A revolving rope can catch gloves, parkas, sweaters and scarves. There is a 20minute walk to the skifield, but a goods lift is available just five minutes along the way. Putting in proper nutcracker tow can be a big operation, but they can serve any slope you like, right up to mile long double black diamond runs which is why they are so popular with small ski fields in australia and new zealand. If you find yourself exploring the club skifields hidden away in nz youll find most of them have the rope tow and nut cracker set ups. Currently 2 nutcracker rope tows, 1 tbar, 1 learners rope tow. Tukino skifield has 3 nutcracker tow rope lifts in operation, plus cat skiing to the top of the field when available. A long poma lift and a rope tow accesses wideopen runs, both groomed and ungroomed. I always say cause i stayed in the rope park cause its the most fun park. Perfect for sewing, binding, whipping and a pile of other uses. Another style is identical to the basic tow rope, but a number of approximately 1 foot metal handles are attached firmly to the rope. Bay engineers supplies can assist with logging rope, crane rope, stainless steel rope, elevator rope or general purpose wire rope.
The shirtfront rope tow accesses groomed intermediate and off piste runs and provides a great access point for the. Contrast to all that is the massive nutcracker tow off to one side of main area with the 700 odd metres of vertical you mentioned. To get off the rope tow just let the nutcracker s top handle go and it will unclamp. The rope tow nutcracker harness reduces the hassle and increases the comfort of rope tows. The concept is simple, your nutcracker is attached to your harness or belt by a. Nonrevolving ski tow rope specifically designed for ski, snowboard and tubing areas with a rope tow. Heritage express rope tow roundhill the heritage express rope tow at roundhill is billed as the worlds fastest rope tow which, for anyone who has ever struggled to ride a nutcracker tow, is a scary concept in itself. The most vertical of any lift in new zealand, at 643m, is a less scary claim, and. There are three lifts a long poma forecast to open during the season, a nutcracker rope tow and the learners area has a fixed grip rope tow. Blue shadow rope tow nutcracker harness home facebook.
The safety systems of nutcracker rope tows in new zealand vary depending on the ski area. Most are simply lift or nutcracker rope tow accessed backcountry terrain with little or no grooming. How to use the nutcracker and other commentary the blackmail. General use tow rope or winch extension strap for offroad use. The rope tow is a unique lift system in new zealand that is used at four of the.
Because every time i latch onto the rope tow im reminded of why ive made skiing such a big part of my life. This system was used on many fields worldwide from the 1940s, and remains popular at club fields, especially in new zealand. Some previous experience using a nutcracker rope tow. Tow prices we have three high speed nutcracker rope tows servicing 350 acres of inbounds terrain and hundreds of acres more slackcountry and backcountry terrain. Mt olympus is served by four highcapacity rope tows. See powderhounds for information on how to ride a nutcracker rope tow in nz, the equipment required and the general etiquette of rope tows. This eliminates the need to hold on to the rope directly. The clubfields of mt olympus, broken river, craigieburn, cheeseman, temple basin and others are easily accessed from canterbury. It is the more affordable option on the volcano with the two nutcracker rope tows and cat skiing pay per cat ride. This wire is then attached to several trip boxes on many of the posts on the way up the tow in even intervals.
The manganui ski field has 3 rope tows and a tbar covering a beginnerintermediate terrain of 59 hectares 145 acres. Harnesses with nutcrackers are available for free in a bin at the bottom of the access tow, however the club recommends bringing your own for maximum comfort. Hold the two handles together from the top knuckles up and remove your other hand from the rope. The natural tendency of ropes to revolve under tension introduces an element of danger in standard lay construction ropes. Simple rope tows used without a nutcracker are limited in distance because they cannot have intermediate supports, and the grade of a rope tow is largely limited by passenger grip strength. The ignition is turned over in the morning and voila, the cable is moving and you hook yourself on. It can take a few tries to master and most people will have the hang of it after half a day. Nutcracker a ski trip made in new zealand duration. This is not a tow to be learning on as the rope moves at the speed of a highspeed chair and there are some bumps in it due to the lack of snow plus all the pulleys. A nutcracker is pretty common in nz for use with rope tows, bill hamilton inventedperfected the specific type we use and its common on club fields. Manganui ski area consists of gentle intermediate runs and open bowls. How to ride a nut cracker rope tow skisnowboard youtube. Jun 05, 2018 if you find yourself exploring the club skifields hidden away in nz youll find most of them have the rope tow and nut cracker set ups.
The harness comes complete with everything ready to go. Broken river 3 main nutcracker rope tows, plus a goods lift to get you up to the lodges 3 and a short walk to get to the bottom tow. We chose to walk up to the palmer lodge, another 15 minutes along a snow path. I drive the rope tows in the ski areas of roundhill, broken river and craigiburn. Good learners area separate to main piste with rope tow and platter lift. Were 15mtrs now 30mtrs for the same price a handy toolbox sized mini reel of italian made waxed b 1. You can stay in the club fields for lift accessed backcountry style patrolled terrain via a nutcracker rope tow or you can take to the skies to find your fresh tracks. Can get overrun with said kids, but otherwise excellent for beginners. First employee webb moffett became the first employee of ski lifts, inc. Loading a nut cracker rope tow at craigieburn new zealand. Nutcracker belts are supplied free as part of your lift pass for the tukino skifield. Manganui is family friendly, with outstanding steep runs for skiers and snowboarders. They have two basic rope tows non nutcracker where we might get a little practice in before hitting the proper nutcracker rope tows. If you havent ridden a rope tow before wed be happy to help you learn, but please arrive the day before your course to get comfortable with this lift system.
