Whakapapa Weather Forecasting Team 

The Team

 

Steve McGill, Area Manager, Whakapapa Ski Area

Steve has worked at Mt Ruapehu for more than 25 years. He started out in 1979 working a season at Whakapapa as a liftie after a friend told him how much fun it was. That was his first experience of snow and he was hooked right away. In 1982 he was back working full time in maintenance and lifts and later moved on to run the maintenance department before becoming Operations Manager in the late 90s and Area Manager in 2003.

Steve's lived in Whakapapa Village for much of the time that he's worked on the mountain and has raised two children there who, now in their teens, are both on the Ruapehu Freestyle Team.

Weather affects many of the decisions Steve needs to make as Area Manager on a daily basis. He's checks weather maps every morning and then several times throughout the day to help with his planning.

Steve Manunui (Youngman), Operations Manager, Whakapapa Ski Area

Steve was brought up in Taumaranui and has lived and worked in the Ruapehu region most of his life. He started work on the mountain 20 years ago as a liftie for a holiday job. He's since worked in grooming, snowmaking, maintenance, running the lift crew, field operations and is now Operations Manager.

Steve's been involved in doing the morning Snow Reports for the last seven years at Whakapapa. He daily oversees whether the ski area opens, which lifts can be run and what the weather conditions are like around the ski area. He checks the weather maps at least two or three times every day.

Having worked at ski areas in Australia, Japan, California, Switzerland and at Whistler, Steve says it's the mana of Ruapehu that keeps him here. "It has something special, a presence, a power about it and that, along with the friends that you make up here and the family environment, makes it an awesome place to be."

Andy Hoyle, Safety Services Manager, Whakapapa Ski Area

Andy started working in the ski industry 10 years ago in Canada as a garbage man and says he's "gradually moved sideways into ski patrolling". His first season at Whakapapa was in 2001 and he's been here ever since.

His family includes his wife, Lisa, 18 month old son, Tarn, and black labrador, Jet (who is a trained avalanche rescue dog and a member of the AMI Icepack). They all love Mt Ruapehu, the surrounding area and, most importantly, the people who are attracted to this place.

Weather obviously has a huge influence on the daily decisions that Andy needs to make in his job. He's regularly checking weather maps throughout the day and in discussion with the other members of the forecasting team to help in his planning.