[I realised I never posted this little story from the arse-end of Winter 2008, so it is…]
It’s the end of October, I’d just about packed everything away until next season and was convincing myself to get the bike out. But then I saw the weather for the long weekend – a cold sou’wester making its way up the South Island, bringing snow to low levels. Couldn’t resist it!
The road was still being cleared when I got there, so plenty of time to get the chains on (thankfully the last time this year). I was about the 20th car up there. Couldn’t believe how much snow was piled up along the road again! Just needed the weather to clear.
That didn’t happen until midday, so had to make do with short run of deep pow from the quad. Face shots, face plants, big grins, no queues! 
With the summit chair on vis hold, I noticed something you’d only see skiers do – 6 of them took their skis off, put them at the front of the queue and walked off! Cheeky bastardos. Still, timed my run to perfection as just heard them starting up and got on the 2nd chair. Ended up being first snowboarder up the top on the last powder day of the season – get in!!
So stoked on the conditions, forgot sunscreen – now a bit red. Pow was awesome – deep wind drifts, light and dry. The old Rome is proper knackered now though – no pop left at all. Still, she’s had a good innings. Loving slashing the wind drifts/ jumping from one to another.
Ended up hiking up the back of Towers – somewhere I’d never been. A few others were heading to South Face, which I thought was closed. A few tracks there, so dropped down a chute, incredible deep fluffy white stuff! Thought I was gonna mess my pants. Bee-atch of a hike back out of that one, with every step going thigh deep. Which is where Allan got the better of me.
That’s it, that’s all.