September 2019 1 the Bulletin RUAPEHU SKI CLUB CONTENTS Volume 84, No
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The Bulletin, September 2019 1 The Bulletin RUAPEHU SKI CLUB CONTENTS Volume 84, No. 3 September 2019 2 President’s column 3 Ruapehu news 5 Sick? Stay home 5 No downloading 6 Vehicle charging 6 Office notes 8 AGM topics 13 Tararua centenary 17 RSC calendar 17 New members 20 PQ still skiing 21 Volcano safety 22 Winter Party 26 Haensli Cup 30 Word snow news 32 RSC Club info page The changing scene at Whakapapa. Phone: Dan Paine. 2 The Bulletin, September 2019 PRESIDENT’S COLUMN snow conditions on these lower slopes will deteriorate as the ski season progresses. The Haensli Cup was held recently. The new usage patterns also add Although the race took place in horrendous excessive demand on the Sky Waka and weather conditions, it was well attended. Rangatira Express, resulting in enormous Once again, Ray and the rest of the RAL queues. Events Team prevailed, making the most of This is something that not only affects us the conditions and the facilities available. as RSC members. It affects all Whakapapa Thanks to our Club Captain, Catherine, skiers. Club Vice-Captain, Paula, and to Liza, Jenn I believe that uphill access from Hut Flat and everyone else involved. The race and is vital to Whakapapa for providing mid- prizegiving event were a great success. field access on marginal days when the You are all probably aware of the upper mountain cannot be opened and to resignation of Ross Copland from his provide more effective passage to the upper position as Chief Executive of RAL. mountain slopes and lifts on optimal days. We understand he will become CEO of the It seems that the influence of the latest Remarkables Park Group in Queenstown. health and safety legislation knows no I’m sure we all wish Ross the best in his bounds. future endeavours. The intention of the legislation is With the Sky Waka gondola in full admirable as we have the highest rates of operation, we already see clear evidence of industrial accidents in the OECD. We have a the number of tourists embarking. long history of workers putting themselves This enforces our view that he Sky Waka in danger under the intimidation of losing is essential to the financial future of RAL their livelihood. and therefore of ourselves. While the events of last year at Turoa While the Sky Waka is an obvious were tragic, I cannot help feeling that RAL asset for us all, I cannot help missing the has attracted more attention in matters of Waterfall Express. health and safety than it deserves. The Haensli Cup weekend illustrated the RAL have amply demonstrated how importance of the Waterfall Express and of seriously they take the matter, in my uphill access from Hut Flat. opinion, to a point going beyond what There is often limited access to the upper could be deemed reasonable. slopes of Whakapapa. This could be caused The whole ski industry seems to be by inclement weather or by delays in de- affected. In the South Island it is now icing or avalanche control. necessary to divulge one’s date of birth to Whenever this happened in the past, purchase a day pass. the Waterfall Express became the star It seems to me that a better outcome attraction. Now, that role has been taken could be achieved by attending to Lime by the Sky Waka. scooters than harassing the ski industry. The big difference is that to use the Sky Let us hope that a sensible balance can Waka, it is necessary to ski all the way be achieved that can keep us safe without down to the Top o’ the Bruce. taking all the fun away. As we predicted, this causes massive Richard Nelson, congestion on the Rockgarden and President Tennants Valley slopes. We also predict that The Bulletin, September 2019 3 RSC Vice-Captain Paula Cooper, ex-Captain Liza Fitzsimmons and Swiss instructor Loris Keiser try out the new Sky Waka gondola at Whakapapa. Photo from Paula. THROUGH THE LODGE around the country after the ski season. WINDOW Wairarapa Lodge, which is next to RSC Turoa at Ohakune, suffered extensive Happy Valley (Whakapapa) opened damage and was made uninhabitable in a for skiing, snowboarding and sledding on mid-morning fire on July 10th. June 3rd and the Alpine Meadow (Turoa) They had 20 people staying and all were learner slopes followed on June 28th. safe as most were at Turoa or in Ohakune The Sky Waka gondola at Whakapapa and only one person was in the lodge when opened for sightseeing on July 3rd but the fire broke out. the lack of a big early snowfall meant the The blaze was extinguished in about 45 upper mountain lifts on both skifields did minutes by four pumping appliances. A not open until late