Timing your run is the key

By CATHRIN SCHAER

While it may be hard to believe sometimes - especially at the snow-poor beginning of the season - Mt Ruapehu can definitely turn it on. Sometimes there's even genuine powder on this giant northern volcano. It's just about picking your days.

Blue skies, untracked snow and reasonable crowds can make Ruapehu a skier's or boarder's dream come true. Even those who work seasons down south have been known to sing the praises of Mt Ruapehu's fields when they're at their best. Because that is one advantage Ruapehu has over the southern fields. Yes, it's dependent on snowfall but on the whole it tends to remain open for longer into spring, which means more chance for blue sky days riding or skiing in your T-shirt.

Another advantage, says Mike Smith, Ruapehu Alpine Lifts' marketing manager, is that Turoa and Whakapapa are larger fields than most in New Zealand.

"There's also easy access to off-piste skiing and easy access to the ski fields via road," he notes.

For those who have never been before, both ski fields have been shaped by ancient lava flows from the still active volcano.

Turoa tends to be considered the more wide open ski field on this mountain. There are fewer corners to turn and you'll see for miles as you head down relatively straight runs, quite quickly.

Turoa tends to be flatter than Whakapapa, which makes this side of the mountain seem to have a more "open" feel.

Whereas Whakapapa has more gullies, chutes and tracks, making it feel a little more "closed in" with more chairlift rides on offer and shorter runs.

Whakapapa also tends to draw more beginners. This is mainly because of Happy Valley, the purpose-built beginner's area. "It's a stand-alone area that isn't quite as affected when there's bad weather," Smith explains.

However, both ski fields are suitable for beginners, with plenty of facilities and ski hire on offer for learners. There are also other facilities such as the new tubing park at Whakapapa for families, and terrain parks for those snowboarders and skiers wishing to jump and spin.

Indeed, Turoa's terrain park has been the envy of bigger fields down south for the past few seasons because, according to local opinion, it's been the best in the country for a couple of years now.

Whakapapa's terrain park started up last year and is also developing a good reputation. This season, more time, money and staff hours will be invested in it.

Finally, for the experienced skier or snowboarder, there's even more to Mt Ruapehu. Many visitors may not realise it, but there's a lot of interesting hiking to be done.

High above Turoa, as you hike an hour or so up the crater lake, there are wide open bowls and glistening white valleys of snow. And a little way off the Whakapapa ski field is terrain, with a series of steep chutes and gullies, that will challenge the most hardcore rider. One sponsored snowboarder even calls this area "little Alaska".

Having said all that, it's probably time to get a little realistic.

Yes, Mt Ruapehu can certainly provide an amazing snow sports experience. But because of its location - sitting almost alone on an elevated volcanic plateau - this mountain is far more exposed to the elements than skifields down south, protected as they are by being part of a large mountain chain, the Southern Alps.

Ruapehu enjoys - although enjoys may not be quite the right word - its own weather system.

Basically, there's a lot of rain, cloud and wind to contend with.

And the so-called powder snow also tends to be wetter because of high humidity and therefore high water content. On bad weather days when ski fields down south would be closed, Ruapehu just keeps on keeping on.

Which brings us back to our first point: how to pick your days and make your Ruapehu experience exactly what you want it to be.

With Ruapehu it's incredibly hard to tell what it's going to be like. It could be sunny in Ohakune and the National Park Village and absolutely miserable up Mountain Rd.

Then again, there could be clouds covering the mountain yet all your friends come back with cheerily sun-tanned faces and tell you that you should have been there because the cloud was low and the ski field was bathed in sunshine the whole day.

And, let's face it: snow reports are written by the ski fields themselves and they want you to come up there and pay for your lift passes. So, while these are usually relatively honest, there are other ways to hedge your skiing bets.

An excellent way of checking conditions before you leave home is to use the internet. Check the snow reports and web cams on www.ruapehu.com. This site is run by Ruapehu Alpine Lifts and there are usually pictures posted here from the past few days up on the hill. Ignore the pictures of the mountain taken from the Desert Rd, standing like a white behemoth in the sunshine. Instead, peruse more detailed pictures for the amount of rocks left uncovered, or traces of dirty, brown snow to get a genuine idea of snow cover.

Then check the web cams. If you can't see anything, that is, the screen is blank or covered in mist or water, it means there's a horrible day going on up there. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing, as it might mean more snow.

You may also want to check the "global knowledge" forums on an excellent local site, www.boarderzone.co.nz. If you can stand a bit of swearing and some snowboarder posturing, these forums can be an excellent source of information because riders recently returned from the mountain post unofficial pictures and comments about how their weekend went and what the snow was like. Here, you'll get some of the most honest opinions in the country.

Then, finally, you might want to peruse the MetService website - www.metservice.co.nz - where you will find mountain forecasts, weather maps and general forecasts, all of which should help you choose the perfect day at Mt Ruapehu.

What it costs:


Turoa and Whakapapa:


Lift passes: Adult all-day pass for all lifts, $62. A youth (ages 5-16) all-day pass for all lifts, $31. A half-day pass, where you start skiing at midday, $34 and $17 respectively.

An adult beginner's pass, only for lower lifts, $48, or $26 for the afternoon. Youth pass, $24, or $13 for the afternoon.

If you just want to sightsee, it costs $17 an adult and $9 a child. Family passes available.

Learner's packages start at $63 for adult skiers and $73 for adult snowboarders. These cover the cost of gear hire, an hour and a half lesson and lower mountain lift ticket. It's worth checking the Ruapehu website to see which package will suit you best.

Other ski areas in the North Island:


Tukino - To get to this Ruapehu ski field, you drive off the Desert Rd and up a far less crowded side of the mountain. While facilities are smaller, lift passes are cheaper (adult, $30) and the club that runs the field says it is often protected from prevailing winds. For further information: www.tukino.co.nz or call 0800-tukino (0800-885 466).

Manganui - this even smaller ski field sits on the eastern slopes of Mt Taranaki. It's run by the Stratford Ski Club and, by all accounts, the upper mountain runs are exhilarating. For more information: www.snow.co.nz/manganui/

Or contact the Stratford Mountain Club, PO Box 3271, New Plymouth. Ph: 06 759 1119


www.ruapehunz.com