Bid for consent to shift Mt Ruapehu lift

The skiing at Turoa on Mount Ruapehu will get even better if a $2 million plan to move and extend a ski lift gets consent, Ruapehu Alpine Lifts general manager Dave Mazey said.

Ruapehu Alpine Lifts (RAL) brings an extra $100 million into the Ruapehu District economy every ski season.

RAL has applied for consent to move Turoa's entire High Flyer chair lift. It's a change that has been discussed for at least 10 years.

The move would have the lift starting lower down on the mountain at a place called the south east basin. Its top terminal would be at Blythe's Flat, and it would be about 15 per cent longer than it is now.

Moving the lift would open up new terrain which is within the Turoa skifield's existing 500ha area. Its present location uses terrain also serviced by the High Noon Express Lift built in 2007.

Moving it would also link with skiers using the triangle slopes on the eastern side of the mountain. At present they have to make a long traverse westward after using them. During the early and late season there was sometimes not enough snow to easily get across.

The new arrangement would give skiers more downhill alpine skiing time, both for the mountain area and the runs on the eastern side which are outside the ski area, Mr Mazey said.

"It will make that far more attractive and enjoyable."

The move was first discussed with authorities in 2001. RAL has applied to the Conservation Department to make the change, and has also applied to Ruapehu District Council for resource consent to move the lift.

The consent was publicly notified last week. Members of the public now have three weeks to make submissions.

"The majority of groups and individuals are very supportive," Mr Mazey said.

The last bursts of stormy weather had added to the mountain's snow cover, and he expected this year's ski season to last until the end of October.

"It's been a very, very good year for natural snow."