Ski & Snow Magazine

tukino
Nestled on the eastern slopes of Mt Ruapehu in New Zealand’s North Island,
the Tukino Skifield offers the rare combination of adventure and lack of crowds.
Tukino is a family friendly ski field with heaps of activities for everyone, with the
friendliness and camaraderie that’s only found on club-operated fields. Tukino
has 170 hectares of ski area, over 300m of vertical drop, and great conditions
sheltered from the prevailing Westerly winds.
Locale: Situated on the eastern slopes of Mt Ruapehu, one and a half
hours from Taupo, 40km south of Turangi and 22km north of Waiuru.
Season: 10 July - end of the snow
Prices at time of printing (May 2021):
Full day adult lift pass: $75.00 ($50 club members)
Full day youth lift pass: $40.00 ($25 club members)
Terrain: Beginner 35%
Intermediate 30%
Advanced 35%
On mountain facilities: Snow school, ticket office, on-mountain
lodges, cat skiing
tūroa
Locale: Situated on the southern slopes of Mt
Ruapehu, fifteen minutes from Ohakune, two
hours from Taupo.
Season: 3 July - 25 October
Prices at time of printing (May 2021):
Full day adult lift pass: $149.00 ($74 mid-week)
Full day youth lift pass: $99.00 ($49 mid-week)
(under 5 free)
Terrain: Beginner 20%
Intermediate 55%
Advanced 25%
On mountain facilities: Snow school, rental,
three cafes, retail store, terrain park
Insider scoop: 2021 will see the return of
the Tom Campbell Big Air. On 25 September
we will see world-class professional athletes
come together and showcase their skills, all in
memory of the humble legend, Tom Campbell.
Slightly smaller than Whakapapa, Tūroa has
historically been referred to as the ‘dark side’
of the mountain. Tūroa sits on the southwest
side neighbouring Ohakune just over 20km
away. Tūroa has a more wide-open feel
to it, with eight lifts and a bigger vertical at
720m. The High Noon Express takes you to
the highest lifted point in New Zealand with
panoramic views of the North Island. Tūroa
is also famous for its natural features, which
include long halfpipe-like bowls, sweet
kickers, and smooth, wide-open slopes.
Those who frequent Tūroa know to dress
warm in the mornings as the first rays of light
that appear around the mountain summit will
not touch the slopes until mid-late morning.
Operating quite literally on the ‘dark side’
of the mountain, Tūroa loyalists rejoice as
much of the landscape resembles frozen
waves that last well into the spring, making
for epic freeride skiing and riding, ripping up
plenty of gullies, drops, and natural hits.
Tūroa is also well known for its slopestyle
park offering, with the Tūroa Parks crew
developing a solid reputation within the
industry, solidified when they took home the
coveted ‘Battle of the Parks’ title two years
in a row. The crew offer world class terrain
parks from the top of the mountain to the
bottom, catering for all levels, from easy
flat boxes to big kickers and rails. There is
something for everyone and a clear path of
progression for all levels. The jewel to their
already illustrious crown was the addition
of a mini-pip cutter, allowing for skiers
and riders in the north to cut their teeth or
progress their pipe riding skills. These guys
never disappoint and always bring their A
game every season.
Getting there
Mt Ruapehu is an easy drive from the
nation’s main centres of Auckland and
Wellington, with Ohakune being roughly
four hours’ drive from either city. Taupō is
the closest domestic airport, a scenic onehour
30 drive to Whakapapa and two hours
to Tūroa. Tourist hotspots of Tauranga and
Rotorua are also not far away.
Alternatively, Ohakune and National Park
are both main stops on the Northern
Explorer train journey which adds another
dimension to an exciting adventure. Sit back
and relax while you take in the panoramic views along
the way.
Ruapehu gets busier on weekends with city visitors
and driving up the mountain roads can be intimidating
for the inexperienced driver. Luckily there are plenty of
local businesses that provide shuttle services or ride
shares up to the ski field. We also encourage carpooling
through the Snow Riders NZ – a free social carpooling
network for skiers and snowboarders. Locally focused,
there is also the great Ruapehu Rideshare Facebook
group.
Where to stay
Ohakune is the closest town to Tūroa and has a
multitude of great accommodation options for travellers.
Coupled with the lively nightlife, boutique shops and a
micro-brewery, Ohakune provides the quintessential
ski town experience and is not to be missed.
Likewise, National Park Village is the close to
Whakapapa and is not to be overlooked. Here you
will find great accommodation options for the budget
conscious traveller and friendly local pubs with warm
fireplaces ready for après. If you feel like treating
yourself the Chateau Tongariro stands at the foot of
Mt Ruapehu in Whakapapa village and offers a vibrant
vintage charm to your trip.
Mt Ruapehu: Image compliments of mtruapehu.com
Insider scoop: A great way to explore more terrain is to go cat skiing.
Get dropped at the top by the groomers, no need to book (cost $40
single trip, $35 for members).
As above, Taupō is also a reasonable drive from each ski
field and ‘big town’ accommodation can be readily sought
there.
Sneak a Weekday
While all this sounds great, isn’t everyone queuing up to
get a piece of Whakapapa and Tūroa? If you look back on
the last three years – ignoring the anomaly that was 2020
– close to half of all guests at Mt Ruapehu visited over the
weekend, meaning that weekends are on average over
twice as busy as weekdays. That leaves wide open spaces
on the weekdays to enjoy. Better still, it’s not just the side
country that is more accessible come weekdays, lift passes
are also financially more accessible too. #sneakaweekday
and enjoy all mountain lift passes for just $74 an adult and
$49 for youth (5-17-year olds) all winter long. That’s a 50%
saving versus weekend day passes. Win – win!
manganui
turoa
Tukino Ski Field: Image compliments of Tukino.org
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