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Round Hill's proposed rope tow
A couple of people have mentioned it here already but I thought it deserved a bit more attention due to the ambitious nature of the proposed new nutcracker rope tow that Round Hill are hoping to have in for next year. With 600m vertical it will be the longest and steepest rope tow in the world, plus I am pretty sure it will be the greatest vertical rise of any lift in NZ.
For comparison:
Shadow Basin @ Remarkables = 321m vertical
Quad @ Coronet Peak = 412m vertical
Summit 6 @ Mt Hutt = 462m vertical
6 seater @Treble Cone = 500m vertical
And for those North Islanders 600m vertical is just shy of the rise from Whakapapa base area to the top of the Knoll ridge T-bar.
The terrain and mountain means it would be impossible to put in a chairlift and any T-Bar would be pretty sketchy and sore for a trip that long. A high speed rope tow is the perfect lift for the location. And if the rope tow tops out close to the Richmond ridge it will give Round Hill the greatest vertical rise of any ski are in NZ.
I will say that again. Next year, the ski area with the greatest vertical rise in NZ could be Round Hill.
I hiked to the ridge a month or so ago, the climb was about 1.5 hours in sloppy spring conditions. For an idea of what the view and ride down was like see the following video:
YOUTUBE [youtube.com]
I congratulate Round Hill for their bold proposal and really hope it goes ahead. With this and Porters proposed expansion into Crystal Valley it is great to see these smaller commercial areas making the biggest expansion plans, rather than just replacing old lifts with new lifts or base building renovation.
what about a high speed platter? Seen a few in austria going up steep slopes..quite comfortable to ride too.
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so what is the vertical rise from bottom to proposed top then? turoa is 722 m i believe.
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Round Hill base is 1350m, Richmond ridge is a bit over 2100m. Looking at the snowpack you couldn't put the bottom of the rope at the base area, it would have to be half way up to T-bar, so for it to be 600m vertical puts the top very near the ridge. Which gives the ski area 750m total vertical.
Every platter I have ever ridden has been hell on the inner thighs, I think they are the most uncomfortable of all lifts. Sitting in a harness holding a nutcracker shut is far easier.
screw platters, they are terrible on snowboards, but ts are fine. Ts are great for getting and the snow fast, just many people hate them.
i dont find them a problem..impreza do u hold onto them with your arms or put between your legs?
i found the platters in austria heaps more comfortable than the french t bars on a board.
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well as long as they put it on the front side, then it should be alright.
skea that video looks interesting but appears to me the terrain is very boring and flat
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last time I used a platter it was between my legs and the tend to pull out and take lots of effort while ts are effortless.
each to their own
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Ts and platters require more stable bedrock to anchor the towers so they would be impossible to install on that part of the mountain. Rope tows are much easier to install on unstable scree and and are more comfortable to use and run waaay faster than T bars or platters. Rope tows are great for getting you into places no other lift system can reach.
In terms of terrain it is pretty much a big open face, there is a bit of a gully going most of the way down but nothing you would call technical terrain. Pretty similar to Big Mama - long and fairly steep but nothing tricky.
I agree - great work by Roundhill, they are a great wee operation. Yeah its funny, I have frothed over that face a couple of times when its fully loaded - looks amazing - massive area. Its only when you see someone hiking it that you notice just how big it is. Good park and a huge new area? That will put them up there with several other fields
I've never felt the need to visit until now.
Yeah, it sounds awesome. The roundhill crew are showing themselves to be really good operators.
They transform a ski area that has been closed for a decade with snowmaking so they offer some of the best learners slopes in the country; add a great terrain park for the jibbers and then plan to add some substantial advanced terrain and a bucketload of vertical.
The rumour I heard was that they were planning on putting their rope tow straight up the fall-line (which sounds dangerous and pretty unconventional) so hopefully I heard wrong on that one.
There aren't that many choices of where to locate the lift, but straight up the fall line seems to be the option for the most consistent snow. The ridge would be the only other option but it might require snow fences the entire length of the tow to catch enough snow and keep the tow line viable.
What do you mean about it being unconventional and dangerous? Dangerous to ride or the risk of avalanche damage to the lift? Nutcrackers are good in that the towers are designed to snap when hit by an avalanche and they can be replaced by hand in a matter of hours.
If you look around at rope tows around the clubs, only ones on gentle slopes tend to go up the fall line; this way if you fall off the tow you fall away from it. Some of the tows have small sections of fall line but mostly they go across the fall line by a little bit.
Imagine falling off near the top of a 1.5km rope tow that is about as steep as the steep section on T2 at Porters - if it is a firm day and the tow is straight up the fall line you will potentially hit your head on 25 standards on your way to the bottom.
True, but only the first one will hurt 
But it doesn't take much camber to spit you out to the side of the track. I guess if the conditions are so icy you are going to slide 1.5km it really won't make much difference if you hit the towers or not. Other nutcrackers which more or less follow the fall line are the Terako rope at Lyford and Downhill at Temple and I haven't really heard of any problems with them.
Patrol would be closing a slope like that if it was slick enough to slide top to bottom. 600m of friction burns. Ow!
hmmm whitesmoke raises a valid point: We did have a couple of incidents this season at Downhill tow this season with people sliding dow the tow line. One person hit their leg on a pole and had to be choppered out.
But as skea_457 said, you could simply change the angle of the tow by as little as a couple of degrees and people would slide away from the tow.
The thing that concerns me about the tow is how long it'd take to get from the bottom to the top. I just spent a season on ropetows and even now at season's end, if I'm a little tired or haven't had enough to eat then I sometimes struggle to hold the nutcracker closed all the way - and that's just on regular tows. I imagine that holding a nutcracker closed for 1.5km (which would take how long? 10min?) would be pretty exhausting and painful!
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The only way to beat the crowds is with a club.
PS/ Would they have midway rest stops part way up the tow so that you didn't have to ride it all at once, or could ski only part of the tow at a time, like the access/rugby tow at BR?
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The only way to beat the crowds is with a club.
Yeah; from what I've seen, by far the most serious accidents from rope tows come from people sliding into the standards, as skea says the angle of the tow can make a big difference.
Sounds like a wicked tow, can't wait to check it out.
It will certainly be an interesting feat of engineering, my guesstimate is that it is triple the length of Downhill tow (who wants to carry the ropes up?)
There is no obvious place for any mid loading station, but nothing stopping you if you have the techniques to get on from a slope.
(who wants to carry the ropes up?)
haha I hadn't even though of that! That'd take 50 people the better part of a day to carry, jeez! Roundhill are a commercial field, right? How would they manage without a pool of clubbie volunteers to draw upon?
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The only way to beat the crowds is with a club.
by using a helicopter
Yeah, or by using a lightweight pilot rope.
I see on the Round Hill web site the lift is being built now!! Roundhill.co.nz [roundhill.co.nz]
I will definitely visit there this year. That face seems to be one of the few westerly aspects in the Central Otago areas
was wondering what the update was....
Never resisting to plug this field, Go to Roundhill!!! its a freaking epic wee club field that have a great little park, a good atmosphere and superb scenery to boot. The rope tow setup is on the right ridge on the two thumb range and every time i've been there have dreamt about dropping that terrain - its pretty sweet looking. Support em crew - they are one of the few that are really putting effort in, the park and now this tow rope.
meh ... wheres the 6 seater
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If you don't like my fire don't come around.
Ya can keep 6 seaters and queues.
Awesome. I'm so stoked this is actually happening.
anyone know if it left or right side loading?
I'm guessing left so all good for me 
can't wait to hook into it this winter.
Looks pretty bloody epic to me!
Yearghhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!
thats fantastic. On a related note, Chill had a comp last month asking what field put up the new rope tow this year. I won me a new nutcracker and glove protector.
Go me.
Looks like round hill will be on the trip list for this year.
Now if only other fields took round hills lead and opened up some more terrain.
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Shit happens.
