First snow settles on Mt RuapehuPPR The Whakapapa base, pictured, and Turoa were both sprinkled with the powdery stuff after a week of cooler temperatures. The first dusting of snow has landed on Mt Ruapehu in the lead-up to the ski season. RAL operates the Whakapapa and Turoa skifields and has put about $7.5m into a new chairlift at Whakapapa. And a new $7.5m chairlift at Whakapapa will crank into life to carry more keen skiers in 2016. A week of cooler temperatures brought a light snowfall at the Whakapapa and Turoa bases and a heavier fall higher up, information from Ruapine Alpine Lifts (RAL) said.

Source: Stuff May 17, 2016 01:48 UTC