 Poster: A snowHead
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Resort: Turoa and Whakapapa – these are two fields, although not linked, are run by the same company and the ski-pass covers both fields. They are just over an hours drive apart. There are differences between the fields and their pros/cons – see below.
Country: New Zealand
Domain: Mt Ruapehu
Author: Jang.
Date: Various trips over the last three years.
Our holiday: Got back into skiing after a ten year hiatus for me (skied mainly bits of France before) and dragged along the family for good measure of which OH had been once many years ago and kids were new to it all .Trips were either made by myself and our 5-8 year old son (over the time of the trips) or the whole family of four including OH and 2-4 year old girl. Most of the trips were done during school holidays which tend to be early and late in the season and as in Europe the busiest times, so all below is coloured by this perspective.
Website : Ski Field operator website - www.mtruapehu.com. (Note the website switches to summer activities out of season so there maybe not much skiing info there at times). A somewhat disorganised company but very nice and helpful staff once you get to talk to them.
Weather reports, very important to consult for these fields – www.metservice.com/national/home
Cant remember a trip in which the weather didn’t either close the slopes or was not great. It can be very wet so wear good waterproofed gear and gear up for high winds. Windy weather often closes the lifts as the operator is very cautious. Googles are a must to carry even if day starts out fine and the weather report is good, don’t just rely on sunnies.
Basics : Located in the middle of the North Island on the aptly named Central Plateau. Best way is by car (4 ½ hours from Auckland – we always drove) as you really need a car when there as the field is easiest driven to once you are there. Its not a bad drive from Auckland but take care on NZ roads as they can be narrow and winding and the locals are not the most courteous (odd given they are very friendly just not when in a car) or the best drivers.
You can take a scenic train journey to National Park Village to/from Auckland or Wellington then get a bus (“goat”) up to the Whakapapa field but the train is limited and expensive as is the bus up.
See for the train - http://www.kiwirailscenic.co.nz/northern-explorer
If driving to/from Auckland you go right past the Waitomo Caves so worth planning a stop unless like us you are rushing down on a Friday night/Saturday morning to get onto the slopes by the afternoon.
Lift system : Lifts are generally aged, slow, small chairs except for one high speed 6 seater on Turoa side. Also there are only T-bars at the high slopes on Whakapapa. Queuing, when there is a need, is well mannered and usually supervised on busy lifts.
The terrain : Open area (there are no trees above the snow line in NZ), but runs can be narrow & have clifs, drop offs and gulleys. They use a 3 category system for runs – green/blue/black so blacks cover a lot of sins, equivalent I guess to European blacks & reds combined but easy Euro blacks at that, nothing too steep/bad/scary. To give you an idea our eight year old after total of about 2 skiing weeks could get down the easy blacks (although he was still nervous about it, he had the ability to get down) and by the end of 3 weeks he was happy to go onto the easy blacks.
The snow : Variety of conditions experienced from great to slush.
Off-piste : Can’t comment as don’t indulge in this but it is apparently extensive and good.
The resort : National Park Village (for Whakapapa field) is small (ex railway town) and limited in accommodation but closer to Auckland so if you are going for a short trip reduces the driving time.
Ohakune (for Turoa) is bigger and more to do when the weather closes in (and it does, often) and places to eat. Tripadvisor lists most places worth going to. If you are at National Park and bored then you can drive to Ohakune in about 40 mins.
The only ski in/ski out are ski club lodges located on the foot of the fields, there are many more of these on the Whakapapa side and offer cheap accom. but you need to be a member.
We stay in a bach (chalet) as it suited us to have the space as a family. There are no chalets in the Euro sense of being catered, only holiday homes that people rent out. The following sites are good:
Turoa – Ruapehu chalet rentals seem to have the lock on this side, good as they have a real time booking engine and have professional managers in town who are there late - http://www.ruapehu.co.nz/
National Park Village website is a good source of places there - http://www.nationalpark.co.nz/
http://www.bookabach.co.nz/ - has properties on either, downside is no real time booking engine, you need to email the owners/managers so find a few and send multiple requests as we found chalets showing as available were not.
It can get busy over school holidays and when they coincide with a good weather forecast all accommodation can go.
