great walks now in winter mode. read safety info

Firstly, yay! In about a months time the hordes will be gone. 2nd I certainly don't intend to bemoan or belittle your point wayno re preparations and intentions... but I'm thinking about doing the Kepler around August, so my question is, what is the local visitor centre going to be able to assist me with exactly that I can't resource myself online? I only ask because I am genuinely interested. I use the nzavalanche.net site (run by MSC) and just Metservice etc at the moment and seem to find these enough, although I am sure there could be better weather sites?

80% of people on this forum would find that answer to be nothing at all unless Doc are wanting to try to get numbers of people doing the track. I can only think of one reason for them wanting that info since they officially dont run an intentions book

Pipe, for switched on dudes like you, DOC aren't gonna teach you squat, other than perhaps track conditions that have JUST occurred. But Wayno's onto it; there are those without your experience, it doesn't take much to give them a heads-up on the change in the levels of support/monitoring. :)

"other than perhaps track conditions that have JUST occurred." I don't see how, considering they don't frequent the tracks and they make that quite clear...

They would here about avalanches that just happened They have the Avalanche data and weather data and some local knowledge of how the 2 work together. However I still reckon they are looking at extending the summer (expensive) season

"They would here about avalanches that just happened" Erm, no I doubt it, unless they do hourly heli reconnaissance over the entire southern alps and last time I checked they didn't.. "They have the Avalanche data and weather data and some local knowledge of how the 2 work together. " Haha me too (I have the internet) and I would wager on my 15 years experience working in the areas mountains against some muppet from the DoC office every time thanks!

I'm with Pipeking on this one. When it comes to tracks, DOC's avalanche awareness is very generalized and relates to obvious indicators like fresh, heavy or wet snowfall in know areas.(Mueller Hut track for example) With a few exceptions, I doubt anyone from DOC wanders up and digs snow pits at multiple sites and posts the data. Their approach is to promote 3 season tramping and leave winter snow travel alone. And that's fair enough too because if they start promoting winter tramping then they are opening up a minefield of safety issues and increased workload for themselves. The 'advantage' that skifield predictors have is that they live and breathe snow conditions in a defined, largely controllable, area. They have multiple points of reference and bods on the slopes to get the best picture they can. As a tramper, your on your own and if you don't feel comfortable then don't go, because avalanche conditions often vary within meters for a whole host of reasons.

"Haha me too (I have the internet) and I would wager on my 15 years experience working in the areas mountains against some muppet from the DoC office every time thanks!" In your case that is very likely true but what about any of the members from the north island. Same level of experience but its based on different mountains etc. Snow down there will stay powder for weeks Up here its lucky to be anything other than clear ice by the following day. The reason Ruapeahu gets such high snowfall depths isnt because it gets more snow its because it thaws slightly during the day then refreezes as ice overnight. Same depth of snow on the Remarkables would simply fall off as it stays too cold to really stick together.

i dont expect the regulars on this site to need this information from DOC.. but there are a lot of foreigners and some newbies and after a recent drowning and one on the milford track last year, it doesnt hurt to post it. why you want to get into pull the post apart mode is beyond me, read between teh lines we all know who the experienced ones are here and they dont need to get told the obvious but this site isnt entirely for experienced trampers look at the large no's of foreigners asking for help on this forum.. do we have to label posts now for newbies so the experienced dont sit there and pour their negativity over the posts.?