‘Promising signs’ as Ruapehu gears up for ski season after two challenging winters
The Tūroa skifield is expected to open on July 4, the same day as Whakapapa.
Ski season on Ruapehu is less than a month away.
Both major ski fields expect to open on July 4 with “promising” signs after a challenging season last year for Ruapehu ski businesses, with snowfall arriving late.
Tūroa, on the southwest side of Ruapehu,is home to New Zealand’s longest vertical descent at 722m.
Pure Tūroa marketing manager James Simpson said it had a busy King’s Birthday weekend, reopening its HQ Ohakune store.
“A lot of people through the doors, a lot of excitement,” he said.
“People are out there doing hiking trails, biking, and having a look around.”
Currently open only on weekends, HQ Ohakune, on the corner of Ayr and Goldfinch St, will operate seven days a week from June 20, alongside the seasonal reopening of sightseeing, sledding and the Alpine Cafe & Bar on Tūroa.
Simpson said ownership matters and poor snow levels led to a “messy couple seasons” in 2024 and 2025.
“It looks like – on the back of two low snow seasons – we’re about to have a big one,“ Simpson said.
“We can’t hang our hats on that, but everyone’s pretty positive.
“The scale and timing of Tūroa’s opening always depends on what the snow gods deliver, though it’s looking promising so far.”
Snowfall at Tūroa ski field typically sits at a base above 2.5m, with the biggest base recorded at 5m in 2008.
Tūroa will be fully open on July 4, including the Alpine Meadow beginner area, Freddie’s Tasting Room, rentals, guest services and snow school.
“Come up and experience the mighty maunga,” Simpson said.
The iconic Peak 2 Powderkeg race will also return to Tūroa for its 30th time on September 26.
Noah Wotton, 24, first learned to snowboard at Tūroa as a kid.
“We’ve always been a snowboarding family,” Wotton said.
Now living in Wellington, Tūroa was still his “favourite place to be”.
“I’ve ridden at a lot of different ski fields, but Tūroa always has my heart.”
He planned to hit the slopes at least four times this season.
Tukino notices ‘definite shift’ in ideal ski times every year
Tukino ski field offers a “no-frills” club field from the eastern side of Ruapehu.
Tukino Mountain Club Association secretary Shane Harrison said unpredictable seasons recently forced it into a volunteer-led model, opening only on weekends.
Although last year was also challenging for Tukino, there were some “quite good days” near the end of the season, Harrison said.
“[2024] was pretty poor.
“I think we only opened a day, maybe two days.”
July and August usually brought the most ideal conditions, he said.
“But it appears to be getting later every year. There is a definite shift.”
Tukino doesn’t have a specific opening date, instead announcing open days on its Tukino Skifield Facebook page “when the snow arrives”.
Whakapapa sell out tubing tickets during Snowland launch
From the northern slopes of Ruapehu, Whakapapa ski field delivers skiing and snowboarding with a sweeping view of the Central Plateau.
CEO Travis Donoghue said it launched its new Snowland experience last weekend with tubing having sold out across the weekend.
Snowland offers tubing, sledding, and snowplay in the Happy Valley ski area.
“[Tubing is] a little bit more exhilarating than the sledding... so great to get that open.”
The Sky Waka Gondola, soaring 1.8 kilometres through the rugged and unique volcanic landscape, was also reopened for the season until October 25.
Tickets are $39 for children and $59 for adults.
Whakapapa also plans to open its slopes for skiing and snowboarding on July 4.
“We are starting to look for the real snowfalls and snowmaking windows,” Donoghue said.
“All eyes to the sky.”
Ski lifts will open progressively “as Mother Nature allows,” Donoghue said.
They hope to continue successful events from recent years, including sunset sessions with lifts running slightly later, and the North Island Primary & Intermediate School Champs (NIPS).
People are invited to the Happy Valley Rail Jam at Whakapapa ski field on July 17.
Competitors can throw down tricks on a rail and box line, with prizes up for grabs.
Noam Mānuka Lazarus (Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara) is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle.