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Lars Binsbergen
17 Curtis St. Okato
phone 06 7524424
lcbinsbergen@free.net.nz
Major Sponsor
of the SMC E-newsletter
Contact Us:
06-759 4609
New Plymouth
seasons@xtra.co.nz
www.seasonssurfboards.co.nz
www.cheapskates.co.nz
Contact Us:
06-759 9943 bus
06-752 7697 a/h
harebdeken@clear.net.nz
www.harebdekenmotors.co.nz
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GOINGS ON’ Around the Manganui Ski Area
Staff Training Day, Sunday 24 June 10am
There is a training day for all volunteer staff and operators on Sunday the 24th at the Lodge starting 10am.
All those that are currently volunteer operators or ski patrollers are requested to attend this pre-season day, in order to be signed off for Health and Safety purposes, and to comply with our SASP (Ski Area Safety Plan).
Please contact Rhys Williams 7539627 or rhyswilliams@xtra.co.nz
for further info.
TXT4SNOW
Manganui Ski Area snow reports direct to your mobile...
Manganui Ski Area: text MAN to 8881
Note that this report is generated from the snow.co.nz snow reports page.
'DAILY' text cost 50c per report or Ski field.
All other texts cost 99c per report or ski field.
To unsubscribe text STOP to 8881.
Terms and Conditions apply, see http://www.metservice.com/default/?alias=txtc for details.
Sample Report and Forecast
WHA 21/6
NO NU SNOW
FLD OPEN
RD OPEN
CHAINS REQUIRED OR 4WD
FCST THU
SNOW,WITH POOR VIS IN HVY FALLS,& BLIZZARD CONDITIONS
-1C
LITE . SE DVPG DAWN, RSNG 75KPH BY AFN
** Manganui Ski Area Snow Reports and forecasts updated as conditions become available.
Metservice Weather Station Install
The weather station was sucessfully installed on Wednesday 13th June at Dave's Hut (top of the Top Tow).
We now have real time wind direction, wind speed, temperature and humidity at this elevation. This will aid the Snow Safety Team (led by Todd Velvin) better understanding the conditions in updating the avalanche advisory for the Ski Area and the Gorge access track.
There will be a development period as we begin to understand the performance of the equipment at this altitude/environment.
Look for real time weather data from this to be posted on the website in the near future. |
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Proud to be supporting the Stratford Mountain Club.
Buying or selling Real Estate, call Clive Saleman AREINZ
06-758 7113 b/h
06-752 7140 a/h
027-290 6636 m
rare@xtra.co.nz
www.rare.co.nz
Mountain House Motor Lodge
Taranaki's Swiss Alpine Restaurant and Accommodation
Contact Us:
0800 Mountain
0800-66 86 82
06-765 6100
Pembroke Rd, Stratford
www.mountainhouse.co.nz |
WORKING BEE SCHEDULE 2007
Thanks to all who have participated so far in the Working bees. If you are keen in assisting in one of the scheduled working bees contact the organisers below or just turn up on the day.
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Date |
Organisers |
Contacts |
Working Bee |
| May 27 |
Mario Padrutt
Brooke Fletcher |
7550236 7588879 |
Flying Fox, T-bar, Top Tow |
| June 03 |
(Queens Birthday Weekend) |
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unofficial working bee, as per list in lodge |
| June 10 |
Mark Braddock
Ben Plummer-Butt |
7527035
7527050 |
Top Tow & T-bar organisation |
| June 17 |
Phil Powell
Chris Burr |
7524556
7578668 |
T-bar, Machinery, Top Tow |
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June 24 |
Rhys Williams
Karl Lapwood |
7539627
7588479 |
Staff Training |
Remember that the voluntary work doesn't go unrewarded! A working bee gets you a working bee ticket, that can be exchanged for a lift pass, or accommodation at the Manganui Lodge, should you already hold an SMC season pass. |
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SMC PRESIDENT’S REPORT
The cold Southeast flow over the last weekend has cooled the ground considerably and by the looks of it has rimmed up the wind anemometer on the newly installed Met service weather station at the top of the top tow (1680m). This station is now operational and the live data will soon appear on the website and it will give us a valuable insight to perhaps predicting events on our mountain. A big thank you to all concerned working and getting equipment to that level over the summer is always a mission.
Looking to the rest of the week cold southerlies are predicted after a northerly change Thursday or Friday with snow lowering to around 600m or so over the weekend, and with any luck me may get our first operational day- fingers crossed- we are all set to go.
