We have just returned from three days up at the lodge where two of the days were ‘bluebird’ days. We also had some Alpine Club members join us which helped fill the lodge. Despite appearances on the webcams the upper mountain has plenty of snow. Given the cold temperatures RAL has been snowmaking onto the learners’ slopes and the Rock Garden. We had two days skiing on the Te Heu Heu Valley lift, and preparation was underway to open the Knoll Ridge T-bar.
• The mountain Volcanic Alert Level has now reverted to Level 1, and the 2 km restriction zone has been removed.
• I need to remind people that there is no guarantee that you will have access up the mountain road when the lifts are closed for the day as some punters will testify after having to search for alternative accommodation (this year and previous years). There are times when a four-wheel drive fitted with chains is essential.
• We are moving forward with winter bookings. Again this year, we are trying to cater for those who need to plan well ahead, and for those who are not able to decide when to make bookings till nearer the time. Go to the bookings page to find out when the second release of bunks is going to occur for each time period. This applies to weekends not weeks
• For the lodge the membership status is now frozen meaning that people can join the club during the winter but the non-member rates and priority status for the lodge will remain until the end of October. So please do not hassle our booking team with excuses.
• We always have ski weeks available, and in a good year we book out four of the available eight weeks to non-member groups. At the moment we have three weeks booked by non-member groups and that could be reduced at very little notice. These bookings are essential for the economics of the lodge, and we rely on summer groups also which we lost all last summer because of Covid. We are also expected under our license with DOC to provide accommodation for school groups etc.
• It has been very difficult to put together some type of schedule due to problems in nailing down other people’s plans. Both groups and a lot of this is influenced by RAL’s programme. In a good year we would have had this sorted by March. This year it has been very recent.
• Jan and I have been organising the ‘Seniors Weeks’ up to two a year for probably ten years now. This year we have decided on one ‘Club Ski Week’ in September. However, there are other weeks available to book or to lead if you are able.
• The schedule of ski weeks looks like this. Put these dates in your calendar:
Mon 8 August to Friday 12 August. Non-member group. Booked.
Sunday 14 August to Friday 19 August. Space available but partly booked by Christian’s group. So, there is a leader.
Sunday 21 August to Friday 26th August. Empty 32 spaces available. Requires a leader and minimum five others to open the lodge.
Sunday 28th August to Friday 2 September. Was booked by a group but they cancelled. Two people are booked and one is a trained lodge operator/ leader.
Sunday 4th September to Friday 9th September. Non-member group. Booked.
Sunday 11th September to Friday 16th September. No bookings. Requires a leader and minimum five others to open the lodge.
Sunday 18th September to Friday 23rd September. Our club ski week. Still some space.
Monday 26th September to Friday 30 September. Non-member group. Booked.
And then the usual school holidays. These are available in blocks of three or four days.
You are more than welcome to join us on our September club ski week, member or non-member. Just book online as usual or select from the possible alternative list above.
Brian
Lodge Convenor.
