The Wanaka skiier was named overall athlete of the year at the New Zealand snowsports awards on Saturday, while also winning best freeskiier.
It had been a top season for the 26-year-old, highlighted by winning the gold medal in the slopestyle at the X Games.
''It's cool to get some recognition back home and go to the awards night with the whole crew,'' he said.
''There's a lot of talent coming out of New Zealand snowsports nowadays, so to be recognised in among that whole crew of athletes is a real honour.
''Winning X Games this year was probably the pinnacle of my competitive career. Growing up my whole childhood that was my main goal, to win X Games gold, so to accomplish that goal this year was pretty cool.''
Staying injury free had been important for Wells. A knee problem plagued much of his career, but stem cell treatment had helped that, while he was well and truly back from breaking his neck in September 2014.
''This last season has probably been my most injury-free season and it's made for a really enjoyable season. I've had a lot of fun and I've skiied well because of it. It's been awesome.''
''It's mostly negatives being injured. You can't get over there and do what you love to do.
''But there's a lot of positives that come from having time off and especially with my neck I was on the couch for a long time. It gave me a lot of time to reflect.''
That helped him reset his goals and work on his mental game, which was key to his success since returning.
''A lot of this sport is very, very mental. Whether it be learning new tricks, or being at the top of X Games with one run left and having to lay it all down when the time comes, it's a very, very mental game.
''So sometimes having those breaks can reset your mental game and give you that little boost when you come back.
''There are positives and negatives to everything, but I try to focus on the positives and I think going through that neck injury, I can see a lot of positives from that time off.''
Wells is in Wanaka until the end of November, when he would head back to the northern hemisphere for its winter. There he would begin accumulating points to qualify for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. While those Games were a big goal of his, he was just as focused on continuing to enjoy himself.
''The Olympics is definitely a big goal but there's a lot of other things before then that are really important to me.
''Being out on my skis everyday and enjoying it is the most important thing to me. I've learnt over time that if I'm on skis and enjoying it, then that's when I'm at my best.
''So if I can just stay in that kind of mindset heading into the Olympic Games and skiing the best I can, then those results will come.''
He hoped to keep skiing as long as possible and would turn to creating videos after his competing days were over.
Other Wanaka winners were Finn Bilous (breakthrough season), Bonny Teat (women's masters ski racing champion), Campbell Wright (cross-country athlete of the year) and Sam Lee (freeride athlete of the year).
-By Jeff Cheshire
