It's Snow Time at Ruapehu
Chill Out at Ruapehu!
Winter is here again and that means skiing and boarding are back on the menu! Right at the heart of the World Heritage Tongariro National Park, Mount Ruapehu’s long season, varied terrain and bustling après-ski make for a fantastic snow experience. From off-piste challenges to awesome vertical runs, there’s something to entice everyone – so pack your boots and boards, and get ready for some winter fun.
Rugged Mount Ruapehu lords it over 
the North Island as its premier winter playground. The mountain’s scoria-clad flanks once stood in for Sauron’s evil realm of Mordor in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings Trilogy, but when the winter snow falls, Ruapehu’s broad slopes are home to the country’s largest combined ski and snowboard area, Whakapapa and Turoa. You’ll find 1800 hectares of lift-accessed terrain, a huge array of groomed trails and some great off-piste areas for freestyle skiing and boarding.
You can tackle the challenges of the Whakapapa Moro Half Pipe, or coast down Australasia’s longest vertical run at Turoa – 722m. Skiers and boarders at Turoa can also take advantage of the High Noon Express chairlift. The biggest in Australasia at 1.4km long, it whisks 3200 people an hour up the mountain. Beginners have their own dedicated areas and there’s a terrain park for boarders and freestylers. A flexible lift pass lets you ski and board at both fields and there are daily shuttle 
services to Mount Ruapehu to and from Ohakune and Whakapapa Village. Check out Ruapehu Alpine Lifts for more information.
Off the slopes, there is plenty of outdoor action to keep you busy around Tongariro. Walkers and hikers can explore the park’s rugged landscape, with its tussock plains, waterfalls, crater lakes and towering volcanoes, and there is quad biking through the park’s spectacular volcanic terrain. The waters of the mighty Tongariro River also provide challenges for whitewater rafting and fishing.
If it’s après ski you’re after, there’s no shortage of nightlife in the resorts surrounding Mount Ruapehu. Whakapapa village is the closest town to Whakapapa ski area, with accommodation just a jump from the slopes. If you’re looking to stay in style, then historic Bayview Chateau Tongariro, at the foot of Mount Ruapehu, is famous for its apres-ski ambience. Curl up by a roaring log fire and enjoy a warming winter drink, or settle yourself in front of the picture window for a breathtaking view of Mount Ngauruhoe’s snowy dome.
Ohakune village makes an ideal base for snow lovers heading to Turoa, just 6km away. During the winter months, the bars, cafés and chalets fill up with skiers and boarders, and the apres-ski entertainment keeps going into the small hours. There is plenty of accommodation and the town is also a base for jetboat and canoe safaris on the Whanganui River.
Turangi, Tongariro’s northern gateway, is the perfect base for both skiers and anglers, with 
superb fishing and a wide choice of accommodation. It’s just a 40min drive from Whakapapa village and one of world’s great trout rivers – the Tongariro – flows right through the middle of town! Bridge Fishing Lodge can organise tuition and guiding if you want to try your luck.
Snow Fact File
Useful Information
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Images courtesy of Bayview Chateau Tongariro and Mt Ruapehu.com