Mount Hutt By James Koo

A few hundred kilometres off Christchurch, Mount Hutt is a picturesque mountain that
is nestled between two towering peaks. The mountain is the epitome of skiing
with thousands of tourists traveling to the mountain to admire the acclaimed
views of Christchurch and to experience the slushy snow that melts in your
hand every winter. On one side of the mountain, the accumulation of white,
fluffy crystals is immaculately groomed, and thousands of wattle trees give
their luscious scent to skiers who glide down the slopes creating an
unbelievable atmosphere. In contrast, the other side of the mountain is the
stark opposite however it is still equally breathtaking with its jaw-dropping
beauty. On this side of the mountain, the rugged terrain and miscellaneous
rocks create a dramatic contrast to the groomed slopes of the other side.
Despite the intimidation, many ski enthusiasts go out of their comfort zone to
ski on exhilarating runs.

There is a secluded run through all the fluorescent wattles that is away from
the crowd. At night the moon illuminates the area making the perfect
sanctuary to absorb the twilight. However, in the morning, the track is beaten
hard by all the tourists skiing down the track.
pand the wind picked up speed carrying the leaves along the ground gracefully
like a mother carrying her baby. Out of nowhere came the sounds of skies sliding
across the soft ground.

In the distance, two defiant silhouettes became visible as they swiftly skied down
the mountain like graceful mermaids. Both were wrapped up like an Eskimo with
their oversized ski jackets and distinct helmets. The first man Bob was an
astonishing height and skied agilely like he belonged to the mountain. His face
looked expressionless showing no kind of fear or joy. Skiing beside him was his
twin, John. Again, he had long, bony legs but was full of expression on his face.

As the run ended, and the afternoon rush was visible, the two men camekp to a
halt took off their sweating helmets, and wiped their hazel brown eyes.
Immediately Bob took off his skies and plunged himself into the fluffy snow in
bitter fatigue. John watched nervously as he did so.
“Bob!” he said distinctively. “What are you doing.” Bob however continued to lay
in satisfaction on the soft powdery snow like he was in his world. After a few
seconds, his instincts returned and said, “Your ignorance is getting the better of
you, John. The snow is meant to cool you down after all that skiing. You should
try.” With a moment of thinking John declined the offer as he thought Bob was
exaggerating how pleasurable it felt to lie on the snow. However, within a few
minutes, Bob said again, “You are missing out on this experience.” This triggered
John and he immediately jumped into the snow whilst recalling all his childhood
memories. The impact with the snow made his mind go into a state of shock but
within moments he acclimatized to ice-cold snow and was rejuvenated by it.
“Thank you, Bob,” he said. “No worries. I just wish that the driver was on time so
we would be able to spend more time at this magical place.” Bob replied.