Aardwolfs Natural Ice Reports
2.43pm 20th July 2015

DISCLAIMER:

These reports are based on: phone calls, emails, trips to the ice, lakes and ponds.

Please NOTE that YOU SKATE AT YOUR OWN RISK and these reports only give you an idea of what to expect when you arrive. Conditions can change very quickly in the mountains and though we make every effort to keep these reports current in season, please be careful when skating.

Remember: ICE SKATING on NATURAL ICE can be dangerous.
Make the effort to go you wont regret it!!!!!!!
We RECOMMEND always having a means of retrieving people who may fall through the ice.

Having a tow rope on hand works well for this. More Safety Tips

PLEASE HELP US TELL YOU WHAT IT'S LIKE ON THE ICE

If you have been to the Ice Recently, Please send me a report:
Ph: 03 3238293, Mob for Txt :0274504399 or Email clive.m48@gmail.com ,
This allows everyone to benefit from your experience and may encourage new people to enjoy Ice Skating.
Remember to hit the REFRESH button for the latest version of this page.

Clive's Ice Skating List
Want to be added to Clive's Ice Skating list. Email me with "Opt In" in the title line. when we get a few days notice of good conditions I email  telling you when and where we are going.

 Weather information
Recent Rain Radar
High Country Met Service Forecast
Met Service 7day Mt-Olympus
 Arthur's Pass Weather
 Castle Hill Weather
Methvan Weather (from www.findu.com)
Haketere Weather by Weather Underground
Snow Forecast High Country
SouthwestPacific 180hr Forecast
SouthWestPacific Marine Weather
Alexandra Accuweather.com
Met Service 10 day Forecast for Alexandra

Videos of Natural
Ice Skating: YouTube
 Aardwolfs: here
Joe's: here
Glens: here

Natural Ice Reports
from Southern NZ:
 chipofftheiceblock

NZ Map of
Ice Skating Locations
Access Information Photos and Videos

South Island
Mt Lyford:
Lake Stella, Photos
Mt Lyford Holiday Homes Rink Photos
Arthur's Pass:
Lake Lyndon, Photos
 Red Lake East and Red Lake West, Photos
Glenthorne Station:
 Lake Ida, Photos
Lake Self, Photos
Lake Evelyn, Photos
Lake Clearwater:
 Lake Camp and Clearwater, Photos
Lake Ohau:
 Lake Middleton, Photos
Lake Pukaki:
 Pukaki Overflow Spillway, Photos
Pukaki:
 Holbrook Pond, Photos
Tekapo:
 Paterson's Ponds, Photos
Naseby:
 Coal Pit Dam, Photos
Horseshoe Lake, Photos
Hoffman's Dam, Photos
St Bathans
The Blue Lake, Photos
Wanaka:
 Diamond Lake, Photos
Oturehua:
 Idaburn Dam, Photos
Poolburn Dam Photos
Mathias Dam Photos
Eweburn Dam Photos
Alexandra:
Lower Manorburn Dam, Photos
Butchers Dam, Photos
Mount Cook:
Godley Glacier Lake, Photos
Tasman Glacier, Photos
Hooker Lake, Photos
Current Ice Rinks Outside
Stavely:
Staveley (Natural Ice), Photos
Fairlie:
 Fairile Ice Rink (Natural Ice), Photos
Mt Cheeseman:
Mt Cheeseman (Natural Ice), Photos
Tekapo:
Lake Tekapo Photos
 Naseby:
 Maniototo Ice Rink
Alexandra:
Alexandra Ice Rink Photos
Cardrona
Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds

Current Ice Rinks Inside
Christchurch:
Alpine Ice Sports Centre
Dunedin:
Dunedin Ice Stadium
Gore:
Gore Ice Skating Rink
Queenstown:
Queenstown Ice Rink

Old Ice Rinks No Longer In Use
 If you have any old photos, movies or information on Ice skating in NZ we would really appreciate your assistance in building this historical resource. Please contact us.

