Conditions Report
Report from September 21, 2024
Ohau Snow Fields, a hidden-not-secret gem of New Zealand snow culture, has been reveling in a radical winter of skiing and snowboarding.
Ample wind transport, plus a sneaky 9-inch dash of powder snow, made yesterday a “pop magic” kinda session in the Ohau mountains.
Straightaway, there was a prerequisite to stare down a bullish wind forecast.
Next came the morale safety measure of accepting that, wind-or-no, it may very well be flat light, blown out, bulletproof, or all the above.
To shred was the sole goal.
But then, a magic swirled to life that only these New Zealand Alps could conjure.
The Summit’s natural aspects blunted the wind just enough. Clouds broke to invite a burst of sun, and temperatures ducked sufficiently to hit the sweet spot that keeps dry snow dusty.
In short, it was on.
Exposed westerly faces presented the setting for a ‘bait n’switch’ while leeward angles were nothing less than dreamy.
It was the sort of chalk-fest conditions that settle a rider right into their comfort zone and convince them to cut loose.
Here we are, mere weeks from the season’s end for commercial snow operations, yet it still feels as though we’re in full, fantastic stride.
That’s the beauty of skiing and snowboarding at Ohau Snow Fields, a New Zealand ski area that puts a cheeky ‘Kiwi’ in snow culture.
