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. Small but significant, the nutcracker rope tow harness signifies quality and dedication to accessing the outdoors comfortably and with less hassle. Yet, once you dial in the nutcracker way of getting to the top of the hill, massive amounts of backcountry wait. Another style is identical to the basic tow rope, but a number of approximately 1 foot metal handles are attached firmly to the rope. To get off the rope tow just let the nutcrackers top handle go and it will unclamp. Surprisingly affordable bestpractice graphic design, advertising and web development services. The nutcracker royal new zealand ballet christchurch. Currently 2 nutcracker rope tows, 1 tbar, 1 learners rope tow. Christmas comes but once a year, and for lovers of festive tales and seasonal charm, christmas 2018 will be extra special as the royal new zealand ballet stages their first national tour of the nutcracker since 2010. A rope tow s a generous interpretation of what it really is.
The safety systems of nutcracker rope tows in new zealand vary depending on the ski area. Jan 20, 2020 nutcracker male var and coda 19502010s various choreo nycb, abt, bt, kirovmt, pob, sf by navarre brixen. Then attach the nutcracker on the rope by dropping the hinge area of the nutcracker onto the rope and grip the ends of the handles to keep the nutcracker closed. The first blue shadow product was born after years of skiing new zealands unique club ski fields. Nutcracker ropetows nz nutcracker ropetows are typically used at some of the new zealand club fields and some of the smaller commercial ski fields. 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 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 nutcracker imperial russian ballet company nz events. Voted new zealands best ski resort, mt hutt has a 683metre drop, four freestyle parks and 365 hectares waiting to be explored.
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. Nutcracker design is a small golden bay based company established in early 2001 by experienced graphic designer mike howe. Related video with an apt double meaning, the nutcracker is a metal tool resembling a walnut cracker, with a handle and bulb at the top that clamps onto a rope. One of the worlds mostloved ballets, the adventure begins on christmas morning when claras brother, fritz, snatches the nutcracker her beloved nutcracker doll and falls over. Rope tow ski and snowboard harness climbing, skiing, caving gear made in nz. Ski areas like mt lyford and hanmer springs have both rope tows with nutcrackers and other tows plattertbar. 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 original lower rope tow was installed in 1946, the first ski tow in new zealand predating coronet peaks tow by a few days. This summer we went discovering the famous club fields from new zealand.
Lessons and hire are available at hanmer springs youll be a pro in no time. 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. See powderhounds for information on how to ride a nutcracker rope tow. Based on one of the worlds mostloved ballets, this colourful and fun version is a sprinkling of festive fun for everyone. Some previous experience using a nutcracker rope tow. This gives you a chance to try it out and cross between the different tows during the day. Etsy has thousands of handcrafted and vintage products that perfectly fit what youre searching for.
Do not just grab the rope because you will probably just pull out your shoulder. Christchurch canterbury, skiing in new zealand things to. 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. In case you havent heard of them, they are long, high speed rope tows, with the rope running through pulleys as it goes up the hill. Tukino, on the eastern side of mt ruapehu, is a cluboperated field that will appeal to those wanting a day in the backcountry. Most club fields here in new zealand use nutcracker rope tows to get people up the hill. A short drive or ski tour from broken river lies craigieburn valley. Roundhill ski area facilities the ski field facilities and services are somewhat basic, but more than adequate for the essentials. Sure to captivate all ages, this treasured production from your national ballet company makes a special christmas gift for the. Rope tow terms and conditions craigieburn valley ski area. The concept is simple, your nutcracker is attached to your harness or belt by a short rope.
This wire is then attached to several trip boxes on many of the posts on the way up the tow. Both courses are also available without the 1 day offpiste clinic. To ride the rope tow you grab the moving rope with one hand, and tighten your grip until you are moving at the same speed as the rope and it is no longer slipping through your hand. New zealand nut cracker archive teton gravity research forums.
Most are simply lift or nutcracker rope tow accessed backcountry terrain with little or no grooming. Harnesses, leather gloves, and glove protectors can be purchased at the lodge if required. The top 5 ski fields in new zealand unofficial networks. Many tows have a safety trip wire running up the lenght of the tow between the up and downhaul ropes. 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. The rope tow is a unique lift system in new zealand that is used at four of the. We had such a good time travelling through this beautiful country. Heritage express rope tow, 1440m long with 632m vertical rise at roundhill ski area, lake tekapo, new zealand. The rope tow nutcracker harness reduces the hassle and increases the comfort of rope tows. Timersmixin nz we have a few nonprofit club fields where they service the whole mountain by rope tows, and they are honestly better than chairlifts if youve got a bit of upper body strength. Club fields of new zealand the backcountry ski touring blog. Unlike many other penetrating fluids, the anti rust component is non toxic, giving nutcracker a pleasant sweet odour.
These are available from the ticket office, or you can use your own climbing harness or belt and purchase a nutcracker device at the ticket office. 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. The rope tow design, including the nutcracker device, was further developed by william hamilton of hamilton jet fame in the 1950s which may explain the continuing popularity of these devices. You carry around a steel clamp that looks like a big nutcracker. Tows 1 long poma 807m, 1 nutcracker rope tow, 1 beginners fixed grip tow elevation 1769m ski terrain 52ha vertical 310m terrain park natural hits, tables pushed up on request, talk to the staff. How to ride a nut cracker rope tow skisnowboard youtube. Heavy duty nutcracker nutcracker heavy duty for ski rope tows ski this nutcracker is ideal for the smaller ski fields that dont have chair lifts. Nutcracker ropetows are a common form of lift at nz ski fields, particularly the club fields. Then with the other hand you flip a nutcracker shaped metal clamp around the rope which grips the rope for the remainder of your ride. Super friendly vibe holds plenty of snow with two very sheltered basins craft beer. Because every time i latch onto the rope tow im reminded of why ive made skiing such a big part of my life. 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.
