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| On the 22nd of June, Mt Ruapehu, now New
Zealands largest ski area was officially opened. North
Island snowlovers can rejoice as the long awaited merger
of the Whakapapa and Turoa ski fields has finally come
to fruition, with both owned and operated under the same
company- |
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With the two areas now under the same ownership, there
are several new developments taking place that will
have keen sliders from all around the country chomping
at the bit to get up there. The most obvious change
is that passes now include both ski areas, now you can
ride both sides of the hill in the same day, using the
same pass, and this applies for both day passes and
seasons passes. There is also a new shuttle service
that runs between Whakapapa and Turoa carparks several
times throughout the day.
This season Turoa will have an awesome new FIS standard
half pipe, and a new boarder-cross and terrain park,
which will both be well maintained and running full-time,
with the help of the new pipe dragon half pipe shaper.
There are plans to actually link the two fields together
in the future, and this season there will be a guided
traverse between the two fields operating when snow
and weather conditions are suitable.
The Mt Ruapehu staff, skiing community and surrounding
! townships are very excited and pleased about the new
cooperation between the two ski areas, there is a positive
feeling to support and promote the mountain now as a
whole, instead of two seperate competing buisinesses.
Locals feel that the change will put more resources
back into the community, and that marketting the mountain
as a whole will have great spin-offs for everyone in
the area.
Mt Ruapehu ski area offered very cheap seasons passes
for 2001 early in the year, which attracted droves of
skiiers and boarders to come and work and play on Mt
Ruapehu. Tourism in the surrounding areas is benefitting
from the merger of Whakapapa and Turoa ski fields, with
several new restaurants, bars and motels opening up
in Ohakune, and existing buisinesses epecting growth
this season.
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| Mt Ruapehu ski area has an impressive events
calendar, some cool stuff to watch out for is the Ice
beer Atomic X games from July 30 to August 3rd, the Ohakune
Mountain Mardi Gras
party on August 4th, the Pulsate North Island snowboard
ISF champs from August 17-19, and the Channel Z Mt Ruapehu
snowboard festival from September 30- October 6. You can
currently purchase Mt Ruapehu seasons tickets for $449
(adult), $389 (student) and $329 (youth). |
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There are also some really cheap travel
deals from Auckland and Wellington to the
mountain; for $179 you can get a return bus trip, 2 nights
weekend accommodation in Turangi with spa pools and bar
facility, breakfast and dinner meals, and rides to and
from the
mountain. To book these trips or find out more call Club
Habitat, 07 3867492.
If the storm cycles are consistent and both fields are
rewarded with the expected snow in the next few weeks,
it looks like it will be a great season for the new 990
hectare Mt Ruapehu ski
area. |
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