There is a training day for all staff and operators on Sunday the 24th at the Lodge starting 10am-so all those that are currently volunteer operators or ski patrollers need to attend this pre season day in order to be signed off for Health and Safety purposes, and to comply with our SASP.
The club at present is completing a short, medium and long term plan. The purpose of this plan is to identify the direction the club should be going over the above time frames. It is important for us all as members to document our future direction to ensure we are at least working to a set of goals-e.g. short term might involve the study into the realignment of the Top tow and the medium term might involve the realignment and long term might be a new T bar or heli skiing or an overhead lift from the plateau to the lodge.
So over the coming winter months please talk all these issues through (over a couple of beers) and get your ideas to Mitchell Dyer @ mitchellin@xtra.co.nz. We need to get everything in this document so when we start to tackle the Department of Conservation on issues they are aware of them, if we don’t it could be quite an involved process.
[for a view of the last long term plan (May 1996) see the SMC website http://www.skitaranaki.co.nz/Members+Info/SMC2ndTenYearPlan/default.aspx]
Ben Plummer- Butt and Karl Lapwood have been doing planning work on the SMC Jib Park terrain park over the summer; they have quite a crew of helpers that have been active constructing equipment for the park. We look forward to seeing the improvements they have created and the plans they have for the future I am sure will please all boarders and jibbers alike.
Keep an eye on the sky, the snow is coming.
Chris Burr. |
Upcoming Events…
Sunday 24 June- staff training day - volunteer operators or ski patrollers, 10am Manganui Lodge
Sat-Sun 14-15 July
NZMSC Basic Snowcraft course - Tahurangi Lodge, North Egmont
Saturday 21 July - Taranaki Surf 'n Snow Classic 2007...
...check out our events page for info
Fri-Sat 03-04 August
NZ Mtn Safety Council Avalanche Awareness Course
3 August - Lecture/Seminar - Fitzroy Yacht Club,
4 August - Field Day - Manganui Ski Area |
WHAT THE SMC COMMITTEE IS UP TO…
The SMC committee is currently working on…
- Getting the lower field ready for action (Signage/safety fencing and padding, snow mats etc)
- Staff (Paid and Voluntary) training
- Ski Area Safety Plan (SASP) compliance requirements
- Metservice Weatherstation data logging
- Trial of new heaters in the lounge area of the lodge
- SMC Jib Park project further development
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Images of 2006…
Julia Padrutt, fun on the learners tow
Moritz Padrutt
Media & Marketing Contacts
If you have a question regarding marketing or press related issues please contact:
SMC Media/Website
Justin Keenan
webmaster@skitaranaki.co.nz
Contact Us:
ph 06-759 6448 b/h
ph 06 752 7034 a/h
PO Box 3271
New Plymouth
Send Us Your Work
After your visit to Manganui Ski Area, please send us a copy of your finished or any other unused work. Manganui would appreciate any photos, articles, film/video or other media that you have for our own library and files.
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SNIPPETS OF INTEREST
some promotional info sent to SMC...
New Zealand Mountain Safety Council
Basic Snowcraft Course – 14 & 15 July 2007
 Taranaki Branch of the NZ Mountain Safety Council is running a Basic Snowcraft Course on the above date. This course is for anyone that goes or wants to go above the bushline, ie skiers, mountaineers, trampers, hunters, scout leaders, teachers etc. The course includes walking in snow, using an ice axe, step cutting, self arrest, using crampons, an introduction to avalanche transceivers and emergency shelters. The course will also go through gear for above the bushline and weather. The course runs from 8.30am Saturday 14th July through to approx 4pm Sunday 15th July. The cost is $75 which covers Accomodation at Tahurangi Lodge on Mt Egmont/Taranaki on the Saturday night, instruction and the use of Avalanche Transceivers. You will need to supply your own food for the weekend and also hire iceaxe, crampons and helmets if you do not already have them.
For further information or to register please contact Gayle Tricklebank (Administration Officer) on (06)7535021 or email Taranaki@mountainsafety.org.nz
Teaching Aids (from the Czech Republic!)
 Our special ski/snowboard teaching aids for ski schools and ski kindergartens were developed for children ski learning improvement.
We offer movable figures, slalom poles, safety mattresses and mobile fencing. Our teaching aids are attractive diversification during children teaching that light up your ski resort.
(they light up alright!)
(have a good look at these images - they look doctored to me!)
