After a snowy week Dave and I decided to check to see if there was any ice around. The track to Poolburn was rough with snow near the top. We left the truck and walked the last couple of hundred metres through the snow. Fresh ice on the lake but too thin to skate. We found a good sized patch of snow ice in the small bay and after a bit of testing had a fun skate. Plenty of hazards on the ice and an interesting explore but thawing as we left.
With a disappointingly mild frost and fog I decided to check out the Lower Manorburn this morning anyway. Good to find enough ice for a skate in Rushcutters Corner and despite the debris thrown around I had a good skate. Ice was wet and noisy in places - but smooth - as long as one avoided the rocks! A couple of frosts needed!
Because I was nearby this morning I decided to have a look at Poolburn. While there was ice on the lake it was not thick enough to skate but I found a pond that had refrozen snow ice thick enough for a skate. Ice was hard and smooth and, while limited, was great fun.
After watching the weather for a week I headed to Mckenzie Country yesterday as it seems like the only place nearby cold enough to skate. Worthwhile walk up to Hooker Lake to find a lot of ice. Most of it was wind blown broken ice that had refrozen. Great walking around on it and out to a trapped ice berg. Found a good sized patch for a skate. Ice hard and bumpy in places but great fun in a fabulous setting.
Up to Naseby again today to have another go on Coalpit Dam - and hopefully Lower Coalpit. Fantastic ice on Coalpit again but only managed a creaky edge skate on Lower Coalpit. From there I headed into the forest by bike to check out an old mine pond among the trees. Thick ice on the pond and a great wee skate. Coalpit should be a good skate again tomorrow if there is a frost.
Watched the temps all week and decided the Maniototo looked to be the best option today and Naseby seemed the coldest. Heading that way I changed my mind and carried on the check Idaburn. Quite a surprise to find thick ice on the main pond. Had a great skate on hard ice - good most places but thinner out to the line of trees. Water in the gorge so didn't venture too close. Rode the bike over the check the gorge near the dam and was treated to an even better skate although more hazards there and greater risk if something went wrong. Next headed to Grey Lake (by bike) but no skate-able ice although had a quick skate on a small pond on the way out. Naseby was the last stop and great ice again. Only good place to get on was the jetty but good ice in the middle. Great skating and hard to leave. Great free skate day....
Idaburn - good skate able ice that will work if there is a frost tomorrow. Watch for the thin ice and open water
Coalpit - same as Idaburn. Will work if there is a frost. Careful getting on - jetty was safe today. Skate early
Decided to have a look for ice close to home this morning as we had another good local frost. Had a fun skate on a sheltered pond on black ice. Locked in and hard but the weather was changing as I skated with cloud and warming temps.
Up again early this morning to Poolburn to meet Jane and Ing at sunrise. The ice had improved since yesterday and we had a good skate in the small bay. Dave and I then headed over to the far main bay and had an enjoyable edge skate on hard and amazingly clear ice. On the way home we stopped in to Idaburn. The fog had lifted and the place looked fabulous with the hoar frost in the sun. Unable to resist a skate on fabulous black ice although we didn't venture too far out. Great day for early season
After a very warm May the cold weather has finally arrived. Dave and I headed off to see if there was any ice around. Lots of frost and cold temps on the way to Poolburn but we were surprised to see mostly open water. We had our first skate of the season in the small bay. Started with a bit of an edge skate then out to a patch of safe ice. Great day out exploring in cold fine weather.
