Whakapapa mahem

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 8, Issue 374, 19 February 1991, Page 16

Whakapapa mahem

Rather than go for oranges at half-time the lads piled into the helicopter and dashed round to Whakapapa for a bit of close shaving. The official reason for the trip was to help the chopper to pick up three hefty cable drums. Their weight was just on the limit of the chopper's capacity so it was the team's job to help hoist the drums away from some rather close Whakapapa Skifield buildings. That part of the job over (chopper lifting from above, the lads shoving from below) they set about watching the chopper try a "sling-shot" maneuvre, to get each drum properly airborn. First two were away ok. But upon trying the last three and a half tonne one the chopper "slung shot" the drum straight up onto the snow groomer shed roof! The timbers groaned, and Angus moaned (insured or not insured?). Precariously perched, the chopper tried again and slung the thing up and off the building, leaving just a hint of dust on the new $300,000 groomer inside and below. (whew!) There's also the cracked beam and an air vent knocked for six ( I thought this was rugby?). The question remains: What did the two Whakapapa blokes think of this wee disturbance of their high altitude peace. Imagine yourself lounging about all alone 2000 metres up Ruapehu when out of the blue, a bloody great helicopter spews out 21 bruised and battered blokes who proceed to try to wipe out your favourite Kassbohrer shed with some three tonne drums and a helicopter, then pile into said chopper and bugger off again?