More than 200 injured skiers and snowboarders are transported from the mountains by St John Wanaka staff each year, and a local skifield has returned the favour by raising $15,000 towards a new four-wheel-drive ambulance.
Treble Cone skifield's annual "Thunderboards" charity day on Saturday gave skiers and snowboarders one last chance to take to the mountain, a week after the season closed.
About 400 people did so.
Treble Cone acting managing director Tim Hudson said the amount raised surpassed all expectations.
Mr Hudson started the Thunderboards day in 2003 and the fundraiser had generated between $3000 and $5000, he said.
"We've always wanted to give $10,000, but the numbers were never there."
Thunderboards manager Scott West said skifield staff had volunteered to work on the day, which meant all gate takings could be given to St John.
St John Wanaka manager Barbara Roxburgh said the community-funded organisation wanted to raise $200,000 to replace its 15-year-old Chevrolet ambulance with a 4WD Mercedes Benz.
It hoped to have the new ambulance for the 2010 ski season.
