Mt Ruapehu set to welcome first guests of season over long weekend

Whakapapa's Happy Valley ski area and the Sky Waka gondola will open on Saturday, June 5. Photo / Supplied

The Ruapehu area is all set for another winter season with the first ski field in the region opening at Queen's Birthday Weekend.

Ruapehu Alpine Lifts (RAL) says winter ski season preparation is nearing completion at Whakapapa's Happy Valley ski area, with the beginner's ski field and Sky Waka gondola to open on Saturday, June 5.

Maintenance work is also nearing completion on Tūroa with the team finishing concreting in foundations for a new snow fence. It's designed to help catch snow that the grooming crew will then use to build trails.

Whakapapa ski area and Tūroa are scheduled to open on Saturday, July 3, depending on the weather.

Snow permitting, the season will run until Monday, October 25.

The online pre-book carparking system will operate again this winter at Whakapapa, but only for the six busiest weekends of the winter season between July 31 and September 5.

"Bookable parking, accessed via our website, helps prevents congestion on the mountain and provides the guest a stress-free arrival to the ski area, and it's free again this season," RAL chief executive Jono Dean said.

"For those who don't want to drive up the mountain they can book with a local operator to take them up."

Season and life pass holders do not need to book.

This season there are more places where people can get click-and-collect winter passes to avoid queues up the mountain.

"We're always looking for ways to streamline our customer experience and Covid-19 and its contactless requirements led to a rethink of our systems and delivery and click-and-collect is part of that initiative, and this is now available in Torpedo7 stores," Dean said.

After purchasing ski, snowboard or sightseeing passes, Dean said people could go to mtruapehu.com and download a QR code then print their passes at Torpedo7 stores around the North Island.

"It's a quick and convenient way to pick up prepaid passes instead of standing in queues up the mountain to purchase and pick up passes," Dean said.