Skiers at Mt Ruapehu faced long delays getting home tonight after roads down the mountain were covered in snow - leading to one incident involving a skidding car hitting a pedestrian.
A man was hit by a car in the Turoa skifield carpark at 5.30pm, when the vehicle skidded in ice.
"From what we were told, a car skidded out of control and hit this pedestrian against another car," a St John Ambulance spokeswoman said.
She said the man was initially treated by staff from a Turoa medical centre before being flown to Whanganui Hospital by helicopter with moderate injuries.
The ambulance and helicopter faced difficulties getting to the man due to weather conditions and snow-covered roads.
The spokeswoman said a number of skiers also faced delays coming down the mountain because of the impassable roads.
Snowboarder Gabi Knipe told Radio New Zealand (RNZ) that she had been stranded in a carpark on Mount Ruapehu for more than five hours.
RNZ reported that there were around 100 others also delayed coming down the mountain.
Ms Knipe was told by a skifield official at 7pm that there had been 60 crashes of various kinds.
"From you know nose-to-tail situations on the mountain road further down."