Tūroa ski field's highest chair lift back in action for new season

The exciting announcement about the High Noon express chairlift's recovery was made on the Mt Ruapehu, Whakapapa & Tūroa Ski Areas Facebook page. Photo / Facebook

Tūroa ski field's highest and fastest ski lift is back up, running and ready to go for the new season.

The exciting announcement about the High Noon express chairlift's recovery was made on the Mt Ruapehu, Whakapapa & Tūroa Ski Areas Facebook page.

"We're pleased to announce that after a great effort between lift manufacturers and core maintenance staff, The High Noon express chairlift at Tūroa is ready to go!," they wrote in a post.

"Having completed the haul rope splice during the season, the Doppelmayr NZ crew recently installed a brand new Tower #15 and remaining repairs to tower #14.

"We're Looking forward to an EPIC season at Tūroa and will be celebrating our 40th winter!"

We're pleased to announce that after a great effort between lift manufacturers and core maintenance staff, The High Noon...

Posted by Mt Ruapehu, Whakapapa & Tūroa Ski Areas on Thursday, 21 March 2019

Last year in August, the chairlift suffered serious damage after a man-made avalanche smashed into the lift causing it to be closed for the rest of the season.

The avalanche, triggered by explosives used as part of a daily routine to clear the mountain of dangerous snow packs, wiped out the High Noon chairlift.

In a previous statement, Ruapehu Alpine Lifts chief Ross Copland said the haul ropes on the High Noon Express were unsafe to operate.

A snow groomer clears snow at the High Noon Express chairlift.

"A detailed report by wire rope experts has been peer-reviewed by both the rope and lift manufacturer. Regrettably, RAL has been advised that the haul rope is unsafe to operate," he said.

In a video posted on Facebook, Copland said the lift was inspected by a specialist who did a "full scan".

"I'm really sorry to say the news is not good."

The damage meant about 200m of specially made rope needed replacing. That rope would have to be flown out from European manufacturers which could not occur before the end of winter.

"Unfortunately guys that is the end of the High Noon Express for winter. What I can say, if there's any good news in this, is it's still snowing pretty hard. We've had 25 to 30cm in the last 24 hours and we're setting up for a pretty good spring."

No one was injured during the incident.