Skiing 2011, Whakapapa

Not to upset Turoa ski field fans, I should say that Whakapapa is equally good.

On a good day/season, when the West side is open, perhaps it's even better, as there are ~30% more variations of possible runs. Plus easier crater walk.

Though queues are bigger and you should watch more carefully your belongings at the bottom cafe.

Whakapapa winter crater walk 2009

From Whakapapa side, Far West T-Bar. 25-Oct-2009.

Sir E.Hillary Pursuit centre

Exercising ground of the Sir Edmund Hillary Pursuit centre.

Nice for stretching muscles, practicing the balance and good fun after all.

But be careful to get away without injures.

Sauna Dam 2006

Each year we build a little dam under the “Carrot” bridge for refreshing after RMC's sauna.

Normally building/maintaining of the dam happens in rainy summer days, when mountain tracks are not wellcoming and we spend good amount of time in the spa/sauna.

Ohakune locals are entrertained too by watching our runs in togs/bikini along the main road to the river :-)

Celebration of New Year in the RMC

It has become a tradition already for the day of 31th of December in RMC: morning coffee, making snow man up on Ruapehu slopes, sauna, farewelling the passing year by a glass of Monteinth Pilsner in Altitude 585 bar, firework and all-night-party in the RMC hall.

Skiing 2010a, morning exercises

It can sound odd - to do a 5km run in the morning before 6 hours of skiing, but in fact this is a nice warm up exercise. It is as pleasant as helpful to lower risk of injures in the first hours on the slopes.

Try it yourself next time.

Windy

Almost as in R.Sheckley's "A Wind is Rising" story.