NZSki tells ski tourers rules are rules

A ski tourer on Coronet Peak. Photo by Guillaume Charton.
A ski tourer on Coronet Peak. Photo by Guillaume Charton.
A public meeting has improved ski tourers' awareness of night-time safety rules at Coronet Peak.

That much is agreed by the meeting's organiser, Erik Bradshaw, and skifield operator NZSki.

But a difference of opinion remains over the scope for those rules to be softened in the future.

Mr Bradshaw said the May 25 meeting had built on efforts by both parties in the past few years to improve mutual understanding.

The Federated Mountain Clubs national executive member said NZSki's stance on health and safety had to be respected, but he believed access to the mountain would improve if skiers built up a track record of responsibility.

"I would ultimately like it to be more of a compromise. There is an element of people feeling that NZSki are laying down the law and it's either like it or lump it.''

"But we've got to prove that as a group, we can adhere to a set of rules and that we understand their health and safety concerns.''

If ski tourers became more organised as a group, they would become more effective at lobbying for better access to Coronet Peak and other alpine areas, he said.

But Coronet Peak manager Ross Copland said slackening safety guidelines was "not a realistic expectation''.

Ski touring was not allowed between 6pm and 6am, when staff were grooming and snowmaking.

"I can't see how anyone could make a reasonable argument for why they need to go ski touring in pitch black in a dangerous workplace, and why we should ever consider allowing that.''

Mr Copland said the meeting had been a good opportunity to reiterate its safety rules, and the relationship between NZSki and ski tourers was improving.

His staff would continue to deal with access issues on a case-by-case basis, ranging from a "friendly chat'' with visitors unaware of the guidelines to a preparedness to trespass serial offenders.

Such extreme action had been necessary only once, 12 months ago, when two people refused to leave an area where dangerous operations were under way, at night, during heavy snow.

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