skiing through the summer???

Jeff: i'm an optimist too, and i'm craving turns, of any kind. but lucky for me i spent last weekend in the Wasatch range, carving on some white. it was good, except the part where my friend busted his collar bone (compound fracture), and a few hours later came out of surgery with 6 new titanium screws, see ....<br><br>sean: New Zealand huh? i'm intrigued. so, when is a good time to go you think?

I would say the best time to go would be August. August seems<br>to be there January but any month during our summer would work. By october most ski areas close down, but anyone with <br>backcountry experiance could proably get turns made near the Crest of the Southern Alps long after. the Alps act like the Cascades in the sence that that the storms hit the crest and <br>unload tons of snow. The high Alps get a 20 foot base each year<br>so I imagine thier like Rainier and Baker in the sence that anyone with the motivation knowledge could ski Year round. <br>Anyway i could ramble on for hours about how great of a place it is so I'll stop. <br><br>Sean<br><br><br>

I've got to be honest, lately I've been kind of craving spring and summer. Snow coverage in the summer is about the same as now but at least then we have more sunshine, longer days and easier access.

<br><br>I've been feeling the same way lately. Just a little new snow right now simply hides the rocks that are waiting to provide a core shot - to skis or body. I just picked up my skis from Pro Ski - repaired a core shot courtesy of Silver Basin fluffy snow over hidden rocks - and got to see some amazing damage on other skis due to rocks (huge core shots, blown out edges). If we start getting sustained dumps, things will improve, but right now the days are short, gates are still closed, and there's very little snow in the woods. Ullr willing, I will get my 100th month next month, but if we're to September conditions in April or May, I may retire the streak. As Jim suggests, the mountains will still be there and there should be some good early season hiking.

i know it is a long far away, but if you ever get the chance try New Zealand.

<br><br>I'd highly recommend New Zealand as well...though I was there trekking/climbing in the "off-ski season" (March), the possibilities for great backcountry skiing seemed endless...even in March, the approximate equivalent of September here in the Cascades, many of the places we hiked/climbed would have offered amazing corn skiing; if I had brought skis of course; though the approaches would have scored some high torture points (the steep and occasionally exposed approaches seemed brutal enough without skis, but the experiences were all worth it ).  Skiing year-round on the South Island seems very feasible.  I'd like to go back and ski the Mt. Aspiring area sometime:<br> www.cascadesfreak.com/gallery/newzealand

Anyway, back here at home I may be trying to find some more sand dune stashes this summer  ;)  or chasing those remnant snow patches like Winchester while they last (though as Skip mentioned, there may be less snow on Winchester now than there was in September '03).
--Chris

Geez, no one can suggest anything closer than New Zealand (great info, by the way - thanks!) or more inspiring than the small patch on Winchester?

Geez, no one can suggest anything closer than New Zealand (great info, by the way - thanks!) or the small patch on Winchester?

<br><br>good point jim_oker! alright everyone, give it up...<br>