So not too much has really been going on since my last post, pretty much just working, eating sleeping and boarding still and staying up late / getting up early to watch Saints, and just making the most (at times) of my time off the mountain, so kinda just another photo dump and update really....enjoy!
 |
| Most of the Mt Hutt 2012 staff...including me, with my unshaven beard!!! |
 |
| The snow the other week was weird, really icy on top... |
 |
| ...And really powdery underneath, made or some fun riding |
 |
| The 1st of 3 staff skis, mad rush as the lift re-opens just for us at 4:30 |
 |
| As the sun sets, taken from half way down the mountain |
 |
| Just missed him jumping off the balcony above |
 |
| Another few views from my room....Sunset.... |
 |
| ...2 days later.... |
 |
| ...And the groomers changing shifts over night. |
 |
| On route to Castle Hill with Tom on one of my Fridays off....getting caught in a New Zealand traffic-jam |
 |
| Rakaia Gorge |
 |
| The head gasket blew in his car by the time we got to Darfield....so we just headed back to Methven, stopping off at Rakaia Gorge again. |
 |
| The following Saturday Rakaia runs were open up the mountain so I headed down them for the first time, the runs were good, and the views were amazing.... |
 |
| ...Sadly I didn't have my camera with me on the Saturday, so I headed back up there on the Sunday manly to try and get some awesome pics...sadly as I got to the Summit the clouds came in, and this is what I got! |
 |
| Another morning up the Hutt |
 |
| I changed my name badge for the last few weeks! |
 |
| Early morning snow clearing....photos used on Mt Hutt's Facebook page |
 |
| Jamie (the day custodian, and now part-time night custodian). and I clearing the snow |
 |
| The very very top of the mountain....the hunt for fresh powder is always worth it. I didn't even know you could reach this point. |
 |
| Jamie at the top |
 |
| The climbing wall in Mt Hutt's town office in Methven, where I spend a lot of my 'off the mountain' time. I'll admit, it's not the tallest of walls but it's great to learn techniques. |
 |
| Bikinis For Breast Cancer...and an excuse |
 |
| And Buzz gliding into the skimming pool! |
 |
| I did manage to raise $86.80 for them titties (not mine, the good kind)! |
 |
| Later that day I had to take the Mt Hutt mascots out, Spike (the Kiwi) and Shred (the Kea) |
 |
| starting snowball fights! Was a great Saturday! |
 |
| After my room was broken in to! How romantic, all them boxers and socks were dirty! |
 |
| Visibility at its best last Thursday afternoon! |
 |
| Steveo messing round on the wall... |
 |
| .....And Buzz.... |
 |
| ...And Tom looking 'pretty' |
 |
| The start of Peak To Pub on Sunday |
 |
| The boarders / skiers at the base before switching over to their bikes |
 |
| Marco taking it casual. |
 |
| The start of the ride down the mountain, which is followed by a 10km run I was meant to enter as a team and do the running part, but last minuute Ali couldn't get a bike.....ummmm.....should've just done it all on my own! |
From about 4am Monday morning, the snow started and it didn't stop until some point this morning (Tuesday), pretty much non-stop for well over 24 hours. After I went out in the snow yesterday afternoon:
 |
| Icicles actually stuck to my (now gone) side burns. |
 |
| The snow dumping down last night |
 |
| This was last night, the snow was even deeper today, it was probably about 40-50cm on the untouched snow at the base. |
The visibility over the last two days hasn't been too great, but it cleared up later today and riding the powder was amazing...face down hill, lean on your back leg, go, and don't stack....that equals really hard work.
Apart from all the pictures above, and several parties (Dinner With The Stars (a party for staff up here), The Patrol Party, The Glitz and Glam Party (end of year staff party), the last night at Stealworks for the season (the bar that's only just re-opened) and gate-crashing the lifties' staff party), haven't really been up too much, apart from being the only person to ever get lost in Methven....twice....in my defence I don't get off the mountain much. We have stayed open for the extra week, meaning that as of Sunday I will yet again be homeless and jobless, so I have been looking up my options, include the possibilities of a room in Wellington and arranging a phone interview for a job in the Fox Glaciers or Franz Josef Glacier. Just keeping my options open really, I still have no idea what my next step is, but now I've posted this I will spend the rest of my free time up the mountain to get these things sorted....hopefully! Just gonna enjoy my last week of free rent, cheap food, saving money, and (of course) getting out on my board in my back garden!
Not too exciting of a read I'd imagine, but life has been pretty breezy up here. Next time I really will have less photos of Mt Hutt!
Oh..and the title....named after our pub quiz team that came in second the other week. Gotta get the announcer to read out something they don't want to!