^ Yeah more terrain please! All of these 'improvements' in mountain restaurants, snowmaking and replacing lifts with other lifts in the same location doesn't mean squat to me. Give me more terrain!
amen to that boys. can never have too much terrain
This could be worth a mission eh.
Roundhill won't be the only ski area in the region to be opening new terrain in in the next few years. That's all I'm saying.
nasty splodge. still cardies opening new stuff this year,splodges secret developments and porters hopefully starting work in the next 2-3 years things are looking up.
Originally posted by: skea_457
^ Yeah more terrain please! All of these 'improvements' in mountain restaurants, snowmaking and replacing lifts with other lifts in the same location doesn't mean squat to me. Give me more terrain!
tell me about it. That cafe at cp was not really needed nor was the beginner express. The money would have gone better sticking a lift down the other side.
I guess there is the issue of what they can do without requiring resource consent though.
Impreza, have you ever even looked over the other side of Corronet peak? They'd be better off upgrading lifts at Remarks or going into Doolands.
Spoldge, so whats these secert developments?
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Shit happens.
remarks,TC,cardies,Hutt,Porters,cheeseman,lyford,dobson,ohau. you name it just about all the SI hills have great terrain either side they should be looking to utilise. TC has an area the size of the current field within its boundaries but accessed through "backcountry gates".
yeah but they seem more interested in selling coffee. There is so much awesome looking terrain everywhere but if you go down for the awesome run you will be walking out.
@ brad yes I have looked down there and looks be be some great stuff down there but probably often short on snow cover.
Originally posted by: brighton_pumps
remarks,TC,cardies,Hutt,Porters,cheeseman,lyford,dobson,ohau. you name it just about all the SI hills have great terrain either side they should be looking to utilise. TC has an area the size of the current field within its boundaries but accessed through "backcountry gates".
Hike and ye shal be rewarded. Only a tiny fraction of the Southern Alps are within any ski area but there are some surprisingly easy to access routes and lines here. I only recently found out it is possible to ski tour from Fox Peak to Round Hill and vice versa. And with a bit of traversing and hiking from another South Island ski area you can take this line back down to the car park:
maybe the BR carpark?
looks like it. you'd want someone to show you the way through there first!
good heliski practise
*edited 26 Apr 2010 11:26
Most people that go heliskiing won't get taken through terrain like that, not the first time you go at least.
That is an absolute stonker of a line though! There are many lines like that to be had at remarks - gotta climb out though.
impreza I spend a lot of time at CP, and I don't have a problem with the cafe eh. It does exactly what it was designed to do, and does it very well. A lift up rocky gully to the ridge would improve cp a lot imo, even if they just extended the T.
Not overly stoked on the cardies expansion, it's mainly to satisfy the lycra crowd, and will need serious snowmaking to be viable all season.
I'd be expecting to hear some major news from Remarks in the near future though, the potential there is huge, and CP is about as developed as it could get.
But yea the southern alps are HUGE, and the ski areas are only the tip of the ice berg as far as terrain goes. If you want serious big steep and deep then get ya hike/skin on. I know a few ski mountaineering types who have been skiing in NZ for years without ever visiting a skifield, that is rad.
And yes, think a trip to Roundhill will be on the cards. Sounds like the BC options from the top of that rope tow will be insane.
shame these hills arent more accessible and snowmobiles are a nogo here
A lot of them are quite accessible, and there is a fair bit of sled-able country around. The bigger problem is actually getting sleds in NZ, there are a few people with them though. Small crew in qtown, pretty low key, about the only time you hear of them is when they sell off old machines.
I don't really think it's too much of a problem that snow mobiles are a rarity, keeps the lazy bastards away I guess!
*edited 26 Apr 2010 12:56
unless you go via a skifield there arent too many carparks near the snowline that i can think of in canterbury? we had a hell of a time accessing the snw preseason last year without a 2hour hike to the snowline.sure aint usa where you pull to the side of the interstate and your already at the base of the peak
lets not forget bootpacking kneedeep pow is always a great time
Move to Southland then man. The options straight off the Milford Road are, well, insane. Plenty of other spots with real decent walking tracks that get you to the snowline pretty easily. The Eyres, Takis, good road access from the Borland Road too, actually it's real good in there.
