Safety on Mt. Taranaki

Enjoy the mountains in a safe, controlled environment at Manganui Ski Area. Within the area boundary, Lars Binsbergen and his trained and certified Snow Safety crew work hard to ensure that safety comes first. Snowpack and weather observations, first aid, public safety and awareness are all part of their day.

Avalanche Advisory

See the NZ Mountain Safety Council Avalanche Advisory for the latest advisory for Mt. Taranaki.

The 'Backcountry Avalanche Advisory' is provided as a public service by the New Zealand Mountain Safety Council, Inc. It is intended as an advisory only.

A requirement of Manganui’s Ski Area Safety Plan is for SMC to provide an Avalanche Advisory for the Ski Area and walking track access (by its nature the Avalanche Advisory is issued for the whole Mountain). Todd Velvin (SMC member) is responsible for generating the current Avalanche Advisory.
SMC have installed a MetService weather monitoring station (thanks to funding from the TSB Community Trust and the Lion Foundation), in 2008 refurbished and relocated to the mid-mountain Top Tow Shed (elevation 1400m). The weather data gathered from this helps  better understand the conditions. Real time weather data from the weather station is now displayed on our Snow Report/Webcam page.

Manganui has 3 avalanche advisory signposts on the Round the Mountain Track that accesses the Ski Area. During the winter these will be updated as conditions change.

Manganui Ski Area will be closed if the Avalanche Advisory danger level is HIGH or EXTREME. It will remain closed until the danger level drops to Considerable (or lower than Considerable).

The access track to Manganui Ski Area crosses “The Manganui Monster” avalanche gully at the head of the Manganui Gorge. It is not uncommon most seasons to have avalanche debris within the gully area, indicating regular avalanche activity in this Gorge. Visitors and the Public are strongly advised not to loiter in this area.

This danger scale is supplied here as a general reference only.

SKI AREA BOUNDARY

The above sign means that you are leaving the ski area boundary and there is no avalanche control.

CLOSED - AVALANCHE AREA

If you are going to leave the ski area boundary it is advised that you ask yourself these questions:

• Do we have knowledge of Avalanche terrain and phenomena?
• Do we have the necessary rescue and safety equipment and the skills to use them?
• Do we have a competent partner?
• Do we have a map/compass and skills to use it in all weather conditions?
• Did we get a weather forecast? (past and future)
• Are we prepared to do our own rescue?
• Have I talked to locals or the Snow Safety Staff about the area and conditions?

If you cannot answer YES to all seven of these questions you should stay in the ski area boundary!

AVALANCHE SAFETY – Education is key, be prepared

• Know the snow conditions. Do not go out in suspect conditions.
• Learn route-finding and snowcraft techniques-learn how to read the conditions that indicate snow stability/instability.
• Carry a transceiver, shovel, and probe-these are the minimal safety requirements.
• Practice rescue procedures; take a course; train with experts.
• Prepare for the worst. An avalanche is a very real, very serious danger. Please educate yourself and take the proper precautions.

For information on avalanche safety, conditions and classes, contact: NZ Mountain Safety Council

If you do not have the knowledge or skills to go into the backcountry, it is highly recommended that you should take an Avalanche Course from a certified Avalanche Professional .

NZ Mountain Safety Council Avalanche Awareness course

If you are interested in learning more about Avalanche Awareness, try the NZ Mountain Safety Council Avalanche Awareness course. Offered subject to numbers, this course starts in the classroom and then moves out onto the mountain. Avalanche Awareness courses are for skiers, snowboarders and climbers, and provide a first step to gaining an appreciation of the avalanche phenomenon and what is needed to make decisions about personal safety when travelling in avalanche terrain.

The Avalanche Awareness course involves both a lecture and a field day and covers:
- Mountain weather
- Identification of avalanche terrain
- Basic route finding and decision making
- Companion rescue
- Safety equipment (including use of transceivers)

Avalanche Awareness Course costs vary throughout NZ.
SMC are keen to stage this course locally. So register your interest to make sure we can get one locally this season.