Christchurch
Centaurus Ice Rink
Alpine Ice Rink (Papanui)
Hororata
Hororata Domain Rink
Timaru
Timaru Ice Rink
Dunedin
The Big Chill
 Albury
Opawa Homestead
Arrowtown
Arrowtown Ice Rink
Queenstown
Bush Creek
Rum Gully
Downey's Dam
Queenstown Hill
Early Queenstown Rinks
Garston Ice Rink
Alexandra
Early Alexandra Rinks
Mt Harper
Mt Harper Ice Rink
Tekapo
Early Tekapo Rinks
Central Otago
Irishman's Creek
Synthetic Ice Outside
Wanaka
 Invercargill
Glace Ice Rink
North Island
Auckland:
Paradice Ice Skating Rinks Botany Downs and Avondale

NI Ice Rinks No Longer In Use
Hamilton
Hamilton Ice Rink
Wellington
Ice Palace
See older Photos on the Photos Pages for the individual locations for Ice Skating.
 
Natural Ice Reports for 2015
Skate Hire: Clive 033238293: 0274504399 SGI Ice Skate Services
Looking for a ride Skating or have a spare seat. Check out: this Facebook page.
Monday 20th July 2.22pm: Lake Clearwater and Lake Camp
 From Alan Knowles by Email
Lake Camp is half skatable ice, half water, Some ice is smooth, hard and fast, the other ice is crunchy snow covered stuff. Lake Clearwater is all crunchy snow ice. Both lakes have 130mm of ice

A mixture of ice on Lake Camp today. Photo Emily Friedlander
Sunday 19th July 7.34pm: Poolburn Dam
 From Doug Henderson by Email.
Hi, Had a great skate on Poolburn Dam today 19-07-2015, cold southerly wind. Ice around the edges re-frozen, some melt/open areas around rocks in the lake.
Track: snow covered near the top, four wheel drive needed.

Tomas Whelan-Henderson showing his hockey skills   
Photo by Doug Henderson
Sunday 19th July 8.28am: Lake Clearwater
 From Alan Knowles by Email
Sunday: Snow fell on wet ice and skating is crunchy with 30mm of snow insulating it. uncomfortable skating.
Saturday: night 50mm of new fluffy snow on ice temp -5 and dropping, no wind.
Saturday 18th July 5.09pm: Poolburn Dam
 From Dave Young off his blog: chipofftheiceblock
Resurfaced Ice over the whole dam. Great Skating, unfortunately by the time I left the wind had come up and was working away at the ice with some water starting to appear at the edges. Track was good but rough at the top.

Poolburn rocks-great skating. Photo by Dave Young
Saturday 18th July 5.09pm: Lower Manorburn Dam
 From Dave Young off his blog: chipofftheiceblock
Still plenty of ice in the main basin. Good skating. The wind had come up by midday and the ice became wet.

Inge getting a few runs in, Photo by Dave Young
Thursday 16th July 11.38am: Blue Lake Mt Cook
 From Alan Knowles by Email
Thick fast snow ice softening after midday.
No ice on the Tasman Glacier Lake, small pockets of ice on Muller Lake and Hooker Lake

Mark Easton on the Blue Lake,  Photo Alan Knowles
Friday 17th July 11.38am: Lake Clearwater
 From Alan Knowles by Email
Lake Clearwater is mostly skatable on 120mm of snow ice. some open water at the eastern end.

From left, Kian Henderson, Perth, Lisa Schramah, Netherlands, Chris Holloway, Timaru, Alexandra Schramah, Nederlands, Andrew Henderson Perth, Charlotte Woods, Timaru, and Mark Easton, Timaru. Photo Alan Knowles
Friday 17th July 8.47pm: Lower Manorburn Dam
 From Dave Young off his blog: chipofftheiceblock
Still solid Ice in the Middle basin of the Lower Manorburn Dam. Good Skating
Tuesday 14th July 8.36pm: Idaburn Dam
 From Inge by email
Fast ice at Idaburn Dam today, a northerly wind is developing but the ice is still thick enough to skate.

Inge and Jane Mary skating on Idaburn Photo by Inge.
Tuesday 14th July 12.30pm: Lake Lyndon
 From Fred van Slooten by txt
10 degrees and the ice is softening fast. Good skating but time is running out. Only a few hours left....!!!!
Monday 13th July 7.31pm: Idaburn Dam
 From Dave Young off his blog: chipofftheiceblock
Plenty of ice, best in the gorge but thin at the entrance. Walk down to the small basin near the dam.
(Editors Note: go to Dave's blog site :chipofftheiceblock  and check out the amazing photos he took today......worth a trip)
Monday 13th July 7.31pm: Manorburn Dam
 From Dave Young off his blog: chipofftheiceblock
Plenty of ice in the main basin

 Pond Hockey on Manorburn Dam, Photo by Andrea Kaszala.
Monday 13th July 7.31pm: Mathaius Dam and Styx River
 From Dave Young off his blog: chipofftheiceblock
Great skating but will go off very quickly when it warms as they are both very open. Check the ice carefully.

