They’re Fiordland’s version of snow groomers, although there’s much more riding on it than a happy snowboarder if this crew gets it wrong.

A skilled team of 27 from digger drivers and specialist weather forecasters to engineers and avalanche explosives experts work 24/7 through winter in an effort to keep open winter access to one of New Zealand’s tourism icons – Milford Sound.

View a triggered avalanche above the Milford Road. Photo: NZTA/Supplied

They’ve done that since 1983 when the road and Homer Tunnel was first kept open during winter, with the Milford Road notoriously subjected to huge snow dumps and very high avalanche risk.

The job’s a lot more sophisticated and full on these days with a specialist team staff based in Te Anau working for the Milford Road Alliance, an alliance between New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi and Downer, formed to manage the safe operation of the road.

A Milford Road Alliance loader sweeps snow from the Milford Road. Photo: Supplied

It’s their job to keep the road from Te Anau to Milford through Homer Tunnel open and safe in what’s a harsh and extreme winter environment, closely monitoring and managing any avalanche risk and managing any incident response.

It's internationally recognised work and Milford Road Alliance manager Kevin Thompson says the team takes “very seriously the responsibility to keep visitors to Milford safe”.

In 2023 the Milford Alliance avalanche programme won the International Road Federation’s Global Road Achievement Award for Programme Management.

However, they’re not looking for any accolades.

“We’d rather people look at the scenery and enjoy their cruise and not know we’re even there.”

Milford Road Alliance manager Kevin Thompson briefs crew members on the Milford Road. Photo: Supplied

Road closures are probably only necessary eight to 15 days a year after all other options are exhausted and Thompson and his team deem it unsafe to allow traffic through.

The spring months of September, October and November pose the greatest avalanche threat when temperatures warm and more rain usually arrives.

However, so do the tourists.

“The tourism season ramps up dramatically at the time and everybody’s excited about getting to this much talked about destination in coaches, campervans and other vehicles,” he says.

There’s a great deal of pressure on the team to deliver with so much pent-up anticipation and while most people are understanding if the road has to close and they’re turned back, they’re clearly “extremely upset”.

“This is the one real highlight they’ve been looking forward to in New Zealand – a Bucket List location, and they’ve usually got really tight itineraries so can’t come back, he says.

Just another day at the office as crew members carry out avalanche protection work high above the Milford Road. Photo: Supplied

That sign indicating: ‘Avalanche Hazard – low, medium or high’ at the Hollyford Road can make or break a visitor’s day, although the road reports are always up to date online.

“They’re so upset that they can’t get to the end and see their dream if there’s a problem or bad weather.”

Most motorists are amazingly obliging.

“They mostly understand. Even if they’re turned back, when you tell them and it’s snowing and bad weather they give you a chocolate biscuit,” Thompson grins.

With helicopters required to drop what can be as many as thirty 25-kilo bags of explosives onto risky spots on a winter morning weather is key.

It’s also key in monitoring any perceived natural avalanche risk high above the rocky overhangs and outcrops bordering the narrow road.

Milford Road Alliance manager Kevin Thompson on the job managing safety on the Milford Road. Photo: Supplied

“Helicopters are the only way to get into the big paths of avalanches."

“We’re a maritime avalanche programme, right by the sea with lots of heavy, wet snow coming in off the Southern Ocean,” Thompson says.

“There’s not a lot of forewarning, so we need to be mobile."

"We usually only know 24 to 48 hours out at the most and decisions need to be made in a short time.”

The team is totally dependent on weather and relies heavily on those forecasts to predict avalanche conditions.

This recent surprise return of winter is likely to continue for a few more weeks, he says.

A Milford Road Alliance truck sweeps snow from the Milford Road. Photo: Supplied

“We’re noticing the winter is moving later in the year."

"We used to get a lot of snow in June, July and August, now it’s more like August, September and October,” he says.

“Fiordland is very vast and big in scale and size, particularly above the Homer Tunnel."

"Most avalanche scenes aren’t visible from the road."

"There are some big basins up there that fill up deeper and deeper until eventually gravity, sun, rain gets stuff moving,” he says.

“We have to predict beforehand or bring it down with explosives.”

Avalanche protection work being carried out by crew members, above the Milford Road. Photo: Supplied

Things become difficult if the weather keeps the choppers grounded, or there’s exceptionally low cloud.

“That’s challenging and the avalanche risk increases. We become nervous and the road closes while we wait for it to fall or nature does it itself.”

MetService provides specialist short range, two-day forecasts just for the Milford Road and the Alliance operates seven of its own weather stations on mountain peaks down the valley, with a large number of cameras running off sensors.

It takes a lot of specialist people. Everybody here has more than one job.”

Thompson’s proud that in his 10 winters on the job they’ve only closed when they’ve absolutely had to.

It’s vital to ensure the livelihoods of the tourism industry with everyone from mechanics and tour guides living in there, reliant on that road.

Metres of snow can accumulate at the Milford Alliance's base on the Milford Road. Photo: Supplied

“People need to get in and out. They also need supplies,” he says.

But if there’s up to half a metre of snow dumped on some 20kms of road the big taste doesn’t always get through.

“We do our best to get it open as soon as possible but that’s a lot of snow.”