Winter ski season prep is well underway with Mt Ruapehu’s Happy Valley ski area on track to welcome its first winter guests at Queen’s Birthday weekend in early June.
Whakapapa ski area manager Steve Manunui says that the team is confident and excited about the upcoming season.
“The snow factory has been pumping out snow for the last four weeks and there’s been a couple of dustings as well. There’s also snow in the forecast over the next week so it’s shaping up well.”
The Sky Waka gondola and Happy Valley beginner ski area are scheduled to open for the winter season on Saturday, June 5, with the rest of Whakapapa ski area and T≈´roa to open on Saturday, July 3, weather dependant.
All facilities at Whakapapa will be ready to open as the season progresses with the maintenance team working hard catching up on lost time caused by COVID-19 disruptions last year.
“Maintenance work is on track on the Valley T-Bar and West Ridge Quad, and maintenance is underway on all the other lifts. Also, a couple of months ago cable maintenance was completed on the Sky Waka gondola,” Steve says.
“We’re also busy with a general tidy up of the ski areas and ensuring that our processes are streamlined ready for the busy winter months ahead – for both New Zealand and Australian visitors.”
And to add to the excitement of the upcoming winter season Mt Ruapehu has some incredible pricing for skiing and boarding, especially during the week when it’s perfect to escape the crowds. And there’s also new family package pricing.
Weekday passes are just $74 per day and there’s also some great family packages where two adults and two youth can ski any day of the week for $299.
Mt Ruapehu offers the longest winter ski season in New Zealand on its two ski fields, Whakapapa and T≈´roa. The Happy Valley beginner slope is scheduled to open on Saturday 5 June and Whakapapa and T≈´roa on Saturday, July 3. The season – snow permitting – runs through until Monday, October 25.