Clear Ice at Mathaius Dam with green slime under it.
Photo by Dave Young
Saturday 11th July 8.32am: Manorburn Dam
 From Leteisha Cornes by email
We were on Manorburn dam this Saturday – excellent day, spent about 4 hours on the ice. Pretty hard ice right across the main basin. Mostly stayed in main basin and Rushcutters bay
Monday 13th July 11.57pm: Lake Lyndon
 From Clive Murphie
Great skate last night about 35 of us enjoyed the superb ice, (shame about the wind) and the 10 of us who spent the last hour on perfect ice down by the chalet were treated to the best skating conditions for several seasons. The ice had firmed up since the afternoon and the whole lake was skatable with a few thin patches round the edges.
Monday 13th July 3.15pm: Lake Lyndon
 From Clive Murphie
Great day skating at Lyndon with smooth 40-60mm black fresh ice only broken by some bands of skatable firm snow ice, the breeze was cool, and the ice weakened during the afternoon.

Evie and Ella enjoying black ice for the first time.
Photo by Kylie Cane from Evie Teeling.
Sunday 12th July 4.57pm: Lake Lyndon
 From Andrey Kuzmin  by Facebook
Below is Lake Lyndon in the twilight as seen tonight (Sunday) from Castle Hill Peak. In the morning and during the day it was so clear we thought it wasn't frozen!!!!!!

Fantastic picture of Lake Lyndon taken from Castle Hill Peak.
Photo by Andrey Kuzim.
Sunday 12th July 9.23pm: Lake Clearwater, Camp, and Emma,
From Alan Knowles by email
Glorious day after a -10deg frost. All open water now 50mm black ice and likely to add another 15mm tonight. Temp at 9p.m. -7.8deg, clear and calm. Clearwater west is still under 3mm of snow and frost, and the eastern half fast snow ice and black water ice. Camp has channels of black ice between floes of snow ice. Emma, is half snow ice and half water ice with a fascinating mash of brash ice at the eastern end. Overall depth of snow ice 100mm to 170mm, new water ice 40mm to 70mm today.

Clinton on Lake Emma with pedestrians in the background.
Photo by Alan Knowles
Sunday 12th July 1.14pm: Lake Clearwater
 From Clive Murphie
Fantastic skate today at Clearwater, about 30 people in our group enjoyed perfect conditions with the whole Lake frozen with snow ice and bright blue skies, another frost due tonight, it will only improve before the weather turns on Tuesday.

A few of the Skaters at Clearwater today. Photo by Clive Murphie
Sunday 12th July 8.34pm: Idaburn Dam
 From Dave Young off his blog: chipofftheiceblock
Good skating  in the gorge.  Bit thin at neck but you can walk to the small basin over the hill.  Good access if you the find the basin (keep walking…)  Care near the dam and do a safety check.  Main part a bit rough in places.
Sunday 12th July 8.34pm: Poolburn Dam
 From Dave Young off his blog: chipofftheiceblock
Needs a thaw.  Plenty of ice but plenty of snow. Not recommended for skating at the mo. Track good.

Dave and Dave, rest time at Poolburn, Photo by Dave Young
Sunday 12th July 8.34pm: Lower Manorburn Dam
 From Dave Young off his blog: chipofftheiceblock
Plenty of hard ice over the whole of the main basin.   Black ice in the upper basin but check the neck first…..

Manorburn, black fabulous..   Photo by Dave Young.
Sunday 12th July 8.34pm: Fraser's Dam
 From Dave Young off his blog: chipofftheiceblock
Fraser was skated today  Ice reportedly good.  Not sure how much of the dam though.
Saturday 11th July 8.24pm: Idaburn Dam
 From Dave Young off his blog: chipofftheiceblock
Has good skating in the main area, some rough some smooth.
Was "Managed" today by some locals.

