Kia ora -,
We’re making moves up the maunga.
It’s taken grit, graft, and a run of near-perfect snowmaking conditions to get here — but from Friday, intermediate to advanced skiers and snowboarders will be able to ride from the top of the Sky Waka gondola down through the Terraces, linking into the Rockgarden, and also lap skiers’ right off the Delta chair via the K-road trail.
With temperatures dipping below -5°C wet bulb, the snowmaking team has been in full flight — while groomers have been joining the dots between those impressive “whales” of stockpiled snow. The result is early-season terrain in “sporty mode” — a lot of fun, but requiring skill, care, and consideration.
Further down, the Rockgarden trail off the Rangatira chair is deepening and widening by the day, thanks again to snowmaking efforts. Happy Valley beginner area has seen its biggest transformation yet this season — fully operational with the Double Happy chair and both carpets, and both offer great progression for beginners through to low-level intermediates.
We’re anticipating four more nights of excellent snowmaking conditions. We’ve poked our nose (or more specifically, a cat) into the Valley for the first look of 2025. It’s promising, but we’ll need another 25cm before the real push begins.
Progress is building — and the mountain’s opening up.
Note: From the Delta chair, it’s K-road (skier’s right) that’s ready — Turtle Run (skier’s left) still needs time, with variable snow conditions in play. From the top of the Sky Waka gondola, access is via the Terraces only, with other trails to come online as conditions allow.