Ski season winds down

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 1, Issue 20, 18 October 1983, Page 5

Ski season winds down

Whakapapa "This has been the worst year in the 1 7 years I've been here." That's how Scotty Barrie, Assistant Operations Manager of RAL (Ruapehu Alpine Lifts) describes the 1983 Whakapapa ski season that wasn't. "We normally close for a total of only five or six days in a season, but,this year we must be up to 25 or 30 days closed." Bad weather and the lack of snow on lower slopes drastically reduced the numbers of skiers making the trip to Whakapapa. "We are down, popula-tion-wise, over 50% on previous seasons," says Scotty. "That's a shame because we've had enough snow up top for most of the season, and there has been some good skiing." "People come, but when they see they've got to ^jueue, they go back and tell Hpeir mates that it's hopeless." And with falling patronage, profits too have taken a dive. Scotty estimates that revenue is pretty close to 50% down. RAL were banking on a good season to enable new development work to be completed over the summer. These plans haVe now been dropped. Instead, eight people wul be involved in routine maintenance over the break — half as many as last year. The field will remain open -this week until Labour weekend, and then close. "We've got an obligation to o'ur season ticket holders stay open until Labour ^Beekend while we've got snow," says Scotty. "Any-

thing can happen ... last year we had three metres of snow over Labour weekend." "It's an unpredictable place." RAL are not the only ones to feel the effects of this year's poor season. Tongariro National Fark assistant Chief Ranger, Murray Reedy, says the Lands and Survey Department's revenue is "down" along with everyone elses." The Department receives a user-pays levy from carparking at Whakapapa to off-set its operating costs. Last year this totalled around $200,000. "It's probably down about 45% ($90,000), but doesn't affect us in any way because our funding is through the Treasury vote," says Murray. "It's just less money which will go back into the consolidated account." The park will employ between seven and ten 'seasonal interpreters' for the Summer Nature programme in which up to 10,000 people are expected to participate; Philip Johnstone Turoa The season at Turoa has been nothing short of "disastrous", says mountain manager Robin Foubister. "The season is best forgotten and our first priority is rebuilding people's faith", said Mr Foubister. Frofits for the season are 30 per cent down on last year with Turoa closing down on 10 October, more than a month earlier than last year. Many mountain operations were disrupted by Turoa's worst ever season for snow. Warm winds and warm rain wreaking havoc with snowfall. High snow levels meant the first chairlift area lay

dormant. The ski school, which usually oprates from this area, had to shift its operation to the second chair. Although a second T-bar tow was installed this year, low profits mean no major

additions for next year are planned. Icy conditions caused several ice related injuries, some of them serious. But modern machinery made the best out of a bad year. Snow-making ma-

chines really paid off during the school holidays — a critical time. Mr Foubister said the season is "best put behind us. And let's hope for something better next year." Anastasia Harallambi