Ski lift boundary a sticking point

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 286, 9 May 1989, Page 1

Ski lift boundary a sticking point

Sixty five vertical metres of possible Whakapapa ski field boundary is in dispute between the Department of Conservation, Ruapehu Alpine Lifts and the Tongariro Taupo National Parks and Reserves Board.

A public meeting was called by the National Parks and Reserves Authority, which has the final say on such matters, at Tongariro National Park Headquarters

at Whakapapa last Saturday to hear submissions on the building of a chairlift into the area above the present ski field boundary. The local Board has

okayed RAL's proposal to build a chairlift to 2365 metres but DoC believes the 2300 limit should be adhered to. A decision on the proposal is expected from the NPRA, the naiotnal body, on May 25. RAL want to build the lift to take advantage of higher snow fields to give skiers access to snow for a longer ski season. East-west link The proposal would see a "bubble" in the 2300 metre ski field boundary to allow for the construction of a chairlift terminal. RAL General Manager Dave Mazey said the two key factors for the company in the proposal was the linking up of the east and west Whakapapa ski slopes and providing a chairlift terminal site with the right slope and enough space for the terminal and for skiers to dismount. He said there was no site suitable at 2300 metres. Mr Mazey said the lift would be lower than the field's present official boundary of 24002500 metres, but that Turn page 2

Chairlift boundary

Frorn page 1 in the past RAL had not been allowed to build to those heights because of landscape and environmental considerations. He said DoC had suggested RAL build a T bar to the 2300 level, but that RAL would prefer a chairlift because it allowed an earlier start to skiing, would not constrain the ski field in the way a T bar did, would have a higher capacity and would mean less environmental impact. T bars, said Mr Mazey, need more ground work to make them operable. Twin Rocks District Conservator Paul Green says DoC does not accept the proposal because there is a suitable terminal site at 2250 metres, at Twin Rocks. He said the only real disadvantage to RAL in the lower site is that the east-west skier access would not be as good. He said DoC accepted that the 2365 site would be better for RAL but that the department believcs the imposition into the Ruapehu crater area is in conflict with other users. Having such a large facility so close to the crater would impinge on the pristine nature of ihe area, he said. He cited other aspects, such as skier safety and visual impact in DoC's case. National Parks and Reserves Authority members flew onto the upper slopcs on Saturday bcforc the meeting to inspect the site. The Board heard submissions in favour of the proposal from The Pinnacle Ski Club, the Ruapehu Ski Club and The Rangatira Alpine

Sports Club as well as RAL. Submissions opposing the proposal were heard from the Conservation Department, Federated Mountain Clubs, and the Wellington Tramping and Mountaineering

Club. Also discussed at the meeting was the possibility of Tongariro National Park receiving World Heritage Status, which some people are concerned would be threatened by higher ski field boundaries.