Weather stymies Ruapehu skifield opening

The operator of Ruapehu's skifields is hoping a bumper season will allow it to recoup a $5 million summer spend-up on snowmakers.

But instead of counting opening-day customers as intended yesterday, Ruapehu Alpine Lifts (RAL) was counting losses, as high winds and lack of snow closed Whakapapa and Turoa skifields.

Warm weather and rain this month had already forced RAL to delay Whakapapa's opening until next Friday, while Turoa was to have opened yesterday.

RAL general manager Dave Mazey said it was not the ideal start as the company enters its second year of running the Whakapapa and Turoa fields as a combined company.

RAL had "pumped $5 million capital back into the mountain" during the summer and was hoping it would pay off by the season's end, Mazey said.

"We are pretty hopeful that's going to drive - even in an equivalent snow year to last year - growth in business," he said.

Last season RAL fell $1 million short of profit targets and was forced to go to the bank for a loan to buy new snowmaking equipment for Whakapapa.

Mazey said the delays at this stage of the season were "not critical".

There were only about 2000 skiers on the mountain at this time of the year, compared with 10,000 in late July and August, and good snowfall is forecast for the coming week.

Despite the unfavourable weather, there were positive signs going into the season, with sales of pre-season passes in April up 5 per cent on last year to just under 20,000, despite a 12 per cent price price hike, from $249 to $279.

The snowmaking equipment has led RAL to project slightly more than the 420,000 ski days it aimed for last year, when it reached 382,000.

Turoa had a near record season in terms of skier numbers last year.

Favourable weather during July will be key to the two fields' financial success, with large numbers of Australian skiers booked to arrive late in the month.

Ruapehu's lack of snow is especially hard for RAL to take after big snowfalls in the South Island allowed The Remarkables to open a week ahead of schedule, while Coronet Peak and Mt Hutt opened this week.

- NZPA