Food : On the slopes the food is of a pretty poor standard, mostly cafeteria style warmed food. The only place that service decent food (and that relative) is Lorenz café, the base café on Whakapapa. A lot of people take their own.
Food in the towns is at best decent bistro level except for the Chateau Hotel. We ate in The Suitcase in Ohakune, and Eivins in National Park, which are ok. There can be fine dining to be had in the Chateau Hotel but not been.
Costs: See the operators website for pass and lessons. Accom covers a wide range and food on slopes about NZD 20 for meal and drink but can be done for less.
Conclusion:
Worth a visit if in the North Island but pick your days carefully as weather can and will often close the slopes. But you can decide on a Wed/Thurs and probably still get accommodation somewhere near for the weekend and be there in 4 ½ hours from Auckland.
In summary the pros and cons of either field are:
WHAKAPAPA
PROS- National Park accommodation is closer to Auckland and closer to the field when driving up and down every day.
Better beginners area – bigger, has carpet, button, & chair lift all in one place to practice, has café and rental shop right next to it.
Importantly it’s well sheltered, good for the littlies, and can be the only area open on either side in windy weather.
Better café (Lorenz’s). Knoll Ridge has good views
Best hotel around is here? The Chateau (by reputation not experience) and it’s very short drive to slopes from here.
CONS - T-Bars are the only lifts up top, taxing on the legs.
Car parking more spread out and below base level – if you are late up you will have a long uphill walk or short (in my experience) wait for the shuttle bus.
Big flat section which is a choke point between lower and mid levels, a real pain when heading down.
TUROA
PROS
Town of Ohakune has much more to it
o Accomodation
o Restaurants
o Supermarket
o Library
o Climbing wall
o Close to National Army museum at Waiouru – definitely worth seeing, small but perfectly formed.
(One) High speed lift
More carparking up at the field’s base level – less of an uphill walk once parked. Worse cafes
CONS
Longer drive from Ohakune accomodation to the field each day than National Park Village to Whakapapa.
Beginners areas are small and split, one is up at mid level.
General tips
Rentals – we have only used SLR in Ohakune when down there, seem to have decent gear but I’m no expert. They are open late and can record your details and have kit waiting for you on next trip if same season.
When we would go for a short trip from AKL when going down on Friday night or Sat morning rather than spend an hour in rental shop on the day we wanted to ski we would rent in Auckland and take it with us. I would recommend the Ski Trading Post (www.skitradingpost.co.nz). They are handily located just off State Highway 1 heading out of Auckland. You don’t pay for the days of travel, so if you take gear on Friday night and return Monday you only pay for two days. And they are a good bunch who own and work in it.
Get up early for good parking space on the slopes (leave accom by 7.30am and up top by 8am), its worth it to park close especially if with kids. You can drop off at the base station then head back for a parking space. And when busy they can close the approach roads if car parks are full leaving only way up on the bus.
If the weather closes one field, chances are some of the other side will be open so think about heading over but do it quick as if everyone does that then they can close the roads if car parks are full.
At times you will be required to have chains on your car, usually 4WD are ok but at times they will require them too. Keep an eye on the website/app in the morning. The operator rents these daily and fits chains only on the Turoa approach road BUT not on the Whakapapa side. The rental is usually cash only (about NZD40). If this happens then the queues to get chains can be long. So worth it to have your own chains to avoid the queues and have the ability to get up Whakapapa, especially if you only have 2WD. Can always take the bus up if all else fails.
Ski school is good on either side (only the one operator so prices all set and I know of no guides) – made up of locals, North Americans and English fluent Euros and a fair number of Brits. They are a bit inconsistent with their levels for class placement and I have never seen them do a ski test. But they will move you if you end up in the wrong class. They will only take 5yrs and up for group lessons but will take as young as 18 months (so I’m told) for a private lesson. Ours was 3 1/2 when she started lessons. If going at school holiday time book ahead (form is on website) as can have big queues to register on the day and limited availability.
Crèche on the slope – run by operstor only on the Turoa side. They do full day and half days although half days can only be booked on the day. See field website for details. We used it once but 3 yr old didn’t take to it, that’s not to say it isn’t good (other kids seemed happy there), as if she get an idea about a place then its all over.
