Ruapehu Alpine Lifts has announced bank backing that will enable continued operations this summer and next winter. While a warm start to the season meant a limited ability for RAL to make snow and minimal natural snowfall, since August Mt Ruapehu has offered top to bottom skiing and riding at both ski areas. BROOK SABIN/Stuff Summer sightseers have doubled on Mount Ruapehu since the construction of the Sky Waka on Whakapapa. More than 215,000 manuhiri (guests) had been welcomed to the maunga since the beginning of July. Guest numbers were ahead of the same period in 2019, said Gribben, with one less month of operations – the key factor being sightseeing guests on the Sky Waka.

Source: Stuff September 20, 2020 01:18 UTC