All through the central otago block ranges there are old roads you can take to some epic kicker spots, within an hours drive of Dunedin even. 4WD helps but my dirty old car has done the mission without a hitch. You can even take the Gondola from downtown Queenstown for a pretty straight forward mission to Bowen Peak. There are a lot of options out there eh. The Nevis Road is another goody, have had some good times up there, easy driving in.
Canterbury is FULL of decent backcountry options... get some maps and explore, get in touch with the high country stations about access and stuff.
There's actually a pretty decent guidebook out for NZ backcountry skiing (and boarding) now, available through the Alpine club.
No it's not like the U.S, or Norway, but the options are out there.
Have a look into some of the stuff the winter climbing crew achieve in NZ if you feel like boot packing is a bit too tough for ya, will put things in perspective! Then get some snow shoes, MSR are the better brand to go for. I used some Tubbs ones in Norway, they were rubbish, opted to bootpack 800 vert rather than muck around with those things. Needless to say, the skiers I was with shouted me a few beers at the end of the day.
Mellow BC in Norway - hiked and rode Nibbi, the peak on the right.
Barrier knob, pretty easily accessed from the Milford Road (just before the Homer Tunnel). This was taken on December 28 last year, should really have taken my board up - you can't quite see it from this pic but there was a very ride able line all the way down to ~1200 m. In winter, this area gets absolutely loaded.
Bowen Peak bowl in the shade. Easily accessed following the ridge up from the Gondola.
Bit more of an effort to get in here. Easy pickings if you are on Tele/AT/Splitboard set up... this pic was taken first weekend of October 2009.
It's out there man, get amongst it!
that bowen peak pic, do you hike out through the forest at the bottom?
Yea man apparently it's pretty straightforward to cruise out through the pine forest across to the gondola, as there is usually a lot less snow in there! That would be after the last run for the day though! I haven't done it yet, it's on the list for this year. Although since I'm a tight arse we will probably just hike up from town.
Originally posted by: southernthrash
*edited 26 Apr 2010 11:26
Most people that go heliskiing won't get taken through terrain like that, not the first time you go at least.
That is an absolute stonker of a line though! There are many lines like that to be had at remarks - gotta climb out though.
impreza I spend a lot of time at CP, and I don't have a problem with the cafe eh. It does exactly what it was designed to do, and does it very well. A lift up rocky gully to the ridge would improve cp a lot imo, even if they just extended the T.
Not overly stoked on the cardies expansion, it's mainly to satisfy the lycra crowd, and will need serious snowmaking to be viable all season.
I'd be expecting to hear some major news from Remarks in the near future though, the potential there is huge, and CP is about as developed as it could get.
But yea the southern alps are HUGE, and the ski areas are only the tip of the ice berg as far as terrain goes. If you want serious big steep and deep then get ya hike/skin on. I know a few ski mountaineering types who have been skiing in NZ for years without ever visiting a skifield, that is rad.
And yes, think a trip to Roundhill will be on the cards. Sounds like the BC options from the top of that rope tow will be insane.
There is nothing wrong with the cafe but it was money that would have gone betting into lifts. Like a new lift over at the remarks which has heaps of awesome terrain but most requires lots of time to get out. Really cp and cardies don't have much left but tc has so awesome terrain that no lift access. A lift up the opposite side of the saddle as well as outside the fence would be awesome. What happened to that tbar? they should put it in somewhere.
also dont forget overzealous ski patrols used to dealing with your average kiwi gapers often try to shut down the sidecountry
looking forward to see the new rope tow.
have a look at the new roundhill film.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXv0mii16R4&feature=player_embedded# [youtube.com]!
There are pics of all the towers in place on the roundhill website gallery. Holy hell that is a lot of towers! And looking at the camber I am guessing it is running anti-clockwise, so all you regular stance snowboarders are going to have to learn to ride with the rope behind you!
sweet justice. 