Blue shadow rope tow nutcracker harness home facebook. Cheeseman, temple basin and others are easily accessed from canterbury. 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. Fun for the whole family, the royal new zealand ballets version of the nutcracker takes the christmas classic and adds a twist. This system was used on many fields worldwide from the 1940s, and remains popular at club fields, especially in new zealand. This type of ski lift is often referred to as a nutcracker tow. Nutcracker graphic design and advertising services. The top rope tow has a formidable reputation, rising some 300 metres.
This eliminates the need to hold on to the rope directly. Loading a nut cracker rope tow at craigieburn new zealand. I am happy to let you know, i am way closer to getting my packs released. The nutcracker clamps onto the rope running up the hill and you are pulled up with it. Hanmer springs ski area is run by the amuri ski club, founded in 1957. The nutcracker rope tow involves attaching a harness to your hips and clamping onto a rope with a nutcracker metal clamp to get up a mountain. Hook it on to the rope tow to take you up the mountain. Its the old school way of skiing the countrys best runs, and youll be able to give it a redhot crack on the haka tour. Here seth from craigieburn explains an easy way to use them. You can get on and off wherever you want on the rope, if you just want to lap the chutes or a cliff drop all day nonprofit so no park or even groomers some fields. Nov 17, 2010 an end of year treat from the royal new zealand ballet. They basically consist of a moving rope that passes through a series of pulleys, and skiers and snowboarders fix themselves to the rope with a metal contraption that is connected to a harness around the hips.
The harness comes complete with everything ready to go. Nutcracker rope tows nz ski fields, club powderhounds. Here are a few tips to ride the tow safely and easily. Experienced skiing in christchurch canterbury new zealand. Fun for the whole family, nelson academy of dance presents the nutcracker, a production that is guaranteed to transport us all to the festive season during winter in nelson. Doable from us for the early risers, otherwise stay up on the mountain or with our partners in the mountain house at arthurs pass. As you grip onto the rope and start moving, tighten you grip so that you are moving at the speed as the rope tow. Christchurch canterbury, skiing in new zealand things. Nutcracker rope tows are the standard lift at club fields. Six of the best backcountry adventures in new zealand. Tow price includes nutcracker or towbelt which are both required for our surface tows.
Discover all the extraordinary items our community of craftspeople have to offer and find the perfect gift for your loved one or yourself. Hold the two handles together from the top knuckles up and remove your other hand from the rope. Some thoughts on why we ski liftlines or nutcracker. Hire the gear you need to hit the classic new zealand rope tows and explore the backcountry. They can go up steep slopes, they can operate in high winds and all sorts of snow conditions, and are selfloading, reducing staff requirements. It has new zealands longest poma lift at over 800m, a nutcracker rope tow and a new beginners fixed grip rope tow, with access to trails rated as 10% beginner, 60% intermediate and 30% advanced. Tukino skifield has 3 nutcracker tow rope lifts in operation, plus cat skiing to the top of the field when available. This nutcracker is ideal for the smaller ski fields that dont have chair lifts. You can stay in the club fields for lift accessed backcountry style patrolled terrain via a nutcracker rope tow.
The genius of tchaikovsky created one of the most recognisable and enduring music scores ever written. In 1939 the tow grabber or nutcracker was invented, 6 allowing faster speeds and steeper slopes. I have to think that, since support wheels are used for the lower, uphill towing rope that the incidence of misaligned crackergrabbers is significant, especially with children sounds problematic. Drawing on blairs extensive experience of lightweight trips into new zealands most rugged alpine. Here, chris explains how to use the nutcracker, the lift system used in the community run ski club fields of nz. How to use the nutcracker and other commentary the blackmail. And it looks like theres no way to effectively keep the towing rope from occasionally frequently.
Check out our nutcracker rope tow equipment including nutcrackers, belts, harnesses, carabiners, gloves and glove savers. The rope tow nutcracker harness has been developed after years of skiing. Nutcracker is a unique multi use fluid, and is specially formulated for new zealand requirements to be both a penetrating and lubricating oil as well as a machining compound. Nutcracker a ski trip made in new zealand duration. But if you want to ski the hidden gems of the club fields in new zealand, you first have to tackle the nutcracker. Elevation is 1769m, vertical is 310m, terrain is 52ha. Nutcracker rope tow nz gnomes alpine sports gnomes. 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. To get off the rope tow just let the nutcracker s top handle go and it will unclamp. The collection includes a ferocious minotaur, the mythical halfhuman, halfbull, made from welded spoons, nutcrackers and windscreen wipers. When you visit the clubbies youll usually be given a tow belt a wide profile belt thats secured around your waist, just above your butt, with a nutcracker attached essential for riding the rope tows. Blue shadow products are designed in the hills, the walks out, and drive back home. Blue shadow rope tow nutcracker harness, rapahoe, new zealand. The rope tow nutcracker harness has been developed after years of skiing and snowboarding on canterburys club ski fields.