Traversing the length of New Zealand, skiing at every ski area, raising funds for Save the Children
After traversing the length of the Australian Alps in my Winter 2022 Alpine Odyssey
journey, I looked across the Tasman to Aotearoa/NZ…
I counted up the ski fields, many of which I have enjoyed over the years, and wondered about wandering to ski at each of them over one winter. Soon my good Kiwi mate Laurence Mote was onboard, a man with quite a story to tell. The real planning began.
A bottle of red wine at the Mote’s mountain house one winter night added 1000km to the journey when we decided to start at Cape Reinga, the most northerly point of the country and finish at Bluff, the most southerly..
Thanks for the map Nic Droste.
Click to download a full size map »
Amongst the spectacular volcanos and alps of Aotearoa are scattered 24 NZ ski areas (20 on the South Island, 4 on the North) from the well-known commercial fields to the little clubfields, a unique aspect of Kiwi skiing and boarding. The plan was to have a day or two enjoying the delights of each ski area.
Whilst there was some interconnection by ski touring and hiking, the majority of distance travelled was by mountain bike, towing trailers with ski/camp gear onboard. Alpine Odyssey Aotearoa ended up taking 96 days, from our start on 25 June to our finish on 28 September. We covered 4500km and climbed up, up, up some 60,000 metres (and therefore came down a fair bit too!)
Once again partnering with Save the Children, our journey raised funds - nearly $55,000 - for climate adaptation and resilience projects in the South Pacific, our island nation neighbours who are right on the frontline of climate change.
Challenge & resilience
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Traversing one of the most spectacular countries on earth
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Māori culture, connection & language
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Human powered by bike, ski & foot
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A low emission journey
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Laurence's life changing accident & recovery
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Fundraising & awareness raising for our Pacific neighbours & the very real challenges they face from climate change
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Celebrating NZ skiing & snow sports
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Celebrating mountain life & bike life
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Enjoying sections of the Nga Haeranga/NZ Cycle Trail network & Tour Aotearoa bikepacking route
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After Alpine Odyssey Australia comes Alpine Odyssey Aotearoa
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Documenting the journey in words, images & film
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Sailing a yacht between the North Island & the South Island
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Trying the sport of curling
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Having a bloody good adventure!
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Challenge & resilience 〰️ Traversing one of the most spectacular countries on earth 〰️ Māori culture, connection & language 〰️ Human powered by bike, ski & foot 〰️ A low emission journey 〰️ Laurence's life changing accident & recovery 〰️ Fundraising & awareness raising for our Pacific neighbours & the very real challenges they face from climate change 〰️ Celebrating NZ skiing & snow sports 〰️ Celebrating mountain life & bike life 〰️ Enjoying sections of the Nga Haeranga/NZ Cycle Trail network & Tour Aotearoa bikepacking route 〰️ After Alpine Odyssey Australia comes Alpine Odyssey Aotearoa 〰️ Documenting the journey in words, images & film 〰️ Sailing a yacht between the North Island & the South Island 〰️ Trying the sport of curling 〰️ Having a bloody good adventure! 〰️
Tēnā koutou
Tēnā koutou katoa
Ko Hikaroroa, ko Tākitimu, ko Hananui kā mauka
Ko Waikouaiti, ko Aparima, ko Waihopai kā awa
Ko Araiteuru, ko Uruau,ko Tākitimu kā waka
He uri ahau nō Waitaha, nō Kāti Māmoe, nō Kāi Tahu hoki.
Ko Laurence Mote ahau.
Kā mihi nui ki kā iwi, ki kā hapū katoa e tāwhaitia atu e maua i tō koutou takiwā, i ō koutou māuka tapu i tā māua haerenga.
Ko tēnei te mihi hoki ki a kōutou e hoa mā, nā koutou i whaia i tautoko i tā māua haerenga.
We acknowledge and thank all of the iwi and hapū whose lands and sacred mountains that we will traverse on our journey.
Thanks also to you, our friends, for following and supporting us on this journey.
‘Hokia ki tō māuka tapu, kia pūrea koe i kā hau o Tāwhiri Mātea’
Return to your sacred mountain, to be cleansed by the winds of Tāwhirimātea, return home to your origins to be refreshed and renewed.
Laurence Mote
On Alpine Odyssey Aotearoa, I was accompanied by my good Kiwi mate Laurence Mote.
Laurence, a man hugely proud of his Māori heritage, is actually legally blind after an anaphylactic shock from a bee sting 10 years ago that nearly killed him. After going into cardiac arrest and coming out of a coma unable to walk, talk or see, Laurence, through immense drive, strength and family support, brought himself back. He is still twice the skier and rider I am!
Perhaps this has something to do with genetics - both he and his sister rode mountain bikes for New Zealand, and his niece returned from the 2024 Paris Olympics with two gold and a silver medal in track cycling.
For Laurence, our journey was another step on the road, the longest expedition he has undertaken.
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