Temple Basin

View looking from a peak on Temple Basin towards the north.

Something that I have been wanting to do for a few years now is hit the Canterbury club fields. After 5 seasons in Wanaka and Queenstown I am getting a bit bored of the same busy mountains and sick of seeing how much more snow Canterbury has been getting. When my mate Ash a few weeks ago suggested we get a crew together and head to Temple Basin I was right into it! We had some general dates planned and a few guys keen. A week before our planned dates the weather report couldn't have looked worse; rain gale force nor-westerlies, and more rain, with snow providing the temps weren't too high. Despite this after much debate the decision was made and it was on!!!! Final count was 8 guys and a few more who would meet us up there.

The Lodge at Temple Basin


Phil Dominick takes a break from shoveling to hit one of his creations.

Sunday 2nd August, Day 1: After a few large nights out in Dunedin, the Kora concert the night before, I managed to pulled myself out of bed and was picked up by the boys at 10am. We did a quick beer/chocolate shop and then hit the road. It was about a 6 hour drive north and then west along the Arthurs Pass. Winds were gusty and we were driving into a big storm brewing in the Alps. It was snowing heavily at Arthurs Pass Village and a guy told us to put chains on our 4x4 so we told him we would. We arrived at the Temple Basin carpark, put our stuff on the goods lift and began our hike through thick snow up to the Club Field. It was dark, luckily the moon came out to guide us. We arrived to 15cms of dry powder and the lights were on for nightriding, we immediatly got in our gears and did some runs. First time using a nutcracker, first time at Temple Basin. Frothing!


View out towards Arthur's Pass at night

Day 2: Didn't sleep very well because I was to excited about snowboarding the next day, I think alot of the other boys were the same. Weather didn't look too good, windy and snowing on and off. We had a few clear patches and did some runs on the main rope tow hitting some good powder and nice wind-lips that kept covering over.

Hotdogs and a Speights for lunch

Day 3 More bad weather but good news was it was snowing. We made the most of it and constructed a rail set up and a hip jump into a nice powder landing, both were close to the lodge which was convenient. The last 2 hours of the day brought sunshine and amazing powder runs on the 2 bottom tows. Mountain to ourselves!!!
Mark Von Roy hitting the box set-up


The team building the Hip Jump in less than epic conditions.


Phil on his jump by the Billy Shack.

Day 4 Weather packed in again and this time it was really snowing! spent alot of the day inside apart from a roof jump we set up and night riding was on again that night.

Mark Von Roy hitting the roof drop

Day 5 First perfect sunny day with half a metre of fresh snow! Headed up the Temple tow and helped dig the track so they could open the Downhill tow. This was the first time it had been open since all the snow so it was garenteed freshies all day!!
Fresh tracks on the Downhill tow after digging the track for half an hour.

Dave Ball slashing the windlip.

Day 6 Perfect sunny day! Did a run through Bill's Basin scoping jump spots and found a few. went to the lodge to gather out gear, shovels, food, beers, and camera gear. A day of building and shooting. Made a nice gap jump, a hip, and got some good shots. Awesome day in the sun shooting from 8.30am until 6pm!

Riley Elliott dropping off a hut at 9am


The crew builing our gap jump out in Bill's Basin

Phil hitting the Gap


Ash Fogelberg doing one of his nose grab blunt stalls at 6pm.

Day 7 Our last day at Temple brough more sun. The snow was crunchy and the crowds were building for the fire and ice festival. We went for a huge hike to one of the peaks that looked out across the alps, amazing views!!! Mark had made a Quarter pipe hit that we had a bit of fun on attempting hand plants and what not and after that we all put our gear on the goods lift and boarded down the mountain as far as we could, a bit of tussock hopping involved! After piling our gear in the car, and having a quick meeting with crazy-legs, we set off on our way home to Dunedin, back to reality. Thank you Temple Basin.

A bit of Tussock hopping on the way down.


Heading back home along the Arthurs Pass.