July. specialist command unit and support vehicles Then there were several big snowfalls were sent from Whanganui to assist. during a big 15-day storm in August which set the Ruapehu skifields up for a good season. RSC QUIZ: Which acclaimed NZ sportsman played the piano at RSC Lodge Our visiting Swiss ski instructor Loris and led Club members in a singalong? Keiser has bought himself a camper van See the answer on the next page. Mitsubishi L300. He is intending to stay in New Zealand A woman mountaineer in her 20s was until the end of January and plans to travel lucky to be rescued after falling 10 metres 4 The Bulletin, September 2019 down a crevasse in the Whangaehu Glacier on the THE eastern side of Mt Ruapehu. RUAPEHU SKI CLUB Her companions could not see the woman but (inc) Founded 1913 they could communicate with her. P.O.Box 8064, Symonds St., Police and the Ruapehu Alpine Rescue Auckland, New Zealand 1150 Organisation (RARO) flew in by helicopter to use Telephone: 0-9-377 3856 ropes and harness equipment to lift the woman out. Facsimile: 0-9-377 3859 Volcano monitoring staff used a drone to collect Email: [email protected] Website: www.rsc.org.nz water samples from Crater Lake on White Island c/o McConnell Properties (Whakaari) when conditions made it impossible Level 2 to approach the lake safely. 204 Quay St The volcano’s lake is a brew of bubbling, hot and Auckland CBD 1010 acidic fluid that is far more acidic than battery acid, and has a lake temperature of around 60-70C. The number of buildings in the Tongariro National Park is being reduced as local iwi and the Department of Conservation want to see fewer buildings in the park out of respect for its cultural values. RAL is reducing the number of structures it has on Mt Ruapehu and will be removing six old President: Richard Nelson buildings at Whakapapa, replacing them with Vice-Presidents: Carl Burling, a single, fit-for-purpose structure at the top of Marion Quinn, Phill Thomass, Bruce Road. Donald Webster, Fiona Willison Secretary: Louise Blair QUIZ ANSWER: NZ cricketer Bert Sutcliffe. Treasurer: Heather Chao The opening interclub ski race of the season at Immediate Past President: Adrian Whakapapa, the Christiania Derby, was cancelled Adriaansen due to adverse weather conditions. Captain: Catherine Gafa There was also poor weather for RSC’s big event Vice-Captain: Paula Cooper Committee: Arran Birchenough, Jeff the Haensli Cup two weeks later, but a race was Davies, Damon Forsyth, Sam Hood, able to be held on a reduced course on K Road Richard Horton, Simon Hunt, Nils underneath the gondola. Johannessen, Nina Thomas, William The deadline for the December Bulletin will be Geddes Friday November 15th. Patron: Peter Brady All items should be with the Editor by then. Patroness: Barbara Scelly Auditors: Hart and Co. Admin Officer: Sheryl Brownlee Lodge Officer: Carl Burling THE BULLETIN Hut Officer:Simon Hunt Founded in 1936 by Jock and Fitzie Graham. Chalet Officer: Phill Thomass Editor: Alan Graham, 63 Messines Rd, Karori, Turoa Officer: Donald Webster Heritage Fund Guardians: Richard Wellington 6012. Nelson, Adrian Adriaansen, Robin Telephone: 04-476 4598. Dallas, Bernard Smith Email: [email protected] Fund Treasurer: Mike Wardle Advertising: RSC Administration Glacier Hut Custodian: Joe Gabriel PO Box 8064, Symonds St. The Bulletin, September 2019 5 SICK? STAY HOME sought ways to handle stores and rubbish to and from the Lodge and We had sick members in the Chalet the Hut. during July. Then we had a sick chef. Our Accommodation Rules require sick members to evacuate or stay home RSC OBITUARIES in the interest of not passing on their ELIZABETH SOMERVAILLE bugs. Sadly we have lost another fine ex- Please be aware that ours is a member in Liz Somervaille, wife of community environment and retreat former Club champion and ex-Club rapidly to the comfort of your own Captain Graham Somervaille. homes if you are afflicted. Liz served RSC in several capacities including the furnishing of our RAL CEO DEPARTS buildings and caring for the welfare of the visiting Swiss instructors. RAL’s chief executive officer Ross We send the Club’s condolences. Copland is to move on, as from September 30th. MARY BLAMPIED He is to be the CEO of the Remarkables We note the passing in August Park Group in Queenstown. of long-time RSC member Mary No replacement CEO had been Blampied, daughter of the late Bob named when this Bulletin went to the Murie who had a long spell as Club printer. Captain. Bob was noted for unsuccessfully NO DOWNLOADING trying to pass a rule that members must RAL advised in late June that pass a fitness test before booking in except in emergencies there will be for skiing.