Closing the Temple....For Good??

**Lane Meyer** · 10-19-2005, 04:57 PM

Edited to change the title - thanks to everyone that's donated so far, keep 'em coming and get down here and ski Temple next winter/summer.

Say it ain't so, Joe:

Skea457 sent me this email this morning. Something must be done. We need to band together somehow (skiers in NZ and Int'l friends of Tample) and come up with a creative way to raise money to make sure this doesn't happen. Skiing in NZ without places like Temple is markedly less cool.

rom: "TBSC" <info@Templebasin.co.nz>
Reply-To: "TBSC" < info@Templebasin.co.nz>
To: "TBSC" <info@Templebasin.co.nz>
Subject: Temple Basin Issues and Urgent Request
Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2005 08:39:39 +1300

18 October 2005

The President and Committee

Temple Basin Ski Club

Dear Member/Friend of Temple Basin,

As reported in the media during the past winter season, snow conditions for ski fields have been very unfavourable, and in fact our season has been the most difficult in living memory. The skiers stayed away in droves.

We were open for skiing and of course subject to the full and ever increasing range of compliance costs and fixed expenses which always accompany the running of public accommodation, ski tows, safety and access facilities.

In the light of this result, we as a committee have had to review our short term trading viability, and find that in the coming months we will be facing insolvency. Without assistance from people who care about the tradition that this committee has been maintaining for 76 years, there seems to be no alternative other than to cease operations at Temple Basin, with great sadness.

We can say that all of the facilities at Temple Basin are in very good condition, with much maintenance having been done last summer. In the lodges we have recently renewed almost all of the domestic appliances, we have new ropes on the tows, a full fuel stock, new tow safety systems, and have caught up on current TBSC lodge maintenance for the 2005 season.

The Varsity Club has already weighed in with all of its available resources. The students have had some hard times in recent years, but we are hopeful that they will be able to be more active at Temple Basin into the future.

While this Appeal is aimed to relieve an acute cash flow problem, the Committee is looking further into the future, and with the intention of being better able to weather poor snow conditions in future years, it is our intention to place more emphasis on the educational values of the Temple Basin site. This approach reinforces the Department of Conservation's designation of Temple Basin as an educational "Super Site".

This letter is written to request your assistance if you are able to help. Please consider joining (or rejoining) TBSC as a Member and/or making a monetary donation. Donations of $500 or more will receive a complimentary Season Pass for the 2006 season at Temple Basin. Cheques please to Temple Basin Ski Club Inc, PO Box 1228, Christchurch or if you wish to make a direct credit please email info@templebasin.co.nz so we can supply you with the account details.

The committee proposes to review the position of TBSC on 1 December 2005, and if insufficient funds are on hand to continue operation at that time, then any donations made would be returned to the donors.

We thank our Commercial Donors for their support, and ask the Members and Friends of Temple Basin in turn to support them. Recent commercial donors have been:

-Fendalton New World Supermarket

-Sound Advice

Please pass this on to others who you consider would be interested in this situation or let us know (email info@templebasin.co.nz) their details and we'll pass the message on to them.

If you have other questions, ideas or opportunities that might be of interest in this matter then please reply to this email. All possibilities gratefully received and considered.

Regards,

Martin Toon

President

October 2005

**skea 457** · 10-19-2005, 08:49 PM

Cheers G.

It would be a major tragedy if they can't open next year, Temple really is one of those hidden gems and a place any maggot would love. Unlike many small ski areas Temple caters almost exclusively for good skiers and boarders who want steep terrain and fresh tracks. There are none of the hoardes of rich punters who just open their wallets to buy a generic winter holiday experience cruising around on groomers. It makes for a great atmosphere but it is difficult for it to make make any money.

The mountain is run as a not for profit organisation by the club members so any profits go straight back into the mountain, nobody is making any money out of it, we are here for the love of the mountains.

I have yet to really have a good think about what the maggots can do, but it really doesn't cost much to run the place, so a few hundred of us giving $100 could pretty much book out the mountain for an entire season. Think about it.. a maggot only mountain. schweet.

**Foggy_Goggles** · 10-19-2005, 08:53 PM

Temple can't close before I ever get there. I'll write and email.

**gonzo** · 10-19-2005, 08:59 PM

Originally Posted by Foggy_Goggles

Temple can't close before I ever get there. I'll write and email.

Ditto that. Grant-Lane, if you set up some sort of paypal account, i would chip in some bucks. Perhaps we could try to raise $500 for a symbolic maggot season pass next year. Or perhaps you could get in touch with the people lookin for the bucks and let them know the predicament (i.e.: lots of people willing to donate $20-ish) - maybe they could name a urinal after us...or a jar of lube...or something.

Anyways, I'm good for $20. The place sounds pretty amazing from what I have heard.

**DJSapp** · 10-19-2005, 09:02 PM

Every maggot that ever plans to go to NZ needs to kick in to save the Temple. This place is the true soul of skiing. My one pow day there was life changing.

I'm cash poor at the moment, but $50 USD will be heading out before Dec 1.

edit: I love the idea of a symbolic maggot pass!!! Lane, skea, can you guys set something up?

**Foggy_Goggles** · 10-19-2005, 09:03 PM

Yeah, I mean it would be like Gonzo disappearing without me not getting to ride with him. That would be stupid.

**cj001f** · 10-19-2005, 09:05 PM

I'm willing to chip in $50. I'd also be willing to coordinate funds stateside.

Would suck to see it disapear. Any place were you can pay your bar tab, lift tickets for 3 days and lodging on the night before you leave is A1 in my book.

