Whakapapa, Mt Ruapehu

16/05/2026

What would you name a snow gun? ❄️

Happy Valley’s picked up a bit more firepower thanks to a few freshly installed snow guns. Now one of them needs a name! Could be yours or named after someone from the community who deserves a bit of mountain immortality.

As Shane, our Trails Manager, says, this comp is open to all 2026 Season Pass holders. Entries close Monday 18 May and the Early Bird Season Pass sale wraps up tomorrow night (Sunday 17 May!) at midnight. So if you haven’t grabbed your season pass yet, head to whakapapa.com/season-26 then come back and name the snow gun!

Big thanks to everyone who’s already entered. We’ve been loving reading the stories and seeing the names coming through.

Skiing and snowboarding kick off at Whakapapa on 4 July with Happy Valley opening first. We’ll have the winning name ready by then and give it a proper little naming ceremony up here.

Enter 'Name a Snow Gun' Comp here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeDyqYePcKJ2RAcAGricFeZomZEn0R11GAAjadX8jK0iVRVYg/viewform

11/05/2026

This could be the winter you finally learn.

Winter is getting closer and if learning to ski or snowboard has been sitting on your list for a while, now is the time to lock it in. Our beginner packages keep things simple with a lesson, rental equipment and beginner lift access included in one booking, making it easier to get yourself or the kids started on the maunga this season.

There are now just a couple days left to secure 50% off selected 2026 Learn to Ski and Learn to Snowboard Packages before the offer ends on 14 May.

If you’re booking for the kids too, don’t forget to redeem their free 2026 Season Pass, available for all children 10 and under.

Packages from:
🎿 Ski from $99 adult | $85 youth
🏂 Snowboard from $99 adult | $85 youth

Book now at whakapapa.com/learn-to-ski

11/05/2026

Winter may not be here just yet, but preparations have certainly begun! ❄️👷

Our Whakapapa Snow Factory was the first of its kind in New Zealand and for years it’s been laying the foundations for the season ahead. Shane, our Trails Manager, talks us through how the giant snow piles building up in Happy Valley become the base for your first turns of the season.

Those piles will keep growing as the Snow Factory pumps away day and night, laying the groundwork for Snowland opening on 30 May and helping bring skiing and snowboarding back from July.

Our Snow Factory doesn’t take weekends off and neither do deadlines! Our Season Pass Early Bird Sale melts away this Sunday 17 May, so get sorted at whakapapa.com/season-26.

What is Snowland, you ask? Find out at whakapapa.com/snowland.

09/05/2026

This could be the winter you finally learn! ⛷️🏂❄️

Winter is getting closer and if learning to ski or snowboard has been sitting on your list for a while, now is the time to lock it in. Our beginner packages keep things simple with a lesson, rental equipment and beginner lift access included in one booking, making it easier to get yourself or the kids started on the maunga this season.

There are now just a few days left to secure 50% off selected 2026 Learn to Ski and Learn to Snowboard Packages before the offer ends on 14 May.

If you’re booking for the kids too, don’t forget to redeem their free 2026 Season Pass, available for all children 10 and under.

Packages from:
🎿 Ski from $99 adult / $85 youth
🏂 Snowboard from $99 adult / $85 youth

Book now at whakapapa.com/learn-to-ski.

05/05/2026

Split ski pants aren’t ideal. Split payments are.

With the recent upgrade to our payment system now live, split payments are available for our 2026 Season Passes and Platinum Parking. If you purchase before 17 May, you can pay 50% upfront and the remaining 50% on 30 June.

It’s a simpler way to lock in your pass and spread the cost, while still securing Early Bird value ahead of the upcoming winter season. And if that means you’ve got a little room in the budget now for a few gear upgrades before the next payment, even better!

Early Bird Sale ends Sunday 17 May.

Get split now at whakapapa.com/season-26.

Discover Whakapapa during summer or winter! Ride the country's most advanced gondola, Sky Waka, high above the beautiful world-heritage-listed mountain area all year round. Ski or Snowboard one of NZ's largest Ski areas, Whakapapa and all winter long for action packed family fun all year.