I’ve given up on weekend trips until my PhD has been submitted. So I’ve been making the most of the ski fields which are accessible as a day trip from Dunedin. Last week I had a great time traversing the ridge which surrounds Mt Dobson ski field (first pic).

Yesterday I had an amazing day trip to Awakino with a group of friends. The field is closed and, bar a miracle dump of snow, will probably stay that way for the rest of the year. But if you’re willing to hike, there are some fantastic runs to be had. We found a beautiful gully south of the ski field, which provided us with an uninterrupted 2 kilometre run down. And then an entertaining walk back up another gully - I’m glad I had an ice axe!