Emphasis on mountain earthworks

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 241, 3 May 1988, Page 9 (Supplement)

Emphasis on mountain earthworks

It's been an extremely busy summer for Ruapehu Alpine Lifts staff at Whakapapa. Following last year's mammoth $4.5 million developments the major emphasis this year has been on earthworks. Over half a million dollars has been spent on the Bruce Road to realign and prepare the top half for sealing, the remainder to be finished next summer. At the top of the Bruce Road the first stage of a major car-park redevelopment programme has been completed with the addition of a further 220 car-parks

within the Loop Road area. RAL have also ordered a purpose built vehicle to run a free shuttle bus service around the Loop Road. Up on the mountain major trail modifications to improve skier movement and safety have been undertaken around Hut Flat, at the base of the Waterfall Express, along AA Ridge. The first Waterfall has been substantially widened enabling groomers easier access through the Waterfall area. RAL's pride and joy, the new Waterfall "Express" Quad Chairlift, has been fine tuned and a further 24 chair units purchased to

bring the lift up to its maximum operating capacity of 2800 skiers per hour. In addition to these developments RAL opened up the Centennial and Waterfall Express Chairlifts for six weeks over summer to offer visitors to the park an opportunity to more easily see the upper alpine regions. This was very well patronised and will become a regular feature of summer in the park. Future development plans hinge on the Tongariro National Park Management Plan currently under review. RAL expect to undertake an initial major development

on the Downhill slopes and above to the Restful Rocks area. Skiers visiting Whakapapa during the 1987 season were unanimous in their appreciation of the new lift facilities installed by Ruapehu Alpine Lifts. Last summer RAL added a second double Chairlift on the Rock-g arden slopes and built the country's first Doppelmayr Quad "Express" chairlift to service the Waterfall area. "The Waterfall 'Express' Quad has really been well received by skiers," said Scott Lee, Marketing Manager for RAL. "We've had a steady flow of skiers drop-

ping into our Customer Services congratulating us on the new facilities." Together the two Chairlifts and a new computerised ticketing facility have substantially reduced queues and waiting times. The new facilities bring RAL's lift capacity up to a staggering 21,000 skiers per hour, by far the largest in New Zealand. Other improvements for 1987 that went over well with skiers were the increased grooming, RAL added a fourth Kassbohrer Snow Groomer to their fleet, and a new attitude from RAL staff. "We recognised the obvi-

ous need to maintain good skier relations," said Scott Lee, "we spent a whole week with the entire staff undergoing a course in Customer Service which was conducted pre-season by an outside consultant. The results have been very rewarding in that our staff are not only projecting a good attitude but they really do care. "We will be spending about $50,000 on staff training this season. "Much of the New Zealand Tourism Industry has come in for criticism for bad service recently. We are adamant our staff will have the correct attitude." 1