“There is no place higher to ski on earth in October,” long-time Ohakune resident Mike Wiggins says, pointing on the close to 3000-metre-high dormant volcano outdoors his ski and mountain bike store. “You Aussies simply go to Queenstown, you by no means learn about this place, beats me why.”
I am right here at Mount Ruapehu – mid-way down New Zealand’s North Island, equidistant from Auckland and Wellington. I’ve simply are available in from Queenstown the place planeloads of Australians swarm the city (there have been 10 planes from Australia touchdown every day in the course of the July faculty holidays). However I have been right here two days and I have never heard a single Australian accent. Actually, in 20 years of coming right here, I’ve barely heard one. That is regardless of Mount Ruapehu’s two ski resorts – Turoa and Whakapapa, 50 minutes aside on reverse sides of the mountain – with New Zealand’s longest ski season, the best ski-lifted level and the most important ski space in New Zealand between them.
Additionally they obtain nearly twice as a lot snow as a few of their counterparts within the South Island. And since Mount Ruapehu is a dormant volcano, you will not discover higher ski terrain within the Antipodes, with pure lava half-pipes distinctive to the area, basins, steep chutes; however with wide-open house for inexperienced persons.
However one of the best half is that season 2022 hasn’t even began but: Ruapehu solely hits its straps come late spring. There is no higher place to ski within the southern hemisphere from September (mid-week ski passes additionally price lower than $80 a day). And whereas it is busy on weekends with Wellington and Auckland locals, go to in the course of the week away from New Zealand faculty holidays and you will have it to yourselves.
“You actually solely need to get right here from mid-to-late-September when the resorts round Queenstown have already peaked,” native Nate Warnoch says. “In spring the snow right here is extra dependable, situations enhance and there is tons to do. You would possibly come to ski and solely spend a day on the mountain.”
Wiggins is pointing at a four-wheel drive parked outdoors his retailer loaded up with mountain bikes, and skis on the roof. “That is Ruapehu today,” he says. “There are as many individuals right here now for mountain biking as there are for snowboarding. Fifteen years in the past there was nothing to do off the ski resort, now it is New Zealand’s finest mountain biking vacation spot. We had twice as many individuals journey right here final yr as Otago’s Rail Path.”
There are greater than 400 kilometres of mountain bike trails inside a couple of minutes of city, many weaving via virgin forests of Tongariro Nationwide Park, New Zealand’s first World Heritage-listed website. And right here a median spring day sits at a really tolerable 15 levels.
I journey on historic rail trails which observe the paths of practice tracks minimize via forest, then take an E-bike beside the slow-flowing Whanganui River, passing via wilderness earlier than a jet boat takes me again to civilisation. Trails right here vary between hour-long rides to in a single day adventures, sleeping deep within the wild.
Then there’s the Tongariro Alpine Crossing – New Zealand’s finest day hike, and one of many world’s top-10. I drive from Ohakune in the direction of Whakapapa, via panorama that modifications from sheer-sloping volcanic peaks to peaceable, forested flatlands. I put together for the crossing at certainly one of New Zealand’s most historic properties, Chateau Tongariro, open since 1929. I scope the panorama over excessive tea served in a grand eating room trying throughout the trio of mountains I will cross tomorrow.
The hike begins beside an previous lava circulation earlier than climbing to a saddle between mountains, and previous Emerald Lakes, earlier than spiralling all the way down to a deep valley carved out by glaciers within the Ice Age.
Queenstown could have a fame because the world’s journey capital, however Ruapehu’s not far behind today. You can keep two weeks and never do all that is on supply – with every thing from horse-riding, jet boating, bungy leaping, canyon swinging and white-water rafting shut by.
Mount Ruapehu will not ever change Queenstown. However come spring it must be the southern hemisphere’s ski mecca. For when the South Island’s resorts are closing, Ruapehu is simply simply getting set for skiers.
THE DETAILS
MORE
FLY
Fly to Auckland with Air New Zealand or Qantas, then drive 4 hours south to Mount Ruapehu.
STAY
Ohakune ski lodge and restaurant, Powderhorn Chateau, powderhorn.co.nz, from NZ$245 an evening ($A218)
Whakapapa historic chateau, Chateau Tongariro, chateau.co.nz, from $NZ193.50 an evening ($A173)
PLAY
For info on the 2 ski resorts – Turoa and Whakapapa – and a full checklist of issues to do round Mount Ruapehu, see visitruapehu.com.
The author travelled courtesy of Tourism NZ and Go to Ruapehu.
