High speed gondola planned for skifield

Tuesday, 13 February 2018

An artist's impression shows the gondola that is proposed for Whakapapa Skifield on Mt Ruapehu. The gondola could be finished in time for the 2018 ski season.

A $25m gondola should be up and running in Whakapapa Skifield next year if funding is secured.

Skifield operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts (RAL) is describing the project as the largest and most technically advanced gondola in New Zealand.

It will travel 1.8km from Whakapapa's Base Area (1,630 metres) to the Knoll Ridge Cafe (2,020m), taking just 5 minutes at full speed.

RAL chief executive Ross Copland said the project would bring 300,000 visitors annually over three years increasing spending in the region by $50million.

It would create an extra 137 full-time jobs at Whakapapa in the restaurants, maintenance, sales, retail and transport teams.

'The impact on the region is amazing. It's quite dramatic and it's exciting news,' Copland said.

He said the capital raising was progressing well and they were working hard to align financing, consents and design into the critical time window required to complete the project for the 2019 ski season.

The gondola will have 50 wheelchair accessibility cabins. Each cabin could hold 10 passengers with a two metre height clearance. They will be fitted with internal ski racks, leather seats and wi-fi. It replaces the 30-year-old Waterfall Express chairlift, New Zealand's first high speed detachable chairlift.

RAL secured a Tourism Growth Partnership grant in 2017 to complete a feasibility study which led to an application for economic development funding to support the project in July 2017.

'One of our aims is to make Mt Ruapehu accessible for all, some of whom don't ski but want to see the views and experience of being on the highest mountain in the North Island.

'It will open up the mountain to less physically able visitors to enjoy the mountain air and views all year round.'

The gondola would also allow the skifield to be open on more days, because of better protection from the elements.

'The gondola will be a revolution for skiers with fewer closed days, improved performance on windy days and a blistering fast trip travelling at six metres per second,' Copland said.

RAL has already invested $22million over the past 18 months with an additional $25 million been spent at its Turoa Skifield over 11-years.

Construction was expected to start in Spring.