Broken River Magic

Machine-read text (unproofread)

Read from the scans by software, so it contains mistakes. Typing it up properly would help blind readers: use Suggest an edit.

Broken River Magic Rob Hughes Atypical grey day greeted the 40 punters as they arrived in Christchurch. The 50th anniversary of the Club had brought a whole host of older members out of the woodwork for this year's Broken River trip and it was shaping up to be a good one. het transport was well organised this year % and the drivers really knew their stuff, like Hornby Liquorland -ah, 4ahes that's better. Fortified by an early morning nip the happy punters were Esoag FEES TOW greeted with glimpses of white mountains and blue skies in the distance. By the time we reached Cheeseman we were well above the crud. Cheeseman was a great warm up day with good deep, dry powder. That evening we managed to overload the goods lift up to BR, thanks to the good sales people at thel Hornby Thursday evening's BBQ at Palmer Lodge Kevin Griffiths Liquorland. Most of the punters settled into Broken River Lodge; the more mature had a nostalgic trip into little gems of their own: "who stole my cup?"; "Ifl can't White Star, and the outcasts had to mix it with the ski drug-freel - won't ski at all"; "steep, deep and cheap". snowboarders in Lyndon Lodge. "You will change bunks". Broken River has a new access tow from the top of Ner- The weather was good for the trek over to Craigieburn vous Knob. This opens up Alan's Basin for some great on Friday afternoon but Saturday's weather wasn't SO off-piste skiing. Margot's Guti is accessible for the early great. Craigieburn had amazing wind packed powder morning warm-up runs and the traverse to Craigieburn everywhere and the strong winds filled in the tracks is also a lot easier as the extra height gained on the new quicker than the skiers could carve up the place. The access tow takes the major walking out of the trip. party that night was a major affair with the appearance of the wonder bra and other suitably bad taste items. With snowt falling steadily andl low cloud we were forced to stay on the Rugby Tow for thet first few days, but with Sunday brought rain, wind, and meltdown. The field only lots off fresh powder, it was not a hardship. Having plenty opened to avoid a major refund but this was extreme of snowboarders around helped to increase our vocab skiing at its worst. Gale force winds, soft slushy snow, with such gems as "dry equals clean"; "Is this com- flat light - - just like a good day up north. munal?"; "Ihaven't got a hangover due to the voltaren". It was time to pack up and head to Christchurch for the Wednesday was an amazing day. The whole field opened trip home. The punters, happily seated in the plane for and it was SKI SKI SKI just like heli-skiing but with- thet flight back to Wellington, cheered when they realised out the noise and expense. With the new access tow the that Hazel had not boarded the aircraft. The pilot anfield appeared deserted as everyone spread far and wide. nounced that there would be a slight delay as they were still loading thel last of thel bags. There was another cheer Thursday's lessons were adjourned to Alan's Basin. when the doors closed and the plane moved off and still There were lots of tired punters from the skiing frenzy there was no Hazel. Only Roger knew that Hazel had oft the previous day and wel had night skiing that evening actually taken an earlier flight, but to maximise the in perfect conditions. Not to be out-down by the laughs he played the joke to the max by pulling out snowboarder quotes, the punters came up with some Hazel's boarding pass. (Get that framed!) Tramping and Mountaineering 1997