This article was first published in the Tararua Tramper Volume 82, no 7, August 2010
School Holiday Skiing
04-17 July 2010
The first week of the holidays coincided with the university holidays so the lodge at Whakapapa was full of families with older teenagers, some of whom are now at university. They had 35 for dinner each night, as five were staying at the Hutt Valley Lodge, and they had to brave the conditions each night to go home to bed. It was a mixed week weather wise, with four days of skiing and four days of stormy weather. The inclement days however didn't stop the fun outside, and an igloo was created which lasted well into the following week. The second week of the holidays was one "out of the box". The first six days were simply magic, with clear blue windless days, and great snow, although it was scarce in places. The seventh day it snowed and everybody had a well earned rest, both inside and outside the lodge. Many people seemed to leave the mountain as the holidays were almost over, but those who stayed on, awoke on Sunday to yet another cloudless, windless day with fresh snow, and no queues. We couldn't have asked for a better week, great people, great weather, great snow.
Jenny Jackson (scribe).