SPORT IN THE SNOW

Shannon News, 31 August 1926, Page 4

SPORT IN THE SNOW

NATIONAL PARK POPULAR. VICE-REGAL PARTY PLANNED. Conditions at the Tongariro National Park are now ideal for all forms of winter sports. During the last few days snow has fallen in liberal quantities and it covers the ground in the vicinity of the Wakapapa huts to a depth of 3ft. Exhilarating amusement may be obtained with skis within a quarter of a mile of the cottages. Few people have so far. taken advantage of the ideal conditions prevailing, but the next week or two will see i an invasion of tourists and holiday-makers from all parts of the Dominion. They will include Her Excellency Lady Alice F-ergusson and a Vice-Regal party, and a party of .16 Auckland girls. Later, the members of the Ruapehu Ski Club will hold their annual winter sports on the slopes of the mountain. So great will be the demand for accommodation that the social and dance hall will have to be used for sleeping room. This building has only been erected since Christmas and has been a boon to visitors during the summer and winter evenings. Temporary beds will be provided in order to accommodate those people who cannot be allotted bunks in the huts. Numbers of would-be mountaineers have been advised by the ranger, Mr. A. Cowling .that all accommodation has been fully booked during the next two or three . weeks. Most of these people have therefore postponed their visits until next month, but others have elected to take up their abode at the Ohakune and Mangatepopo huts rather than wait for the position to ease at Whakapapa.