Geekzone: technology news, blogs, forums
Guest
Welcome Guest.
You haven't logged in yet. If you don't have an account you can register now.


KillerHulk

348 posts

Ultimate Geek


#222775 28-Aug-2017 10:58
Send private message

Hi, just been to whakapapa ski field past weekend.

 

Tonnes of changes made to the place.

 

No area to just play in snow, but instead need to buy pass now.. even in happy valley..





I Eat Dumbbells for Breakfast


Create new topic
wellygary
8321 posts

Uber Geek


  #1853901 28-Aug-2017 11:16
Send private message

This says that there is still free aces to certain parts of Happy Valley,

 

But I think you have to walk to it,

 

https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/snow/93852623/ruapehus-happy-valley-to-stay-free-after-public-outcry

 

Some Ruapehu sledding areas to stay free after public outcry       Ruapehu Alpine Lifts has back-tracked over a proposed charge to access the previously free Happy Valley and Alpine Meadow play and sledding areas after a public backlash. 

 

The company which runs the Whakapapa and Turoa ski fields has announced new areas in the Happy Valley and Alpine Meadow beginner areas, where there will be no charge for sledding and snow-play.

 

On Monday, RAL chief executive Ross Copland announced snow lovers would have access to a free sledding and snow play area at the bottom of the Alpine Meadow.  

 

Ruapehu Alpine Lifts chief executive Ross Copland said playing in the Mt Ruapehu snow for free was "key to mountain fun."

 

 "This, and the additional area within Happy Valley, came about after engagement with concerned locals over the past few weeks. We listened to the issues raised and have worked with our team on a solution," he said. 

 

The company has said people are welcome to find a spot to play and sled in, just not on the main trails where people ski as it poses danger to themselves, and beginner skiiers and snowboarders. 

 

RAL will still offer the $59 and $35 services (though, free for a youth with an accompanying paying adult), including covered carpet lift pass, sled hire and sightseeing lift pass.

 

Copland stood by the charges, saying the proposed costs were fair. 

 

 But locals accused RAL of money-grabbing and exploiting legislation.

 

Copland said RAL took the feedback "very seriously". 

 

"Our reputation as a community-focused organisation is hugely important to us," he said on Monday.  

 

One of RAL's key aims was to encourage skiers of all abilities to the ski fields to experience snow, especially families, he said. 

 

"Everyone will continue to enjoy free snow play and sledding in designated areas at both Whakapapa and Turoa". 

 

RAL had invested $4 million in the Happy Valley area, including covered lifts and state of the art snowmaking machinery, Copland said. 

 

Happy Valley was blanketed in snow early this year thanks to the snow making machines, he said. 

 

"It's a fine balance between recouping the huge investment we've put into new facilities at Happy Valley to create a better snow experience, and the translation into a subsequent cost for users," he said.

 

Copland said the organisation was now reviewing its pricing structure in response to public feedback. 

 

More than 2700 people headed up the mountain for Happy Valley's opening weekend on June 3 and 4. 


Create new topic





News and reviews »

Air New Zealand Starts AI adoption with OpenAI
Posted 24-Jul-2025 16:00


eero Pro 7 Review
Posted 23-Jul-2025 12:07


BeeStation Plus Review
Posted 21-Jul-2025 14:21


eero Unveils New Wi-Fi 7 Products in New Zealand
Posted 21-Jul-2025 00:01


WiZ Introduces HDMI Sync Box and other Light Devices
Posted 20-Jul-2025 17:32


RedShield Enhances DDoS and Bot Attack Protection
Posted 20-Jul-2025 17:26


Seagate Ships 30TB Drives
Posted 17-Jul-2025 11:24


Oclean AirPump A10 Water Flosser Review
Posted 13-Jul-2025 11:05


Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7: Raising the Bar for Smartphones
Posted 10-Jul-2025 02:01


Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 Brings New Edge-To-Edge FlexWindow
Posted 10-Jul-2025 02:01


Epson Launches New AM-C550Z WorkForce Enterprise printer
Posted 9-Jul-2025 18:22


Samsung Releases Smart Monitor M9
Posted 9-Jul-2025 17:46


Nearly Half of Older Kiwis Still Write their Passwords on Paper
Posted 9-Jul-2025 08:42


D-Link 4G+ Cat6 Wi-Fi 6 DWR-933M Mobile Hotspot Review
Posted 1-Jul-2025 11:34


Oppo A5 Series Launches With New Levels of Durability
Posted 30-Jun-2025 10:15



Geekzone Live »

Try automatic live updates from Geekzone directly in your browser, without refreshing the page, with Geekzone Live now.



Are you subscribed to our RSS feed? You can download the latest headlines and summaries from our stories directly to your computer or smartphone by using a feed reader.