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The Bulletin, September 2017

ELEVATORS INSTALLED

RSC member Nick Webster was project

engineer for Schindler Lifts when they

installed two 26-person lifts (elevators)

at Happy Valley to replace the world’s

shortest (54 metres) chairlift.

“It was a challenging project for all

involved and was done with a very short

time frame, but we managed to get them

open for the school holidays,” Nick said.

Whakapapa GM Steve McGill said:

“We’ve listened to our customers who said

it was awkward getting to Happy Valley

on the access chairlift. The high-speed

Schindler elevators make that transition

from the carpark to snow a whole lot easier

and faster.”

BIG WINTER STORM

Ruapehu District was hit in mid-July

by what the local mayor Don Cameron

described as the biggest weather blast for

more than 20 years.

At the time he was stuck in his house at

Horopito with all the local roads closed.

Heavy snow and gale force winds

brought power outages in several towns and

caused waste water and water pumps to fail.

One report said 4000 homes were

without power in the Waiouru, Ohakune

and Taihape regions.

More than 40 cars were stranded on the

Desert Road and their occupants had to be

rescued by the Army using Unimog trucks.

A train driver was also evacuated and they

all spent two nights at Waiouru camp.

The town was without power so the

stranded people could not stay in motels.

State Highways 1, 46, 47, 49 and 4 were

all closed in the Ruapehu District due to

heavy snow.

RAL reported a 40cm dump at

Whakapapa skiﬁeld and a 50cm dump at

Turoa skiﬁeld.

Staff reporting for snow clearing duties

at Turoa were driven only to the 11km gate,

after which they transferred to groomers.

RSC folk headed for the snow had to

stop at the Chalet where our cook Donna

O’Hanlon served up masses of mufﬁns

and cookies, and posted photos and road

warnings on Facebook.

The heavy snowfall promoted a

warning from DOC about avalanches

and snow covered crevasses. It said

hikers and climbers above the snowline

on Ruapehu, Tongariro, and Ngauruhoe

should be aware of hazards they may not

be used to.

DOC technical advisor Dr Harry Keys

also said climbers and others risked injury

if they did not make themselves aware of

hazards.

This included venturing out over deep

water onto the ice covering or partly

covered lakes and ponds on the Tongariro

Alpine Crossing.

“Falling through the ice on these lakes

will quickly chill people creating serious

risk of rapid onset of hypothermia. There

are no facilities for the rapid rescue

essential in these situations.”

LIZ SAYS FAREWELL

Hi Sheryl and Alan,

It is with regret that I write to inform you

that I wish to resign as a member of the

Ruapehu Ski Club, due to ill health.

I’d always envisaged sitting at the

window in the Lodge watching our

grandchildren out on Hut Flat, but I realize

that this will not be possible.

I joined the Club with full membership

in September 1962, some 55 years ago at

the age of 16.

RSC has been part of our lives for many

many years, hosting the Swiss instructors

and helping with racing events. It’s sad that

I can no longer participate.

Regards,

Liz Somervaille