Tongariro field notes
Snow & weather

Where the snow is

Ruapehu is the only place in the North Island with snow all year. Everywhere else in the park it comes and goes with the season and the elevation. This page tells you where to look this month and what is falling this week.

Painting of Ruapehu in winterRuapehu, late winter

Fetching the mountain forecast…

By month

Snow odds at each spot

Typical snow on the ground, from the summit plateau down to the forest lakes. Tap a name for the place and its tracks.

Where
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Ruapehu summit plateau & Crater Lake 2,530 m · Guided climb / mountaineering
Likely
Likely
Likely
Likely
Near certain
Near certain
Near certain
Near certain
Near certain
Near certain
Near certain
Likely
Skyline Ridge 2,300 m · Summer trail from the gondola
Possible
Unlikely
Unlikely
Possible
Likely
Near certain
Near certain
Near certain
Near certain
Near certain
Likely
Possible
Knoll Ridge Chalet (top of Sky Waka) 2,020 m · Gondola, no walking needed
Unlikely
No snow
Unlikely
Possible
Likely
Near certain
Near certain
Near certain
Near certain
Near certain
Likely
Possible
Red Crater (Alpine Crossing high point) 1,886 m · Advanced day walk
No snow
No snow
Unlikely
Unlikely
Likely
Near certain
Near certain
Near certain
Near certain
Likely
Possible
Unlikely
Meads Wall / Top of Bruce Road 1,650 m · Drive up, 10–20 min walk
No snow
No snow
No snow
Unlikely
Possible
Near certain
Near certain
Near certain
Near certain
Likely
Possible
Unlikely
Tūroa base (top of Ohakune Mountain Road) 1,620 m · Drive up
No snow
No snow
No snow
Unlikely
Possible
Near certain
Near certain
Near certain
Near certain
Likely
Possible
Unlikely
Upper Tama Lake viewpoint 1,440 m · Day walk, exposed ridge
No snow
No snow
No snow
Unlikely
Possible
Likely
Near certain
Near certain
Likely
Possible
Unlikely
No snow
Tama Saddle & Lower Tama Lake 1,240 m · Day walk
No snow
No snow
No snow
No snow
Unlikely
Likely
Likely
Likely
Possible
Unlikely
No snow
No snow
Taranaki Falls upper track 1,200 m · Easy loop
No snow
No snow
No snow
No snow
Unlikely
Possible
Likely
Possible
Possible
Unlikely
No snow
No snow
Waitonga Falls & Rotokawa pools 1,120 m · Easy walk from Ohakune Mountain Road
No snow
No snow
No snow
No snow
Unlikely
Possible
Likely
Possible
Possible
Unlikely
No snow
No snow
Whakapapa Village 1,120 m · SH48
No snow
No snow
No snow
No snow
Unlikely
Possible
Possible
Possible
Unlikely
Unlikely
No snow
No snow
Desert Road summit (SH1) 1,074 m · Driving
No snow
No snow
No snow
No snow
Unlikely
Possible
Possible
Possible
Unlikely
Unlikely
No snow
No snow
Lake Rotopounamu, Rotokura, Old Coach Road 700 m · Easy walks
No snow
No snow
No snow
No snow
No snow
Unlikely
Unlikely
Unlikely
No snow
No snow
No snow
No snow
No snowUnlikelyPossibleLikelyNear certain Typical conditions, not a forecast. Column highlighted = this month.
Seasons

A year on the mountain

Summer

December – February

Snow line above ~2,300 m

Only the summit plateau and glaciers hold snow. All tracks open; the Crossing is at its busiest. The Sky Waka runs for sightseeing and the upper-mountain trails open as they melt out.

Autumn

March – May

First falls on the peaks from April

Quiet, settled weather and the best light. Early snow dusts Ngāuruhoe and Ruapehu by late April; the Crossing starts to need winter gear in May.

Winter

June – September

Snow line ~1,200–1,500 m

The ski areas at Whakapapa and Tūroa open (usually late June to October). Snow reaches the Tama Saddle, Meads Wall, the Waitonga and Taranaki Falls tracks and sometimes Whakapapa Village. The Crossing is an alpine mountaineering route.

Spring

October – November

Snow line retreats to ~1,600–1,800 m

Big snow still above the ski-field bases, melting fast lower down. Waterfalls run full. The Crossing reopens to walkers once Red Crater clears, typically by November, but icy mornings linger.

Touch the snow

Easiest ways to reach it

  1. Drive up Bruce Road to Iwikau Village (1,630 m) and walk to Meads Wall. From June to October the car park itself is usually in snow. Carry chains in winter; the road is sometimes closed to private cars on busy ski days and a shuttle runs instead.
  2. Ride the Sky Waka to Knoll Ridge (2,020 m). Snow is near-certain from June to November and patches last into summer. Check the operating calendar first; it runs daily in the ski season and on a summer sightseeing schedule from about late December.
  3. Drive Ohakune Mountain Road to the Tūroa base (1,620 m), stopping at Mangawhero and Waitonga Falls, which are themselves sometimes snowy in winter.
  4. Walk to the Tama Saddle (1,240 m) in winter or early spring, when snow lies on the saddle but the route is still a walk. Stop at Lower Tama unless you have alpine gear.
  5. Be patient on the low tracks. Taranaki Falls, Waitonga Falls and Whakapapa Village see snow a handful of times each winter, usually gone within a day or two. If the forecast shows snow to 1,100 m, go that morning.
Ohakune Mountain Road after a storm Ohakune Mountain Road after a storm © Pseudopanax at en.wikipedia · Public domain
Safety in snow

What changes when it is white

Above the snow line, marked tracks become alpine routes. Poles disappear in drifts, boardwalks ice over, and slopes that are a stroll in summer become slides above drops, especially the Red Crater ridge and the Upper Tama ridge. From May to October the Tongariro Alpine Crossing needs an ice axe, crampons and the skills to use them, or a guide.

Check the NZ Avalanche Advisory for the Tongariro region, carry a warm layer, hat, gloves and a headlamp even on short walks, and remember that Ruapehu is an active volcano: GeoNet publishes its alert level, and the Summit Hazard Zone is off-limits when it is raised.

Roads: Bruce Road, Ohakune Mountain Road and the Desert Road all close or require chains after snowfalls. NZTA Journeys and the ski area’s road report have the live status.