Progress Well Underway on High Noon Express

Posted on 18 June 2010 at 01:05 PM

Progress on the repairs to the High Noon Express at Turoa is looking great with the completed lift looking to be ready for use in about 3 - 4 weeks. A helicopter has been out this morning working on the removal of the original Tower 9. The replacement tower segments are currently under construction with an engineering firm near Wellington and will be delivered to us after galvanization and painting in about two weeks.

The ability to build the replacement tower in the country and in slightly smaller sections will provide the option for the tower to be assembled by a smaller helicopter than the heavy lift machinery used in the original construction, should the heavy lift equipment not be available.

The lift will be re-inspected top to bottom by both the crew at Doppelmayr, SGS a NZ certified inspection body for passenger ropeways and a new lift certification achieved before operation for the public. The force the single tower experienced when ice released from the ropeway was many times greater than any static or operational load with all chairs filled and running.

We are working towards having the Movenpick and High Flyer operational for Sunday the 20th of June for those who are looking for a little more terrain than our currently operational Sunkid Carpet on the Alpine Meadow. We are optimistic on opening additional upper mountain facilities through the week with the snow forecast on Monday & Tuesday. The Rip Curl Terrain Park Crew have set up a Mini Mother Terrain Park for those keen to practice their park skills after a summer break and the Alpine Café is serving up a great menu with some of the best breakfasts ever tasted!

Whakapapa is looking wonderfully white and staff is working towards the opening of facilities on the 26th.

Come on up and visit us, we can’t wait to see you up here soon!