Looks like a fun idea, I can easily see myself buying the kit using it once then forgetting about it.
Ha ha.. that is exactly my thoughts and to be honest it was Paul's thought too... but the idea has been gnawing at him for a year or so so he surcumbed. Sounds like you, militaris, will be on for the expedition to try it out.
Would be interested, but logistic would probably mean I would not attend. I kind of wish, that I spent the extra dollars and got a waterproof shell on my winter sleeping bag.
The above article has arrived! It's lightweight, but bulky. Looks like a lot of shovel work to be done, so hope pmcke comes on the expedition or it'll do my back in! That's if we get any snow.
Agree with militaris - I bet it only gets used once.
So, what's the plan then? South Crater in Aug or Sept sometime? Or maybe the top of Ruapehu. If there is no snow maybe we can go down the beach and make an igloo out of sand.
South Crater - not too far to walk to a hut if it doesn't work!
They just showed pics of the lack of snow on Ruapehuon the news. Not enough to ski on but probably plenty to scrape up and build an igloo.
Just had a text from fruitbat who is in South Crater right now. She says " Fab Igloo.. Had lots of visitors"
Ahh! Saw the post on FB and wondered if she'd used a gizmo...
Yes, we carted the igloo making gizmo up to the South Crater, it doesn't weigh much and is quite compact. Perfect weather and lots of snow. It was supposed to take 3-4 hours to make, but being the first time and having a poor shoveller on the job[me]we took a lot longer and it wasn't finished by the end of the day. Rather than go back to the hut 3hrs away and return the next morning, Mr Fruitbat decided we should camp out in a small tent. Never again! I have never been so cold in all my life. We were in there for 14hrs, water froze so I couldn't take pills for back which was killing me. It was minus 15c and I got frostnip of my toes!
At last the sun came up and we got the igloo finished, which was really neat, and quite spacious. We had just finished when we got our 1st vistors - a group doing a guided Tongariro Crossing trip wandered over for a look. They seemed pretty impressed and took lots of pics. It looks likes a little pimple below Ngauruhoe.
After the night in the tent the igloo was like a luxury hotel and, like a snow cave about 0 -1c and very dry. At night from the outside it glows with the light from the candles inside.
It should last a while so I hope others get to use it.
