Aardwolfs Natural Ice Reports
4.40pm 13th August 2016

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 2016
Skate Hire: Clive 033238293: 0274504399 SGI Ice Skate Services
Looking for a ride Skating or have a spare seat. Check out: this Facebook page.
Saturday 13th August 4.35pm: Lower Manorburn Dam
 From Dave Young, from Facebook
Just skated in Rushcutters Bay on great ice at 4pm, if there is a frost, there could be a skate in the morning.
Thursday 11th August 6.40pm: Lake Clearwater
 From Alan Knowles by email

Lake Clearwater today. Photo by Elaine Brake
Wednesday 10th August 11.47pm: Lake Evelyn
 From Andrea Tyson by Facebook.
Need another few frosts to get on the ice.

Very thin (about 20mm) Ice at Lake Evelyn,  Photo by Andrea Tyson
Wednesday 10th August 11.47pm: Red Lakes East
From Clive Murphie
With some snow still on the surrounding area we managed a skate on a small area on  the northern side of Red Lakes East, only the area that stayed in the shade was safe, about 65mm of snow ice in 2-3 layers, clear to skate over but when it cracked the cracks didn't go all the way through. Probably the last skate of the season as the weather is forecast to change late on Thursday to rain and snow for the weekend with NW winds on Sunday.
With the sun getting higher, the shaded areas are reducing all the time.

Lots of ice, pity its too thin out in the Sun. Photo by Clive Murphie

Its cold but skatable, Red Lakes East. Photo by Clive Murphie.
Wednesday 10th August 11.47pm: Lake Camp and Lake Clearwater
 From Clive Murphie
Lake Camp on the northern side in the shade, about 50mm of clear snow ice that was thawing in the warm temperature. It was enough to support my weight with both feet on the ice, lifting one foot produce plenty of cracking, The snow ice crumbled to small fragments when dropped. Good ice will shatter more like a pane of glass with smooth crack lines. Lake Clearwater was thinner and the ice was more aerated = weaker.

Minor problem with the ice out in the sun...it only supports one foot.
Photo by Clive Murphie

Very aerated weak snow ice at Lake Clearwater
Photo by Clive Murphie
Wednesday 10th August 11.47pm: Lake Emma and Roundabout
 From Clive Murphie
About 40mm of clear snow ice that was thawing in the warm temperature.

Sad face......Not enough, Keely, with some snow ice.
Photo by Clive Murphie
Tuesday 9th August 9.11pm: Coalpit Dam
 From Dave Young, from chipofftheiceblock
Coalpit Dam still skatable. The Snow ice was hard, a bit bumpy, and a good area of frosted black ice. Care is needed in some spots.
Monday 8th August 12.49pm: Lake Lyndon
From John Nelson by Facebook and Email

Lake Lyndon Looking North Photo by John Nelson

Lake Lyndon looking South, Photo by John Nelson
Monday 8th August 12.49pm: Lake Evelyn and Lake Ida
 From John Nelson by Facebook and Email

The West end of Evelyn and Lake Selfe in the background
Photo by John Nelson

The East end of Lake Evelyn, Photo by John Nelson

Lake Ida looking East,  Photo by John Nelson
Monday 8th August 12.49pm: Lake Camp, Clearwater and Emma
From John Nelson by Facebook and Email

Lake Camp in the background Photo by John Nelson

Lake Camp in the foreground with Clearwater behind.
Photo by john Nelson

Lake Emma looking west Photo by John Nelson
Sunday 7th August 9.00pm: Lake Lyndon
From Mike O"Connell by Facebook
North End of Lyndon is frozen, only about 25mm, not enough to skate or stand on.
Sunday 7th August 6.00pm: Hoffmans Dam
 From Dave Young, from chipofftheiceblock
Great skate at Hoffmans Dam today the whole Dam including the tail is frozen, locked in snow ice a bit bumpy but good skating, thinner in the main area so care is needed. Editors Note: Also check out some great drone video footage of Dave skating the tail at Hoffmans here:chipofftheiceblock

Hoffmans Dam, Photo by Dave Young
Sunday 7th August 6.00pm: Coalpit Dam
 From Dave Young, from chipofftheiceblock
A good part of the Dam has snow ice hard enough to skate on, New black ice in some parts but to thin for skating with some water showing.

