19-10-2022, 12:34 PM
(19-10-2022, 10:13 AM)harm_less Wrote: Maunganui (private) skifield on Egmont only got a single day of skiing in this season (a week or two back) which isn't surprising considering the general warming that climate change is bringing. I spent my youth mountaineering on Egmont (50+ summits) and the annual lodge birthday on Queen's Birthday was always a lottery as to whether a 4WD was able to get to the lodge at 5,000' in early June. Often not possible but I've watched this trend away in the past decades with 4WD access being possible almost continuously right through the winter just gone.
Ruapehu has better snowfall reliability but as CC worsens it will become increasingly marginal and any ongoing investment in skiing infrastructure must be wary of this.
The other effect of low snowfall is that it provides meltwater which goes towards New Plymouth's water supply. If this summer warms up I'm forecasting problems that will likely result in municipal water restrictions.
I remember being snowed in at the uni hut on Ruapehu back in the 70s. It was fabulous fun...