The tow at mount baker, located south of the slalom course there, was longer. Getting the snow in new zealand wagner custom skis. This type of ski lift is often referred to as a nutcracker tow. International europejapannzaus new zealand 2019 trip report.
Ps this is the tow where i ran my leg between the pully and the tow rope and got a fing enormous bruise. The nutcracker rope tow at invincible was built in 1996 and is 700m long, giving 300m of vertical lift. Experienced skiing in christchurch canterbury new zealand. There are a few tricks to make it easier and even the seasoned rope tow rider will be looking for ways to improve technique. This wire is then attached to several trip boxes on. Nutcracker rope tows are the standard lift at club fields. Nutcracker ropetows are a common form of lift at nz ski fields, particularly the club fields. The nutcracker grips the rope, rides through the pulleys that keep the rope up. They can go up steep slopes, they can operate in high winds and all sorts of snow conditions, and are selfloading, reducing staff requirements. Yet i couldnt forget about these little fields in new zealand that get a quarter as much snow, have a season half as long, and often require a tough slog to access.
These have been maintained by voluntary labour since then. Broken rivers present rope tows a nutcracker rope tow is a lift, dont say its not date from the 1960s, like most of the club fields present tows. If youre travelling or new to the sport they have on mountain gear rental and lessons for all abilities. Here seth from craigieburn explains an easy way to use them. They can be a little tricky on a board when they ice up and you dont pay attention. The top rope tow has a formidable reputation, rising some 300 metres.
The rope tow is a lift system that can be a little tricky to master, once you do. Jun 06, 2019 broken river 3 main nutcracker rope tows, plus a goods lift to get you up to the lodges 3 and a short walk to get to the bottom tow. Roundhill ski area facilities the ski field facilities and services are somewhat basic, but more than adequate for the essentials. Less work than holding a handle, and you can go faster. To get off the rope tow just let the nutcrackers top handle go and it will unclamp. You do need to be an experienced nutcracker tow user to use this tow as it is pretty fullon. Jun 06, 2019 you do need to be an experienced nutcracker tow user to use this tow as it is pretty fullon. The rope tow nutcracker harness has been developed after years of skiing and snowboarding on canterburys club ski fields. Six of the best backcountry adventures in new zealand. The rope tow is a unique lift system in new zealand that is used at four of the ski selwyn six mountains. Once travelling the same speed as the rope this bit is key, swing the nutcracker under the rope and allow the free handle to loop back towards you. The original lower rope tow was installed in 1946, the first ski tow in new zealand predating. The original lower rope tow was installed in 1946, the first ski tow in new zealand predating coronet peaks tow by a few days.
The legendary nutcracker rope tow is a surface tow unique to new zealand club ski areas, and while taking some technique to master, does have many benefits in speed, capacity and. The second is how the rope moves through a number of big, menacing wheels as your ride up the lift, reading to crunch your fingers. See powderhounds for information on how to ride a nutcracker rope tow. They have two basic rope tows nonnutcracker where we might get a little practice in before hitting the proper nutcracker rope tows. Many tows have a safety trip wire running up the lenght of the tow between the up and downhaul ropes.
This beast of a mountain is accessed via a bush bashing 4wd trail through lower slope forest. Both courses are also available without the 1 day offpiste clinic. Blue shadow rope tow nutcracker harness, rapahoe, new zealand. Jan 19, 2014 the tow at mount baker, located south of the slalom course there, was longer. My buddies will all head to the main lift serviced park and then ill get a phone call abt 10 mins later why i didnt follow them lol. The skiing mt olympus ski in the playground of the gods. We can supply seale wire ropes, filler wire ropes, as well as warrington or warrington seale wire ropes. They are filled with locals, often third generation club skiers, and come with a dose of intrepid and fun adventure. Nutcracker rope tows nz ski fields, club powderhounds. If you have never used a nutcracker before, hanmer springs is a good place to start. Nutcracker rope tow nz gnomes alpine sports gnomes.
A new rope every couple of years, regular replacement of. Building a backyard rope tow ski lift and it works. You have a harness on which goes around your waist, and then a device similar to a nutcracker attached to your harness by a short length of cord. Here, chris explains how to use the nutcracker, the lift system used in the community run ski club fields of nz. Contrast to all that is the massive nutcracker tow off to one side of main area with the 700 odd metres of vertical. They are efficient ways of getting up the hill, and are a level of technology that a club of volunteers can operate, maintain and repair. Which are the oldest skilifts in austrialia and in nz. New zealand offers some killer off piste terrain for the hardy skier and boarder looking for some backcountry snow adventure from heli skiing to ski touring. Taranaki ski holidays in the north island first light travel. New zealand nut cracker archive teton gravity research forums. Harnesses, leather gloves, and glove protectors can be purchased at the lodge if required. Models 650, 651,652, 653, 900, and 1400 tbar lift. It is powered by a ford 5000 tractor, so we start everyone off in a slower 5th gear and then crank her up to 8th as people get to grips with the system.
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