Lost in Snow

Since I got back from this weekend, whenever I close my eyes I can picture myself on this spot, on my stomach staring across the glacial valley of the Southern Alps. Pure Bliss.

Matt and I drove up friday night to Wanaka, and dropped three of our friends off at the trail head of Mt. Aspiring National Park where I went earlier this year (see Bush Ball post). We were expecting a massive storm for this weekend that never seemed to materialize (besides dropping a bunch of snow for us to ski). As we drove down a dirt road in the dead of night, snow began to fall. All of a sudden we saw a large herd of cattle blocking the road. As we drove they began to slowly run (butts jiggling) down the road, but not out of our way. Matt insisted he wanted to get out and chase them, and after much debate we let him out and he went wild on them, chasing them off the road. Our road was clear... for now. As we drove we were met with herd after herd of sheep or cattle which needed to be persuaded off the road by horn or matt's yelps. It was quite the experience.

Matt and I returned to our hostel in Wanaka after dropping them off and woke up the next morning, to blue sky, powder and a whole mountain almost empty because of the expected storm. Over a foot of powder in places, fresh tracks, and all the wonders of skiing above tree-line led to some of the most amazing skiing. On both days we hiked up to the peak of the mountain to look out over the valley (where the picture was taken), even making a snowman at the top as a gift to the snow gods.

Sunday afternoon we picked up our friends from Mt. Aspiring and returned home, exhausted.