Whakapapa is Magic in summer too

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 508, 19 October 1993, Page 8 (Supplement)

Whakapapa is Magic in summer too

Ru apehu Alpine Lifts in vi tes visitors to come and experience Whakapapa Ski Area in summer - it's a whole new experience. There's plenty of summer alpine magic from mid-December when the lifts open for the Christmas holidays, staying open right up until the 1994 ski season. The lifts will operate most days, weather permitting. Day trippers can ride the Centennial Chair and the Waterfall Express to a height of 2000m, from where the breath-taking panoramic views of the Tongariro National Park can be truly appreciated. As well as playing in the snow and exploring the upper alpine area, there's also the opportunity to take a guided walk to the Crater Lake with members of Whaka-

papa - ski pah • >1 From the Waterfall Express Chair it's a walk up Restful Ridge to Dome Shelter at 2672m to view the crater lake and the four peaks of Ruapehu. Visitors are regaled with stories of the area's history while they take in the unique vistas of lava, ash, ice and crevasses surrounding the activelake. On the return journey an exhilirating sliding descent can be made down the Whakapapanui Glacier, or for the more cautious, a sedate descent by foot. The chairlifts run groups back to the Top O' the Bruce at the end of the day. Reservations are essential for the guided Crater Lake walks. For information andbookings, phone (07) 8923 738.