Our products are very popular in whole Europe and you can find them in prestigious ski resort.
(English a 2nd language?)
Material specification:
- durability
- colour constancy and variability
- soft and safety material
- 100% waterproof
- temperature and UV stability
- very light
Certificate in Ski Patrol
Ever wanted to get into ski patrolling?
The Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre (OPC) is
running an exciting new 12-week intensive course (commences
25 June) designed for people serious about a career on the
ski fields and working for Ski Patrol.
After successfully completing this course you will receive
an OPC Certificate in Ski Patrol and be credited with Unit Standards towards the National Certificate in Snowsport (Patrol), level 3. To get on the programme you will need to be 18yrs or over, have a high level of skiing/snowboarding, maturity, professional attitude, good communication skills, good level of physical fitness, basic First Aid Certificate, and your own basic equipment.
Participants will have the opportunity to:
Improve their personal skill levels through intensive instruction in:
First Aid
Mountain craft
Avalanche hazard management
Alpine weather
Skiing/Boarding
Explosives
Rescue techniques
Undertake courses of instruction in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care, risk management, mountain weather, Avalanche Safety Management Level One, amongst others.
Develop patrol skills by observing and working alongside Whakapapa Ski Patrollers. This will include general ski area safety management, responding to call outs, avalanche management and control work, and ski patrol training.
Learn specific skills needed to become an effective patroller, such as responding to medical emergencies, toboggan handling, rope work and abseiling, cliff face rescue, chairlift evacuation, and radio communication protocols.
Take part in activities with staff, who are high performers, with extensive experience in their pursuits.
Email OPC at opc@opc.org.nz for an application form,
or ring 07 386 5511.
(you better be quick - course starts this Monday!)
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Easter 2007 - the Moon above Ardies ridge and main lodge (it’s not as flash as SMC’s!)
Mt. Hutt from my bedroom window
Heading for the ‘Goods”
Advertising/Sponsorship with SMC
SMC is always open to and interested in advertising or sponsorship from companies, organizations and clubs for winter and summer opportunities. We appreciate any offers for potential sponsors and are always looking for other organisations, companies and clubs that might make a good fit for SMC and our guests.
If your company, organisation or club is interested in submitting a proposal please feel free to submit it to:
e-mail: advertising@skitaranaki.co.nz
Subject: Advertising/ Sponsorship Proposals |
FEATURE ARTICLE
Keith Plummers' Olympus Odyssey
 As many will know, I work at the Pacific International Hotel Management School, where we get students arriving in batches…about this time last year there was a ‘gap’ in the student intake which meant that I have no students in my courses for July, August and September of this year…what to do?
Early April surfing Stent, and Heather Dent happened to mention to Ben that Olympus were looking for a manger this winter – my ears pricked up and a week later I am on the plane to Christchurch for a working bee over Easter at Mt Olympus. A spectacular sunny weekend was spent doing much the same as SMC does over a weekend of work, fix this, dig that, hike there, then drink a few beers. I could see already why the locals call it “Olympus - playground of the gods”. There were also many similarities in the people you meet at other club’s……a president, a mechanical guru, an electrician with too much to fix, even an Aussie guy giving everyone some advice! It was good to pick up their book of the history of the Winwhistle Winter sports club (try saying that with a mouth full of potatoe chips), telling of the days in the late 1920’s and the progress up the Ryton valley to the present site of the tows and lodge.
The lodges, Mt Hutt and the Rakaia valley from the top of the lifts.
I must say that Craigeburn is always my first choice (when in Canterbury), for lift accessed terrain, but for fresh lines and no crowds (100 people is their busiest day ever) the 15-20 minute hikes off the top lift at Olympus are rumoured to be the best around. Most locals own (and use) skins, transceivers, shovels and probes.
Olympus Bottom hut – built by the early pioneers of ‘The Windwhistle winter sports club”
Many of you will have already been there and you will be welcome back for some awesome skiing/riding.
If you haven't, then consider getting off the beaten track and come up and see us this winter at Mt. Olympus. I’ll post a few pics and updates as the season unfolds.
You have a couple of options, either fully catered in the lodge (between the two tows at 1600m) or go rustic, bring your own food and stay in the bottom hut for $20 a night, 5 minutes drive from the bottom tow (ski/ride to it mid winter).
Ardies ridge is its full winter splendour - Oh yeah!
Check out http://www.mtolympus.co.nz/
Keith Plummer |
5 Day Snow Forecast
