Zero ice thickness

Despite the warmish weather I decided to check for ice on the way through Central today.  Saw a little frost on the Queenstown road but that was all.  Clear still water on the Lower Manorburn.  Coldest temp was minus one where the frost was other wise wet and warm for this time of year.
Not looking good for ice at all.

Higher to find ice

Has been a long wait for cooler weather - and still none in the forecast.   Headed to the Remarkables ski field today.  From a distance Lake Alta looked like it had a good pack of snow ice so skied and walked (climbed..) to check it out.   After a hard clomp up the hill through the snow I was rewarded with a skate!   Good pack of snow ice that had thawed and re frozen.  The surface started going off when I got there but had a skate up and down one side of the lake.  Would have been good all over at first light but great to be on the skates again even if it was a bit bumpy at times.

Lake Alta - looking tempting from the ski slope

Good to be on natural ice again...

A great early season skate....

After yesterday's early season ice we decided to head up to Poolburn again today as a good frost was expected in Central.  Coldest temps so far this year.

We headed straight to yesterdays spot and were treated to a great early season skate.  On the way out we decided to check have a look at the main bay and were amazed that we could skate out to the island.    Ice was a it creaky as the day started to warm.  Just fabulous skating for early June. Care was needed.  Hoping that frost will keep the ice in.

Had a skate at another hard to get to place on the way home.  Great day!

Early dawn rest on the rocks of Poolburn

Out beside the small island

What grows beneath....

One of the bays at Poolburn

Ice Report:  Poolburn - some ice over (most of) the bay out to the main island. Thin - needs much care and a few more frosts.  Not recommended for skating yet.

Idaburn - Bit more thin ice in main bay but not yet fully covered.   

First Ice of the Season...

Dave and I headed off early to drive to the Upper Manorburn before the road closes for winter.
We decided to check Poolburn just to see if there was any ice around.   Water level at Poolburn is very low this year.  There was a covering of thin ice over some of the dam but not enough the skate (not to mention the open water showing....)
After a bit of exploring we were treated to a skate in a small bay. Great to be on the ice again!! First skate of the season!

The drive to the Upper Manorburn was fabulous - good driving through the spectacular rugged landscape.  Feels like big country.  The last time Dave and I (with Alan and Mark) had visited was in 2010 when we skated the Upper ManorBurn through to the Greenland Reservoir. The only ice we saw this time was in a gorge near the top.  Great to be out in the winter landscape.

Dave P - small bay on Poolburn

Plants under the ice

Gorge on the way to Upper Manorburn

Checking the ice anywhere we could find  it.

Ice report
Idaburn - a little ice in the main basin against the bank.  Not enough to skate.
Coalpit - ice across the whole dam but too thin to skate. 10-15mm
Poolburn - thin ice across much of the main bay.  Water in some areas.  Not skate-able  but can
find the odd patch if you hunt around (for the brave...)

A few frosts ...,

Good to see a few frosts in Central Otago.  Hope to get out and about this weekend to look  for ice!