski? Yes mate!

SO FUN, UNTIL NEXT TIME MATES!