This place shouldn't go:

**skea 457** · 10-19-2005, 10:16 PM

Oooooh, I like it. A maggot seasons pass. Let me see what I can organise.

**silentlyrising** · 10-19-2005, 10:22 PM

Yeah, I'm in for $50... and lets rally the rest of the troops. I've skied temple before and I plan to again. Let's do it.

**biggins** · 10-19-2005, 10:44 PM

NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

There's really no where else in the world like that spot. Its closure would be a travesty.

I'll do what I can. That place is valhalla. [/indignant tear]

**midget** · 10-20-2005, 02:22 AM

Yah, I'd be really bummed if I didn't get a chance to go there.....since I didn't this past season. If I have any money left after my move, I'll definately kick something in. A paypal account for it would be ideal I think.

**lemon boy** · 10-20-2005, 07:22 AM

shitty. I'm def down for some $ cause I was particularily bummed not to ski there and the sliver of it I could see was well...tantalizing.

**snowfire** · 10-20-2005, 10:02 AM

I LOVE that place. Unlike any place I've ever skied. (Where else do you hike 45 minutes up a mountain just to GET to the ski area? And you can help dig out the upper tow to get it going faster after a storm? And ski the most untouched pow at a "resort?" ) That place is just unexplainable on a pow day. I definitely feel privileged to have skied there, and it would be a shame for others not to have the opportunity.

Is this same fate going to fall upon the other club fields, eg. Craigie? Craigie and Temple were major highlights of my stay in NZ.

**gincognito** · 10-20-2005, 10:06 AM

I am intrigued. Tell me about this place. From the trail map it looks like most of the runs start well about the tows? How long are these bootpacks that they show?

Sick and ashamed and happy (and sounds sweet),
d.

**cj001f** · 10-20-2005, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by snowfire

Is this same fate going to fall upon the other club fields, eg. Craigie?

I dunno. When I was there last season several people mentioned the future wasn't too bright and shiny. In particular several mentioned the chill pass as not being good for the areas - the clubs got a small portion of the $, the numbers of season pass holders had declined, etc.

**skier666** · 10-20-2005, 11:02 AM

The big problem is that most of the clubfields are in remote locations. Take Mt. Olympus for example, its long cruise on remote dirt roads just to get there.

What needs to happen down there is get access/build a resort in the interior of the Southern Alps, like say the Alps of Europe. If you look at a map, all the ski areas are pushed to the edges of the mountains, mainly for access. And if you've ever hiked to the top of Mt. Olympus, or been heli-skiing in NZ you know that the mountains are not being utilized to their full potential...just look at the view when you hit the summit.

TB - Kiwi ski legends such as Geoff Small, Todd Windle, etc....all developed their skill by skiing at Temple. It has a mystique that cannot and should not disappear.

**lemon boy** · 10-20-2005, 11:15 AM

The whole time there all I could think about was how just un-friggin believeable that place would be skiing/access wise if they had even 1/4 the number of mining roads as we do (w/o the mining). There is just not near the good bc access (or otherwise) as here.

I do agree with 666 that a clubfield/resort sunk deep into one of the ranges would be more viable, none of the clubs was open when we were there but we were able to fly deep into zones that were FULLY covered up.

the other thing that is bad for Temple is it is ~1hr from Hokattika but ~3 from CHC, 3 hours is a LONG haul.

**lemon boy** · 10-20-2005, 11:43 AM

CJ- I think you're missing the point a bit on access that 666 was making, which is not necessarily putting in a big resort but rather sinking a field far into one of the ranges where the altitude and the geography are actually much more consistent for snowfall. As oppesed to now where most of the lift served skiing occurs at the very edges of the ranges. Hey, it is never gonna be like BCC & LCC. I was making another somewhat separate point lamenting the scarcity of decent access for day tours and should've made it a little clearer.

**chippersmullet** · 10-21-2005, 02:42 AM

I'd be willing to put some money in if there was a maggots account setup. I never got to ride Temple but I had a great time at Craigie and it would be shame to see a resort with the nutcracker system go under - so much fun to learn!!

**skea 457** · 10-25-2005, 02:56 PM

The story about Temple was on the evening news here:

http://www.tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411365/621831

I am still waiting to hear back about what is being organised to be able to accept international donations and the possibility os a maggot pass (or passes depending on the amount donated)

**midget** · 10-25-2005, 04:50 PM

It would be good to know how much needs to be raised.....

**skea 457** · 11-03-2005, 12:39 AM

Hey guys, sorry about the delay, but I just heard back from Kerry and it is all on:

Paul,

Thanks for your efforts here and your financial support of Temple Basin. We've looked at the options for getting funds securely from other places and have set up a PayPal account for Temple Basin using the Temple Basin email address (info@templebasin.co.nz). As a few have mentioned putting smaller sums on their payment, we'll give a day's free skiing for each US$50 and the season pass at US$400. They should include their name in the payment details so that we can identify them on the field.

Thanks again and my apologies for the delay in getting back to you.

Kerry Glynn
Temple Basin

I think we should be able to easily get to the $US400 for the pass. I'll try to update every day or two what the total is and what the target is too. When you make your donation you will want to mention that you are a maggot so they can track where people are hearing about this from!

Cheers guys.

**midget** · 11-03-2005, 07:11 PM

bump

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**Lane Meyer** · 11-04-2005, 03:56 AM

Yeah Paul! Way to orgainze this. Pitch in for a good cause and come ski down here next summer!

**midget** · 11-04-2005, 04:44 AM

I'm waiting to finish a few things up....like getting a place to live, getting a new car, getting a new camera......

Heh, once I figure out those little details of my life, then I'll send some cash.....yikes that's a lot of shit!

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