Sun coming up on Coalpit Dam, Photo by Dave Young
Saturday 6th July 10.56pm Staveley Ice Rink,
From their Facebook Page
Now that we have some freezing temps back again we are seeing the lakes cooling and starting to freeze with the snow. Will need at least a week from now of cold hard frosts to get the 4 inches of ice required to get the skating started. Will update again near the end of this week coming. Cheers
Saturday 6th August 8.45pm: Mt Cheeseman Ice Rink
From Tomáš Hansalander by Facebook
The Ice wasn't perfect today, there was some snow on it, but enough to have fun!!!

5 hours of Hockey today!!!!  Photo by Tomáš Hansalander

Some Grooming was required.  Photo by Tomáš Dosa Doseděl
Friday 5th August 7.05pm: Mt Cheeseman Ice Rink
From Fred Van Slooten by phone
60mm of snow on the Cheeseman Rink. Needs a groom like we used too at Centaurus Ice Rink.
Tuesday 2nd August 7.11pm: Lower Manorburn Dam
 From Dave Young, from chipofftheiceblock
Some skatable Ice in Rushcutters Bay this morning with 20mm of new ice over the main basin. Surface was hard and bumpy.

Rush Cutters Bay  Photo by Dave Young
Tuesday 2nd August 7.11pm: Poolburn Dam
 From Dave Young, from chipofftheiceblock
The Main Dam at Poolburn is double ice, a layer of ice under water , then water topped of with another layer of snow ice, no good for skating. Found some skatable ice on the small bay good skating smooth and quiet under a thin layer of snow.

Poolburn Baby Bay Photo by Dave Young
Friday 29th July 6.50pm: Mt Cheeseman Ice Rink
From Fred Van Slooten by phone
We are skating on it now!!!!! there is still skatable ice on the Cheeseman Rink, someone has broken a hole in the middle of it and one corner has thawed, however most of the rink has good ice with a light covering of snow. 

Snow on the ice, still good for a skate Photo by Fred Van Slooten
Thursday 21st July 11.38am: Mt Cheeseman Ice Rink
From Fred Van Slooten by phone
Skated on the Cheeseman Rink this morning , most of the rink had ice on it, about 100mm, forecast is for NW tomorrow, ice will probably soften this afternoon.

Ice at Mt Cheeseman today, photo by Fred Van Slooten
Tuesday 12th July 10.33pm: Mt Cheeseman Ice Rink
From Tim Preston by email
Had a great skate at the Cheeseman Rink today. 70mm of ice though two corners were thinner. Weather was breezy but well sheltered and fairly warm. The ice was thinning out as we were there.

Enjoying the ice.  Photo by Tim Preston
Tuesday 12th July 8.28pm: Poolburn Dam
 From Dave Young, from chipofftheiceblock
Black Ice  especially at the edge of the old ice had a great skate down to the far bay. Maybe the last good ice before the weather turns.
Full report and photos at chipofftheiceblock
Tuesday 12th July 8.28pm: Idaburn Dam
 From Dave Young, from chipofftheiceblock
Good Ice but melting in the warm wind.
Full report and photos at chipofftheiceblock
Tuesday 12th July 8.28pm: Coalpit Dam
 From Dave Young, from chipofftheiceblock
Clear Ice across the whole Dam, Great skating at times so clear it seemed like skating on an aquarium.
Full report and photos at chipofftheiceblock
Saturday 4th June 1.17pm: Lake Lyndon
 From Michael Atkinson by txt
Not much ice on Lyndon, a little round edges, not enough to stand on.

Archives
 2016  Wednesday 25th May-Tuesday 12th July

 
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
2016  Wednesday 25th May-Tuesday 12th July
2015 (3) Tuesday 21st July-Thursday 13th August
2015 (2) 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