Skiers await storms

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 540, 14 June 1994, Page 12

Skiers await storms

Turoa is planning a mid - to late June opening and the snow cover is looking very good on the upper part of the mountain. That was according to Turoa' s marketing manager Joanna Savage on Saturday, and she said yesterday that the situation hasn't changed, despite the warm rain in the weekend. She said there was an excellent base building up on the High Noon T Bar, the race T bar, and the new quad chair but that more snow was needed on the lower slopes including the leamer facilities at the Alpine Meadow and Wintergarden. Warm rain on the weekend washed away the thin snow cover from the lower mountain but did not have any effect

on the upper mountain, she said. She said Sunday the rain tumed to isnow on the upper mountain. The Bulletin understands from unofficial sources that earlier the High Noon T Bar was operational with a track formed on the line, but that this is now only partly in place. Meanwhile at Whakapapa, a good base is building on the upper mountain and management are confident of a late June opening. The Happy Valley beginner's area was to open last Friday but has not as yet opened due to bad weather. The Bulletin understands that snow conditions in the leamer area were poor and that it would not now open until conditions improved.