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The Bulletin, September 2016

SPRING SNOW

HAPPENING

Once again the Spring Snow Happening

will be on the September schedule.

It kicked off last year with a blizzard,

fondue and loads of laughs.

It’s back on this season from September

18 - 21.

This year of course the weather gods

will do their bit. We will get to climb to the

crater, BBQ outside and learn new moves

on the slopes.

Keep an eye out on Facebook for updates

and look to the website for the registration

form.

RSC FISHING WEEKEND

RSC members’ Tongariro Fishing

weekend.

Dates February 10 &11 2017.

Accommodation TALTEC [ﬁshing club

walking distance to the Tongariro River].

Cost $25 per head per night.

Supply own bedding and pillow case.

Meals: Full cooking facilities provided.

Dinner Saturday night will be catered

[roast pork] at extra cost.

Bring own breakfasts and lunch

requirements.

Gear: Can be hired locally.

FIRST 12 members to contact Athol

Birchenough: atholbirchenough@hotmail.

co.uk

Payment is required to conﬁrm booking.

DERBY CANCELLED

The annual Christiania Derby teams ski

race at Whakapapa was cancelled this year

due to poor visibility, high winds and lift

closures on both the race day August 6th

and the backup day August 7th.

This was to have been the 59th running

of the Derby by the Christiania Ski Club of

Hamilton who said that only Happy Valley

was operating and this was not an option

for the race.

SPECIFIC FORECASTS

Weather forecasts speciﬁcally for Turoa

and Whakapapa will be produced by

MetService, the Wanganui Chronicle

reported.

Previous forecasts have covered the

Tongariro National Park, lumping together

the two skiﬁelds and the wider mountains

area.

MetService will work with Ruapehu

Alpine Lifts (RAL) to improve the accuracy

of the forecasts.

RAL chief executive Dave Mazey said

the variations in weather experienced

around Ruapehu, and even between the

two skiﬁelds, can be signiﬁcant.

“We see a direct correlation between the

forecast and visitor numbers, so being able

to provide a forecast that is as accurate as

possible means we can keep our visitors

better informed.”

Site-specific information would also

enable RAL staff to apply the most

appropriate resources to avalanche control

and the de-icing of lifts following storm

cycles which should assist with facilities

being open sooner after the weather clears.

CLUB WEEK

A new member has asked what is the

difference between Winter Party and Club

Week? The answer effectively is none.

Right from our ﬁrst year in 1914 the term

Winter Party was used but in the 1970s

Club Week was tried for a while before the

Club reverted to Winter Party.

These days plenty of people use Club

Week but the ofﬁcial title is Winter Party.

One President proposed September

Sojourn. This found no support.