Unlike last year lady luck was with us following the announcement that the essential part of New Zealand was to move back to level 2. That meant that we completed ski week 1 and opened again for ski week 2 and hopefully the coming school holidays. Ski week 2 was very successful with the only disappointing factor that the lifts were closed for two days due to bad weather only to reveal bluebird conditions from mid-day on. So, some of us hiked / skinned up the mountain for a very peaceful day on the mountain while others enjoyed pottering on the lower mountain.
The weeks stricken by the lockdown disrupted private groups booked into our lodge again, who were forced to abandon their plans. Thanks to Mark who had to manage a school group who were forced to leave the lodge mid-week and clean the lodge and secure food.
At this stage Happy Valley has plenty of snow so looking good for the school holidays.
The upper mountain has plenty of snow and all facilities operating weather permitting. So get up there and get some exceptional spring conditions.
Keep the following dates in mind or better still on your calendar.
- The first week of the school holidays is now full.
- The second week of the school holidays has a limited number of spaces so get in quick!
- The tailing weekend October 15 to 17 needs a trained leader and has no bookings at this stage.
- Labour weekend we will be open and that has a leader and several spaces available.
Go to the lodge bookings page even if you are not making a booking if you want to keep up to date with how things are, go to that page as this is the page with up-to-date booking information. Go to Wellington Tramping & Mountaineering website, Facilities, Ruapehu Lodge, Lodge Bookings page.
For the lodge, the membership status is now frozen meaning that people can join the club during winter but the non-member rates and priority status for the lodge will remain until the end of October.
And finally, the lodge committee has a third booking officer which is good news as the other two have been exceptionally busy with bookings and refunds for the last two seasons.
Brian
Lodge Convenor