Snow advice wanted :)

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xpd

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#26417 22-Sep-2008 11:30

Im heading down to Turangi for a week early October (exciting place as it is... but free trip) and thought while Im there, Id like to head to the snow (hoping itll still be around

) as I havent been to the snow since I was about 15 months old and want to see my 13month old's reaction

So Ive been looking at mtruapehu.com and see there is a sightseeing pass I can get - but there is no information at all on their website as to what this gives me....

Does anyone here know anything about the sightseeing passes ?

Thanks

XPD / Gavin

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wellygary

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#166217 22-Sep-2008 11:47

Given the amount of snow that is there it ain't gonna go anywhere fast,

If you open at the explaination of terms PDF http://mtruapehu.com/content/library/EXPLANATION_OF_TERMS_2008.pdf
half way down the lift pass page http://mtruapehu.com/winter/lift-passes/ you will find this

---------
Sightseeing
A return chairlift ride to the top of the Waterfall Express Chairlift at Whakapapa or to the top of the Park Lane
Chairlift at Turoa.
Family: 2 Adults and their dependent children.
---------------

IMHO you get better value for money at Whakapapa(National Park side) as at the top of the Waterfall express Chairlift is a nice big cafe with a large deck that has the most amazing views. At Turoa (Ohakune Side) the Park lane chairlift only takes you partially up the mountain, at the services at the top are less extensive.

xpd

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#166223 22-Sep-2008 12:08

Thanks very much for that

XPD / Gavin

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aucklander

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#166228 22-Sep-2008 12:14

I went up to the top of Waterfall Express Chairlift at Whakapapa yesterday (Sunday, Sep 21st).
It was our first trip to Ruapehu, and my wife did not see snow in 6 years, since we came to NZ (from Europe, where we had -25C in the winter, with at least 50-60cm of snow everywhere in the city for at least 3 months every year).

Imagine perfectly blue sky, with the clouds level below your position. It was amazing.
The road is all dry, no problems at all driving right to the top carpark (approx 1600m from see level). The sightseeing pass will take you to approx 2000m above sea level.

Everybody looked very happy, and skying / snowbaording looks so easy when you are just watching them...
I do not know about Turangi.

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tonyhughes

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#166251 22-Sep-2008 12:59

There snow way it will all melt by then. Be skiing in mid-December still by all accounts.

magu

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#166272 22-Sep-2008 13:46

Went to Whakapapa two weekends ago. Saturday was cloudy, snowing a little bit.

Sunday was probably the clearest sky I've seen so far in the mountains. Sunny the whole day, some people skiing in just T-shirts and bikinis. Lovely sight.

By the way the snow was that weekend, I think it will go until mid-October at least.

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wellygary

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#166278 22-Sep-2008 14:05

Whakapapa's closing date is Labour weekend (27th Oct).

Turoa is 16 November,

Whakapapa have said barring a global heatwave they should be open for summer skiing in December, ( they normally operate a summer sighseeing programme anyway, and thats why they need to close earlier than Turoa, to service and perform annual maintainence on the lifts before the summer programme begins)

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Balchy

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#166283 22-Sep-2008 14:22

My advice is to not try surfing a boogie board :) Went to whakapapa three weeks ago - took a boogie board to tow the kids round - thought it would be great fun to try and surf it, awesome for the first few trys, till I bailed hard and broke a rib, then got a lung infection haha good times - still paying for it.

Have fun!!

For billions of years since the outset of time, every single one of your ancestors survived, every single person on your Mum and Dads side, successfully looked after and passed onto you life. What are the chances of that like?

xpd

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#166287 22-Sep-2008 15:13

Thanks all!!
Should be fun

XPD / Gavin

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