In early August, Rob and Joan headed up to Windwhistle skifield- actually now known as Mt. Olympus skifield. It's one of the more remote club fields, set in the Craigiburn range of the South Island. A sign as we approached said "You are entering a narrow mountain road. Always carry your chains and your courage". Anyway, the road wasn't too bad, as skifield roads go.
When we eventually arrived, we found a very friendly bunch of people and some very nice snow. We had half a day on the tows, and next morning started skinning from the top of the tows, towards Mt. Olympus itself. On reaching the ridge, which had been stripped of snow by recent NW winds, skis had to be strapped to rucksacks, and plodding resorted to. The peak produced very pleasant views of the Southern Alps and Arrowsmiths, but the sight of bare ridges removed any desire to go further afield.
The start of the ski descent off the ridge produced some discomfiture, with powder over an icy crust, but the snow was friendlier as we lost height. We toured round the back of a peak known as the Sphinx, over a saddle, and back down through basins to rejoin the skifield.
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