Turoa gets into rock grooming

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 10, Issue 485, 11 May 1993, Page 4 (Supplement)

Turoa gets into rock grooming

There's nothing exciting to report on the development front for Turoa skifield for 1993, with management choosing to continue their belt-tightening exercise. Rock grooming and earthworks plus some miiior improvements to the base facilities have been the summer' s projects, along with the usual maintenance work on the lifts. Turoa Skifield enjoyed its longest season in the history of the mountain last year, and indications are that 1993 will follow suit. Turoa intends to live up to its reputation as the fun place to ski with the return this year of some popular winter events - the Peak to Powderkeg

race, the Titleist Golf Classic, Rossignol Dash for the Stash, plus many more. A series of new events, including some ' special activities to mark Women's Suffrage year, are also in store. Bumper snowfalls in 1992 saw the skifield open from mid-June through into early January and while good news for the skiing fraternity, the snowfalls significantly shortened the length of the summer maintenance season. Work carried out so far has concentrated on the skiable slopes. Clary's Track is currently being levelled towards the base area to provide an easy, gentle run from the top of the Giant chairlift to the bot-

tom. The work will also enable access right down to the base area even during low snowfall years. The access area to the Movenpick chair is also being widened to ease congestion at the base area, with general rock grooming operations being carried out all over the mountain. Improvements to facilities on the mountain include the extension of the Yeti Bar, on the upstairs floor of the first cafeteria. The removal of the Turoa Creche which was poorly utilised last year sees it converted to a V.I.P. lounge for entertainment of sponsors, media and guests. Creche facilities for children aged 2-6 will now be provided by qual-

ified supervisors at the Ohakune Child Care Centre aka the Ohakune Kindergarten in Arawa Street on weekends and school holidays. The facility will operate be-

tween 8.30am and 5.30pm and cater for up to 20 children. The purchase of 500 pairs of new skis swells the number of hire skis in the field's ski hire facility to 1000 pairs.