Council contractors contemplate the clearing of a rock fall
at the Glendhu Bluffs, near Wanaka. Photos by Matthew
Haggart.
A rock fall beside Lake Wanaka yesterday may have been
caused by the shockwave from the Christchurch earthquake.
More than 350cu m of rock and debris blocked road access to
the Matukituki Valley and the main Wanaka road through to
Mount Aspiring National Park, yesterday morning.
The fall was discovered by a staff member of Treble Cone
skifield about 5.30am, when the groomer operator travelled in
to begin work, a council contractor said.
An earthmoving digger and loader were called in to clear the
road of debris, after the bluff rock face had been surveyed
by contractors.
A helicopter and monsoon bucket were also employed to drop
water on to overhanging slabs of rock at the site, which
contractors initially believed might have been unstable.
A digger clears debris from the fall, which cut access to
the Matukituki Valley and Treble Cone skifield yesterday
morning.
Queenstown Lakes District Council engineering contractor
manager Stafford Whitfield said a geotechnical engineer would
be brought in to assess the site.
"[The rock fall] could have potentially been caused by the
Christchurch earthquake, but we are also talking about a
fragile geotechnical area at those bluffs," he said.
Treble Cone skifield could not open yesterday morning because
the blocked road cut access for staff and visitors,
operations manager Rosco Davies said in a recorded phone
message on the skifield's snow report.
Strong, gusty wind and rain showers from a northwest frontal
system swept across the Upper Clutha yesterday morning.
The weather and gale-force wind also shut down the skifields
of Cardrona Alpine Resort and Snow Park NZ. Pisa Range nordic
skiing facility Snow Farm opened, despite 40kmh winds.
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