Don’t bother using French/Euro ski terms , i.e. “piste” , “salopettes’, “après” etc., the locals will not understand you or think you are a “poseur”.
NZ has an Accident Compensation Commission (ACC) scheme - http://www.acc.co.nz/about-acc/overview-of-acc/introduction-to-acc/index.htm. It covers residents and tourist alike for the medical cost of personal injuries from accidents, so suing is not allowed/rare for personal injuries but can happen for damage to property
We have been to Mt Hutt in South Island once but can’t remember much about it except came across a rather arsy instructor and the road up is frightening so tells you something about the place.
Any questions on this please feel free to contact me.
Happy skiing!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I would add lift passes, crèche and lessons are quite expensive compared to the cost of the equivalent in, say, large French resorts (yes, more expensive on like for like basis than even 3V). At current exchange rates I would put cost on par with Zermatt.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Thank you for the review, very interesting and useful 
I'm heading out to NZ in 8 weeks time for 6 - 12 months of working and traveling and intent to find time for a spot of snowboarding / skiing whilst I'm there!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Sounds fabulous!
What months are the "prime" of the season weather-wise? And when are the school holiday time to avoid?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@boardiac, Yes, its quite expensive here (a lot of things are) but I didnt know it had got to that level. With these being the only fields of any size in the North Island and catering to those who would otherwise have to get to the South Island or further afield which would cost a fair bit in travel I guess its priced accordingly. We got season passes for last season in their pre-season sale which were good value and included some lesson discounts that helped. Lessons are pricey (things involving labour tend to be expensive in NZ) not helped by no competition with only having one school run by the operator. Bear in mind that accommodation can be had at all levels and can be cheap as you like, we did not pay more that NZD175 per night for chalets that slept 4 at winter rates. The exchange rate doesnt help overseas comparisons with the levels over the last few years, it was 3NZD to 1GBP when I came, now its 2 to 1.
@abc, Ski season runs from about early July to end Oct but can run later. I am told by wiser heads than mine that there is usually a big dump in October and this proved to be the case this year in what was a poor year for snow. The season got extended into mid Nov.
School hols here are usually first few weeks in July and last week in Sept and first weeks of Oct. See this website for more details http://www.minedu.govt.nz/theMinistry/EducationInNewZealand/SchoolTermsAndHolidays.aspx
The late dump in October this year meant for less busy slopes as seems that most thought there would be no snow for the school holidays and so booked up other destinations. So a matter of seeing how things are week to week then jumping onto it if it looks good snow and weather wise.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@ster, only since 2000. Central Nth Island is home for me (Family is from Taihape but I lived between Kune and Taupo). Was there when it erupted in 1995 and it got to mid 50s before it erupted. I remember a scientist being interviewed on the radio saying they expect something to happen as the lake went from 5 degrees to 50+. Don't need to be a scientist to know something will happen when a lake goes from 5 to 50 degrees. When it went up it was just after 5pm so the mountain was just emptying. A Lahar went straight down the far west T. An incredible scene watching it erupt. Enjoy it if it does as it normally goes every 50years and is a sight to behold.
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@Dot., it would have been an amazing sight watching that. I never used to pay much attention to the "What if a Lahar happens" posters around the ski centre until we visited the Tangiwai site on one trip. After that I read them a bit more carefully. Hopefully any future ones will be as benign as the few since that one.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I have been there between Christmas and New Year and there was skiing opened for the hols. I was just visiting with my parents over from the UK and recollect my mother did not enjoy the snow in her sandals. Have only skied there once and it was very wet from recollection.
Ohakune is a great little village and well known for being Carrot Capital of NZ! Has a statue of a carrot on display. I have stayed in the Chateau and can recommend it although this was when we walked the Tongariro Crossing which is a fabulous walk across a volcanic landscape..
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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video above from 2009!
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You know it makes sense.
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What's a lahar 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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A muddy slurry made up of water and pyroclastic material that follows watercourses down the side of volcanoes, like a river of liquid concrete mix.
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Poster: A snowHead
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FAQ
across to a gully on the right of the area, where I had skied 2 days before, to this lahar. looked a bit like tarmac tipped straight out of a truck ! Only a lot more of it.