Idaburn Today.  Photo by Dave Young.
Saturday 11th July 8.24pm: Poolburn Dam
 From Dave Young off his blog: chipofftheiceblock
Fresh snow on top makes heavy skating. Some rough ice under the snow. Not recommended for skating Track in has some snow but drivable.
Saturday 11th July 4.57pm: Lake Clearwater
 From Jan by Email
I had a skate at Lake Clearwater this morning.  The ice was quite bumpy I thought as if it has snowed on it.  But felt very safe although I don’t know how thick it was.  Lots of people enjoying the magical conditions.
Saturday 11th July 5.33pm: Lake Clearwater, Lake Roundabout and Lake Emma From Ron, Jeff and Nathan
Lake Clearwater, Lake Roundabout and Lake Emma
All skated well today in good conditions

Brent Jeff and Ron at Clearwater today, Photo by Nathan Klein
Saturday 11th July 12..30pm: Lake Lyndon
From Fred van Slooten by Phone
Lyndon has about 30mm of black ice, not enough to skate on.......depending on the frost in the morning it may be OK.
Saturday 11th July 9.56 am: Lower Manorburn Dam
 From Graham Dickson via email
My brother Keith Dickson and his partner Sharon skated on the lower Manorburn (just out of Alexandra) yesterday in perfect weather. Ice is approx 100mm thick with a light dusting of snow which made for a slight crunch although it didn't impair the skating bliss.
A really hard frost this morning will ensure the ice is around for a few more days yet.
Friday 10th July 7.28pm: Coalpit Dam
 From Dave Young off his blog: chipofftheiceblock
Plenty of ice on whole area.  Smooth on the open side but crusty on the shadow side and over most of the main area.  Be careful on the the smooth side as the ice is thinner and will break around the edge.  
Lower Coalpit - bumpy hard ice - ok skate.  Will soften in the sun.
Friday 10th July 7.28pm: Idaburn Dam
 From Dave Young off his blog: chipofftheiceblock
Good icepack in main area.  Mostly hard but some rough bits near the bank.  Smoother toward the outlet - good skate.  Water and thin ice in the Gorge. Will soften in the sun.
Friday 10th July 6.05pm: Lake Clearwater
 From Clive Murphie
A great day skating on Lake Clearwater today, good ice over most of the Lake, some areas of water and some expansion cracks.
With good frosts forecast for tonight and tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday should be good skating.
The best access to the lake is to turn right half way through Clearwater village then head left, down to the motor camp area just a few meters from the lake edge.

A stunning day at Lake Clearwater today. Photo by Clive Murphie
Wednesday 8th July 1.14pm: Lake Clearwater, Camp and Lake Emma   From Alan Knowles by email
Bright overcast today temp 4deg at midday ice is fast and hard with 2mm snow.
Lake Clearwater has open water denying ice access to east end. Good ice elsewhere.
Lake Camp level rose in rain last week and a huge area of open water bisects lake. Access to ice difficult because of moat. Eastern open water and too dangerous.
Lake Emma, road access good, good skating at Western end.

Neil Harding Roberts, Mark Easton and Annette on Lake Clearwater Photo Alan Knowles
Thursday 9th July 6.15pm: Red Lakes East
From Clive Murphie
Red Lakes East had about 15mm of ice with a dusting of snow over it, over a small section of the lake. A lot more frost required.
Limited ice at Red Lakes East today Photo by Andrea Rowe
Thursday 9th July 6.15pm: Lake Evelyn
 From Clive Murphie
Evelyn today had about 40mm of soft powder snow on a solid base of snow ice, the ice surface was a little rough but skated well. About half the lake was iced over with some wet patches showing, weather was light snow and about a 6km/hr southerly blowing. Access was over a 6 meter extension ladder we took to get across the reeds on the western end. With any amount of frost this will be an awful skate, it will need a thaw and refreeze or lots of rain to resurface the ice, more snow will make it worse again.
Tuesday 7th July 8.06pm: Poolburn Dam
 From Dave Young off his blog: chipofftheiceblock
Thick ice in the main bay and most other areas. Some open water. Ice hard but snow covered with some clear black ice patches. New ice is thin compared to the main pack. The track is in good condition but snow covered

Dave, Nick and James on Poolburn.    Photo by Dave Young
Tuesday 7th July 8.06pm: Manorburn Dam
 From Dave Young off his blog: chipofftheiceblock
Good ice over most of the main basin. Hard ice -  mix of smooth and a little bumpy. Over 100mm in Rushcutters out to 60-70mm on the other side.   Thin ice in neck and water in the gorge. Skate with the frost.

