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Ski New Zealand : Friday 23 October 2009 3.45pm Ruapehu Update
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yes that means you

Superb Stuff for labour weekend

Ruapehu is serving up some superb late season stuff for Labour weekend. The weather is likely to be fine Saturday and Sunday and the crowds small. There was also quite a bit of new snow at Turoa today. Conditions were very cold and pretty much mid winter with snow flurries most of the day. Unreal!

When the sun comes out tomorrow you can expect some superb spring conditions particularly at Turoa. Probably the best on record for this time of year for the upper mountain. Rip into it and enjoy.

On Wednesday the conditions were among the best we have seen at Turoa. Most all of the excellent terrain was available including the steep runs that are normally icey. When it's like this Turoa kicks arse.

Our run of the day was the upper half of the Organ Pipes and also the steep faces of clays leap. Just epic stuff.

The good news is we expect Saturday and Sunday will be similar!

Final Daily Update for 09
Today is the final daily update from Powderhound for the 2009 season. Thanks for all of you who have supported us throughout the season. We hope you got plenty of the windows we picked! We will update a few times from here to closing on the 8th but not daily.

Season extended:
RAL have just announced that Turoa's closing date is being extended to 8 November also see the note on the right about facilities operating. Whakapapa will close as planned on 26 October.

Mobile webcam
We have created a special page that holds the very latest image from the Ruapehu webcam. You can browse to it on your mobile device at

www.powderhound.co.nz/m

So when you are on the road and want to take a quick look of what's ahead logon to this URL!

Daily Update time of day is dependent on when conditions change

Tell us the news or send us your pics,

Those of us who did make it to Turoa on Wednesday were very happy campers with superb conditions. This is top of the 6. The organ pipes were going off and accessed easily and still with loads of snow.

Happy campers

Have your Say!


Late season facilities

RAL update the following facilities will operate:

At Turoa the Wintergarden Platters, Park Lane Chair, High Flyer Chair and Snowflake Cafe will be closed for the season. The Jumbo T-bar will operate as required. Everything else will remain open as normal snow and weather allowing - the Alpine Meadow, Movenpick, Giant, High Noon Express and Terrain Park.


At Whakapapa the National, Rockgarden, Happy Valley and West Ridge Quad Chairs are closed for the season. The Knoll Ridge and Valley T-bars will operate alternately. Everything else will remain open - the Centennial and Waterfall Express Chairs, Hut Flat tows and Waterfall and Far West T-bars.

window coming

Q; So when's the next good weather window?
Saturday-Sunday

An epic weekend in the offing. Just get to Ruapehu.

B windows are marginal but still a chance and A's are more certain.

Next weekend
Looking bloody good .

It's looking good

Ruapehu weather forecastPack your bags

Pack your bags and get to Ruapehu Saturday Sunday and have a cruisy drive home Monday. The weather is going to be very nice for the first two days of labour weekend so rip into it.

After Sunday yet another cold front is heading in and yet more snow to low levels Monday and Tuesday.

It's great that Turoa will remain open until 8 November. Get there for a midweek day if you can in the next couple of weeks. You will be shocked how few people there are and it just makes for a special experience.


If you are looking here now like us you must be hard core. So as our updates will be irregular from here feel free to contact us for a custom forecast.

Live web cam
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We acknowledge the New Zealand GeoNet project and its sponsors EQC and GNS Science for providing its web cam images used here.
late season pow

How's the snow? excellent at Turoa

Classic Ruapehu spring conditions with some powder at Turoa today after new snow. Expect hard snow in the mornings releasing as the sun intensifies.

You can also expect Turoa to be the best of it. The off piste should release later in the day tomorrow and Sunday for some classic corn snow. There will also be be some excellent wind blown powder to be had.

Whakapapa will soften earlier so go earlier if that is your choice of fields.

Turoa 2.31m (Giant cafe stake)
Whakapapa 1.57m (Temp Knoll Ridge Cafe)

Old stories
of interest
Mountain men camp out on Ruapehu - photo story from our photographer Pete.

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