Additional groomers for Turoa

Ruapehu Bulletin, 21 December 1993, Page 19

Additional groomers for Turoa

Turoa Ski Resort is buying three PD270DS Kassbohrer snow groomers this summer and selling its oldest one. The second-hand machines have low hours, some lower than the presently owned machines, and are the same size as their present largest machines, said marketing manager Joanna Savage. She said their smallest machine, thought to be the first one ever bought in New Zealand, has been sold to Rainbow Skifield in the South Island. Up until now, the field has had two machines capable of grooming and two only available for snow pushing. With the additional machines they will have up to fi ve machines available to groom the ski slopes. Miss Savage said the purchase will increase the reliability of their grooming operation as well as capacity. New machines can cost up to $400,000, said Miss Savage. Other developments at the ski field this summer include improvements to the Snowflake Cafe at the top of the Parklane Chairlift. The seating is being doubled, a bigger deck is being built, the kitchen is being moved and alterations to the interior are being made to improve the traffic flow through the cafeteria. Rock grooming is also taking place at the mid-field area to improve access and skier-flows from the top of the Park Lane chairlift to the bottom of the Giant Chairlift and to the Snowflake Cafe.