Lots of ice on the main basin at Manorburn.  Photo by Dave Young
Monday 6th July 10.11pm: Lake Clearwater
 From Alan Knowles by email
Good skating on Lake Clearwater today with a brisk westerly wind. Ice thickness 12cm to 20cm plus in lee of pines on island. A few expansion cracks appearing and a few small areas of open water, but a good surface. Temperature stayed low all day and at 10p.m. is -3deg clear and calm.
Monday 6th July 7.07pm: Idaburn Dam
 From Dave Young off his blog: chipofftheiceblock
Good thick ice pack over the main area. Hard and locked in. Water in the inlet and channel. Good Skating
Idaburn in the evening.  Photo by Dave Young
Sunday 5th July 5.15pm: Lake Lyndon
 From Nickie Pepper by Facebook

Lyndon and the results of the NW wind. Photo by Nickie Pepper

The south end of Lyndon showing the melt. Photo by Nickie Pepper
Tuesday 30th June 8.57pm: Lake Clearwater and Camp
 From Alan Knowles by email
Clearwater hard and fast after 1.5 deg of frost, Skated 28km with a rising westerly and abandoned it at 11.00am as the surface was too soft to skate
Thursday 9.00pm Weather: full overcast, heavy rain 4.4+ and rising.

Lake Clearwater Huts at 8.00am Photo by Alan Knowles

A 2 meter expansion crack in the ice on Lake camp 
Photo by Alan Knowles.
Wednesday 1st July 11.45am: Lake Ida
 From Clive Murphie
I have had lots of people asking about the Ice Skating conditions at Lake Ida recently. With the limited access that Glenthorn Station allows: about a 50 minute walk (longer or inaccessible with snow), from Harper Road between Lake Selfe and Lake Evelyn. The track is only suitable for fit and agile participants, (See their access information here).
Unfortunately information on conditions is hard to come by.
This video from the TVNZ archives shows the popularity in the1950's

Video of Lake Ida in the 1950's
Thanks to Joe Morgan for finding and hosting the footage,
Monday 29th June 9.36pm: Lake Emma
 From Alan Knowles by email
Today we skated right round Lake Emma on softening ice in a strong westerly.
Weather fine and still at 9.30pm, 0 degrees.

Wilf Dickerson crossing an expansion crack on Lake Emma.
Photo by Alan Knowles
Monday 29th June 9.36pm: Lake Roundabout
 From Alan Knowles by email

Alan Knowles on Lake Roundabout Photo by Wilf Dickenson

Archives: 2015 Friday 29th May-Sunday 28th June
Other Places to visit for Skating Videos and Photos
Aardwolfs You Tube site: here
Joe's You Tube site: here
Glens You Tube site: here
David Young's Blog: here
Ryan Hellyer's Homepages: here
Archives
2015 Monday 29th June-Monday 20th July
2015 Friday 29th May-Sunday 28th June
2014 Monday 26th May-Tuesday 9th September
2013 Monday 22nd April-Tuesday 16th July
 2012 (3) Wednesday 18th July to Tuesday 7th August 
2012 (2) Sunday 30th June to Tuesday 17th July
 2012 Sunday 28th April to Sunday 24th June
 2011 (2) Monday 1st August to Tuesday 23rd August
2011 Saturday 4th June to Sunday 31st July
2010(3)Wednesday 14th July to Wednesday 11th August
2010(2)Wednesday 8th July to Tuesday 13th July
2010Saturday 29th May to Wednesday 7th July
2009(3)Thursday 9th July to Saturday 15th August
 2009(2)Tuesday 30th June to Tuesday 8th July
2009 Sunday 6th June to Saturday 28th June
2008 Saturday 31st May to Sunday 27th July
See older Photos on the Photos Pages
 for the individual locations for Ice Skating.
Some of the events above may have no  association with the Aardwolfs Ice Hockey Club.
All graphics and written material (c) Aardwolfs Ice Hockey Club 2004