[Wayne Stevens (202.36.173.34),]

Hi all
Its just been bought to our attention that the RMCA has been advocating in their submission to DoC on the TNP Management plan review, the expansion of the Whakapapa skifield and the making of a snow road between the two fields.

Here is what they have written:

“RMCA strongly supports RAL.s proposal to extend the West Ridge T bar to 2360m in order to provide a better link to the rest of the skifield. For the same reason, we support the creation of a .snow road. between the Whakapapa and Turoa ski areas. The Plan would also need to allow for the guiding of skiers between all three ski areas.”
Our club is thinking of making a submission to DoC on the Tongariro National Park Management plan, and we would be interested in the views of our members on this position. Please add your views below (but please show your name so we can be confident that the views expressed are those of members – non members are welcome to express their views, but wont have as much standing in the forming of a club view on this),
Thanks
Wayne Stevens
President

[Allan MacLachlan (202.49.102.17),]

I think WTMC should distance itself from the RMCA submission. As a tramping club we should promote the preservation of wilderness areas against commercialisation and intrusion. The raising of the ski field limit to 2,360m and the development of snow roads between Whakapapa and Turoa is at odds to this.
Raising the limit of the ski field is an increase of what is already the largest ski field in New Zealand. I think we should not be encouraging the, albeit incremental increase in the size of the ski field as it impinges on the pristine nature of the top of the mountain. I don.t believe that raising the level of the ski field will improve access to the rest of the field. There is plenty of terrain around the western side of the ski field for people of intermediate and advanced ability.
Similarly, I think the club should be opposed to the development of snow roads between the Whakapapa and Turoa. The linking of the two fields by road is unnecessary and I think the snow road would be a blight on the terrain. I.m not so sure it is a safe thing for skiers and boarders to be traversing what is a fairly exposed area, outside of the normal patrolled area.

[Don Goodhue]

I support Allans views on this. While the RMCA represent Clubs on the mountain, to my knowledge there has been no consultation on the RMCA position on this with member Clubs. While some of the RMCA member clubs are primarily ski clubs, a number of member clubs like ourselves have other outdoor interests and we must make sure our views are represented. The best way to do this is to present our own submission. If the RMCA position differs from ours then we also need to make sure that any RMCA submission notes this.
I have no problem with continued development of the existing fields but keep it within the current areas. Keep the areas outside of the current developments for those who are prepared to make the effort and who have the skills. Even if a snowroad is in place, the west side of the mountain at the planned level is not a place for the unprepared.

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