NZ Snowkitng Mt Olympus

NZ Snowkite Mt Olympus 2009
This was one of my favourite holidays even though we hardly got in any kiting and the group was really small. There was so many special and unexpected events and aspects to this trip that made it memorable and really enjoyable.

The Taz man from Melbourne joined the sunny coasters Ken Cornwall and myself for a sneaky 10 days in NZ seeking out some powder and good kiting on the snow. We stayed we to and spent our whole time at Mount Olympus, a couple of hours from Christchurch.

Mt Olympus is a small ski field run by a ski club and it feels a little bit like a step back in time. The facilities are fairly basic and the hospitality s exceptionally welcoming. The terrain is excellent with most of the hill fairly steep. We scored plenty of fresh snow and light crowds.

The lodge is fantastic. Positioned high on the mountain well above the snowline, the lodge has a permanent chef and houses the mountain staff as well as the guests. The views are of course sensational and so is the company.

We managed to time our visit with the clubs juniors week, which exposed us to some wild parties, lots of fun loving people, and genuinely welcoming NZ hospitality.

I’ve done plenty of snowkite missions, and I learnt early to have a good backup plan. Depending on mountain winds, thick snow cover and clear mountain weather is a recipe for disappointment. So it was all part of the plan to possibly spend the week simply riding the lifts and enjoying the terrain, rather than driving and driving to find good kiting conditions.

The prevailing winds at Mt Olympus are up the valley – perfect for snow kiting, however as luck would have it – the week we attended, the winds were across the steep valley and as gusty as you could imagine. So we rode the lifts and enjoyed the terrain.

Later in the week, late one night, during some heavy drinking and card cheating with Mel the ski instructor, we noticed there was a fresh coat of snow outside. It was 2AM and we had to session the little kicker in front of the hut. We were encouraged to turn the lift on and get into it. So we did – it was one of the funnest sessions I’ve had in the snow.

A couple of days later we decided to climb the mountain. The friendly staff ensured we had the right safety gear and encouraged Rauri, the local mountain man to escort us to the summit of Mt Olympus. It was a highlight for me. The views were sensational and the descent even more exhilarating. It also helped us to identify an amazing adventure for future snow kite missions.

If only we had more time to play in our short time on this amazing blue ball hurtling through space. Thanks to Ken and Taz for being such great company, and a huge thanks to the staff at Mt Olympus who made our stay so enjoyable – Mel, Johnny and John, and Jed. Love your work guys. Looking forward to crossing paths with you again soon.