“More often than not, our roading crews are dealing with slips rather than snow. This means there isn’t that much specialist equipment so they’re working with what they have to get the road open.”
Needs said he’s unsure if the snow is here to stay, so encourages everyone to enjoy it while it’s there.
“It’s just like surfing. If the waves are good today, you don’t say you’re going tomorrow, you just get up and go. It’s the same with snow, once it starts to snow, you have to go. Employers, if you have a skier or snowboarder in your ranks – just let them go.”
Needs said he understood the urgency to get to the snow before it melts away, with roading crews working quickly and efficiently to open the road from Pembroke Rd to the Plateau carpark.
“It was disappointing to hear some people were giving the roading crews pressure to work faster. They do the best they can and I think they done an excellent job opening it up for everyone.”
A Facebook post on the Stratford District Council Facebook page said the locked gate at the Manaia Rd entrance to the mountain had been cut open.
“We close these roads for your safety, and for someone to take it upon themselves to remove that safety barrier is idiotic... While we’re on the subject of stupid behaviour, we’ve been made aware of people harassing our roading team while they work hard to get Pembroke Rd open for snow access. Being rude to people will not make the process any quicker.”
A post on the council’s Antenno App at 4pm on Wednesday said both the Pembroke Rd to Plateau carpark and Manaia Rd entrances were open.
“Please drive safely, be patient, be kind and have fun.”
The roads are open again this morning, and the Stratford Mountain Club said the skifield was open.
In a post on the Stratford Mountain Club Facebook page, the club said the snow had held up well overnight, but there was no new snow.
“This morning is likely to be the best conditions of the day and today is probably going to be our last T Bar operating day on this batch of snow.”
