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| Thread ID: 98211 | 2009-03-15 09:56:00 | Whakapapa Village | Nomad (952) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 756722 | 2009-03-15 09:56:00 | Hi, I have never been there before. How is the village like - what amenities are there? If I fly in where would I arrive? How far is that to the village? May just take a bus / coach there. Just planning a ski trip so I get the specials. Being a North Islander, Mt Hutt is a possibility but Cardrona / Q'town are too far / $$. Cheers :D |
Nomad (952) | ||
| 756723 | 2009-03-15 10:04:00 | Too many Jaffas there. Stay in Ohakune and ski up the other side instead. |
legod (4626) | ||
| 756724 | 2009-03-15 10:06:00 | Aha .. Forget the flights in, Taupo appears to be the closest. Mt Hutt is a contender but then their season pass is so $$. Q'town had some cheap ones but they are too far away, ditto Cardrona. |
Nomad (952) | ||
| 756725 | 2009-03-15 10:12:00 | You'll probably fly to Taupo airport, wouldnt you? Here's a map (www.imagef1.net.nz) The purple line is the route. On the left, it looks like it'll take about 1 hr 19 mins |
Speedy Gonzales (78) | ||
| 756726 | 2009-03-15 10:26:00 | I dunno, I spent some years in the South Island when I studied, never been to the North Island ski fields but my feeling is that how good is it gonna be. Whenever I go to the South Island for any trip, it feels diff, not been to Methven but Q'town would be ideal with the extra cheap shops. Well Whakapapa would be the cheapest it looks like. Does it get v busy - I intend to take a week annual leave outside school holidays. | Nomad (952) | ||
| 756727 | 2009-03-15 18:25:00 | Depends on where you are coming from. Flying into Taupo would probably be expensive as most smaller NZ airports are. Fly to Wellington and grab a bus to Ohakune and ski on Turoa it might work out cheaper. More choice of Accommodation there. Most places offer free shuttles. It you choose Whakapapa then you can stay at one of the places at National Park, it is about 10Km away and most places offer free shuttle but to the Ski fields. National Park and Whakapapa village don't have much at all, whereas Ohakune is a small town. |
Bantu (52) | ||
| 756728 | 2009-03-15 18:43:00 | Whakapapa is a 4.5 hour drive from Auckland and that unless you are a ski club member or know someone who is you won't be staying on the mountain. The nearest accommodation is at National Park which is 20minutes away or over at Turangi or around at Ohakune which is 40 minutes away. There is a Skotel about 5 minutes from the Chateau at the base of the mountain. More seasonal info is here www.mtruapehu.com Courtesy of WMG for that useful message. :p |
wratterus (105) | ||
| 756729 | 2009-03-15 19:42:00 | I have skied at Ruapehu for the last 25 years and am a member at one of the ski clubs with accommodation on the mountain . Each side has it's pros and cons: Whakapapa has the most interesting terrain and arguably slightly better weather, whereas Turoa, facing the south, is wide open to the prevailing winds, but has great open runs, ideal for snowboarders and learner skiers . It can get a bit icy off-trail at Turoa . . . Ruapehu, despite its northern location, tends to get far more snow than the southern fields (Ruapehu needs it to cover the rocks!!) and the season is generally longer than the southern fields . Whakapapa Village consists of a camp ground, the Skotel and the Chateau - a nice range of accommodation choice . I have stayed at the Skotel twice (the second time was better than the first) and the Chateau once . You can catch a 'Goat' up the mountain to the Top of the Bruce . Or you could stay at National Park - lots of choices there, and again, there are shuttles to take you up the mountain . I think you can still catch a train to National Park . . . . Ohakune is a lively wee town in the winter: lots of accommodation at various prices, plenty of well-attended 'watering holes' for the apres ski activities . I believe there are shuttles on that side as well, but you have to realise you have a 17km drive to the ski field from Ohakune township . All that travel takes a big chunk out of your skiing day . . . |
johcar (6283) | ||
| 756730 | 2009-03-15 21:48:00 | And there is a camping ground at Whakapapa if you have a camping van or tent... There used to be motels near the start of the road up to the Chateau - not quite as far as National Dark, but they specialise in providing accommodation for ski bunnies. Have a look at the Jason's website - they may be there. I am not a skiier, but I have tramped, pulled out pinus contorta, climbed, and snowcaved on both sides of the mountain over a number of years. Agree with johcar about the pros and cons of both sides of the mountain. It would be good if you had a vehicle with you - sometimes one side of the mountain is bathed in good weather whilst the other side is socked in. A car or van could save you losing a precious day skiing. If you are still interested in the South Island, don't forget the club fields on the Craigieburn Range. They take paying guests, and there is a good atmosphere on those fields (don't know anything about Mt Cheeseman, but Broken River and Craigieburn are good value). I gather you need a bit of skill because of the terrain, and you need to be able to use a nutcracker rather than a poncy lift. Have a look here: http://www.snow.co.nz/ You will find the club fields under the Ski Area Info menu. For those fields, fly into ChCh, and it is then an hour and a half drive to the foot of each of the skifield roads. |
John H (8) | ||
| 756731 | 2009-03-16 04:36:00 | I will look at Turoa. I am looking for a decent ski school so the larger ski fields may be more preferable. I am in Welly so the north island ones may be more practical. Whakapapa offers $385 seasons pass. Mt Hutt has them at $800 or $1100 depending how early you book. Remarkables had them for $399 but it has ended, plus the airfares to Q'town are super expensive. Cardrona has $540 seasons pass. If not considering seasons passes, S Island tend to be $10-20 more expensive for each of lessons / gear hire / lift passes per day. How is Methven or the north island villages like? Does it lack a decent supermarket, so I need to resort to 4 Square and expensive not good quality cafes / restaurants? I am looking at a weeks duration so eating out or 4 Square supermarket might get pretty expensive. This reason alone I quite like Q'town cos it's larger, has a decent price correct supermarket, a mall, foodcourts and cheap eateries and not to blow ones budget. But they don't have cheap enof seasons pass and the airfares would be least $300 return. |
Nomad (952) | ||
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