REPORT FROM WHAKAPAPA

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 8, 24 July 1984, Page 9

REPORT FROM WHAKAPAPA

At Whakapapa early season skiers were confined to the learners' rope tows and the Happy Valley at the top of the chairlift last week. A reasonable snowfall meant the Waterfall platter lift and Valley T-bar would be operating over the weekend, the assistant manager of the Top O'The Bruce, Mark Prosser said. The season got off to a quiet start but by Thursday enquiries for the weekend's skiing were picking up, he said. The big news at Whakapapa Ski Area this year is the introduction of heavily discounted mid-week skiing packages. Ruapehu Alpine Lifts Limited, operators of the skifield have lowered the cost of mid-week skiing with a special pass which allows the skier full use of all lift facilities on the mountain. RAL have announced their intention of running as many lifts mid-week as it takes to keep lift lines to a minimum. Whakapapa is New Zealand's largest developed ski area. It has three double chairlifts, one single chairlift, six T-bars and several beginners' platter lifts and rope tows, giving it an uphill capacity of over 13,000 skiers per hour. Within the 250 hectare boundary is some of the best skiing anywhere. Gentle beginners' slopes, undulating

bowls and steep shutes offer excellent skiing for all. There's also an international ski school with over 50 qualified instructors. The 590 vertical metres of lift serviced slopes are groomed throughout the day but the upper slopes are left for the adventurous. Above the lifts there's another 500 vertical metres of exciting skiing. A hike to the top is rewarded with breathtaking views, north across the Tongariro National Park to Lake Taupo, east to the forested Kaimanawas and west to Mt Egmont. And then there's the ski down. This was the first summer for many years without a major installation on the skifield which is now New Zealand's largest. New lifts which were unused last year because of the dishppointing snow season are ready to go and increase skier capacity by over 3000 per hour on the field. These new lifts include the National Chairlift which has been upgraded to a double chair, the National (No. 2) high capacity T-bar and a twin Platter Lift situated where the Pinnacle Rope Tow used to be. A new temporary rope tow has beeri added above the National No. 2 T-bar, which will have a major impact when operating. Skiers will now be able to

gain adequate altitude to ski around Delta corner to join the Knoll Ridge and Waterfall T-bars. This will answer a long felt need to generate a 'traffic flow' to join both ski areas with minimum effort and enable RAL to determine what permanent facilities are needed in the area. With Parks Board approval considerable blasting has been-carried out to improve ski trails resulting in better access to the Valley and from the Cinder Track to the waterfall. An enlarged queuing area has also been added to the bottom of the Rockgarden Double Chairlift to enable more orderly queuing and ticket checking. Whakapapa is a 'Skier's Mountain' in the truest sense of the phrase. It has been developed for skiers, by skiers, with skiers' money. Since its incorporation in 1953, skiers' money (by way of shares) has been used to develop the facilities. All excess revenue is still plowed back into developing the best possible facilities and amenities demanded by today's skiing public. The Directors are unpaid and they all take an active interest in skiing. They are in it for the love of the sport and have developed a mountain that is a true asset to skiing and New Zealand's tourism industry.

Ruapehu Alpine Lifts Ltd will be running their photo competition again this year. They are looking for photos showipg the fun and excitement of skiing, not only 'hot dog' skiers but also 'people' shots — skiers having fun on and off the slopes. The contest is open to anyone and entries may be either 35mm colour transparencies (slides) or colour prints no smaller than 9cm x 13cm. Winning entries will win the entrant a pass for the 1985 ski season. Entry forms in the Whakapapa publication, from the THC Chateau, or at the Top o' the Bruce.