There are very few things that I won’t do for a lift in a helicopter; for the chance of a backcountry mission after a big dump of snow; and for bragging rights to the first tracks of the season.

So, when I received a last minute call from Wanaka’s Aspiring Guides telling me that they had a spare seat in the helicopter for a pre-season maintenance run to their backcountry Robrosa Huts I jumped at the chance.

But is wasn’t until the helicopter had fired up and the familiar whop whop whop of the rotor blades were reverberating that I was duly informed I was on poo-bucket duty!!!!….

As maintenance duties go, the poo bucket really has to be the short straw but once we had touched down at the huts and stepped out into light, dry, waist-deep snow, the list of things I wouldn’t do got a whole lot shorter and with early season conditions this good my role as Latrine Officer seemed a small price to pay.

Latrine detail and other maintenance duties complete we were soon strapping our skins to our skis for the hike out of the valley and in search of the first turns of the winter.

Photo: Ski touring from Aspiring Guide’s Robrosa Huts on the Pisa Range, Wanaka NZ

A moderate 30-minute climb brought us to the top of the Pisa Range with spectacular 360° views across the Southern Alps to Mount Aspiring and the glaciers, south and west to the Remarkables and as far as Fiordland and then back through the Upper Clutha valley to Lake Hawea and Lake Wanaka. The view alone was worth the hike.

But this trip wasn’t just about the view.

We had broken trail through deep, dry snow and despite feeling the burn in our legs the prospect of first tracks was tantalisingly close. A quick review of the topo map showed a promising bowl with the right aspect which we could happily “session” for the afternoon but which also lead to Lake McKay, a large alpine tarn which was an ideal spot for lunch.

However, lunch soon turned into afternoon tea because the quality of the snow was so good that none of us even considered stopping until we had all put in several laps up and down the pristine slope. Boot to knee deep powder for the first turns of winter. It doesn’t get better than that!

Photo: First tracks of the 2015 season heading to Lake McKay, Pisa Range, Wanaka NZ.

It’s fair to stay that despite being cycling fit (thanks to the Old Hairy Legs), I certainly wasn’t ski-fit! My head was making promises that my knees and thighs couldn’t keep, so with about an hour of daylight left we begrudgingly skinned out from Lake McKay and headed back to the huts for the night.

One of the absolute joys of backcountry ski touring is hut-life. The food always seems to taste better; the wine seems to go further; the stories are taller and the jokes funnier… Although hut-life invariably seems to bring with it a snorer and a farter, and so ear-plugs are always the first thing I pack for an overnight trip… Usually for my ears, but occasionally for nostrils in the event of the latter!

Photo: The Robrosa Huts under the stars.

Following a chilly night (thankfully Aspiring Guides have an ample supply of sleeping bags at the hut – I used three!), a big bowl of porridge and numerous cups of coffee had us fired up and ready for day 2. But, not before one final appointment with The Bucket….

For both days we were blessed with clear blue skies, light winds, superb snow and astonishing views. I had taken my heavy DSLR camera, which was great for resulting photos but didn’t meet with the approval of Aspiring Guides who follow the mantra that “light is right” when it comes to touring. Having humped my camera gear (multiple lenses and tripod) across the Pisa Ranges, I now tend to agree with them and will revert to my iPhone or compact camera for future trips! (This also makes more room for chocolate, wine and other such essentials).

Photo: Ski touring on Wanaka’s Pisa Range.

Day 2 was more touring than skiing, as we traversed the skyline of the Pisa Range steadily making our way towards the Snow Farm where we’d arranged a lift home. A short downhill run from the summit took us to Kirtle Burn Hut, and a great spot for lunch.

This DOC hut is only a few hours ski from the Snow Farm and is a really popular overnight stay – although be warned there is no heating in the hut. More comfortable huts (i.e. warm!) are available on the Pisa Range to backcountry skiers and include the Meadow Hut and Bob Lee Hut, the latter boasting spectacular views across Mt Aspiring and the Southern Alps. These two huts are within an hour’s walk / skin from the Snow Farm Lodge and can be booked all year round – they also make a great base mountain biking n the summer and autumn.

Photo: Lunch at the Kirtle Burn Hut, Wanaka NZ

An easy 2-hour skin from the Kirtle Burn Hut along well-formed trails saw us arrive at the Snow Farm Lodge and a rendezvous with our ride back to Wanaka for a debrief in the pub. Over the first après-ski beer of the 2015 winter several conclusions were made: next time the heavy camera is staying at home; next autumn I really will do more specific ski fitness training; and along with ear plugs the next time I get a call from Aspiring Guides I will also pack rubber gloves!….

Photo: View to Mount Aspiring from Pisa Ranges, Wanaka NZ

For more information on skiing in Wanaka visit www.lakewanaka.co.nz

Thanks to Geoff Marks of Lake Wanaka for sharing. We certainly know where we’d rather be!

Backcountry Ski Touring – What You Need to Know

• Always consult www.avalanche.net.nz for the latest avalanche conditions and the weather forecast before you head out.
• Never ski tour alone.
• Make sure everyone in your party carries a transceiver, shovel and probe and knows how to use them in the event of an avalanche
• Tell someone where you’re going and your intended route
• Aspiring Guides in Wanaka run a variety of guided ski touring trips and backcountry training for all abilities, check them out: www.aspiringguides.com

Torpedo7 stocks everything you’ll need for ski touring this winter from touring boots to skins and transceivers to packs.

See you out there!