Ruapehu: Wake to a pristine world of white

The Dann kids get a skiing lesson on Mt Ruapehu. Photo / Liam Dann

Snowmen, snowball fights and skiing: Children won't forget their first experience of playing in fresh snow, writes Liam Dann.

We were just out of Ohakune, on the edge of the mountain when the real magic began. On a cold Thursday night, after three consecutive days of rain and mud, the snow started falling - big time.

Not hail, grapple or sleet but big floaty, sparkling flakes of snow, shimmering in the street lights as we attempted to corral our three kids - 9, 6 and 4 - through the pretence of a grown-up restaurant dinner.

There are plenty of reasons to head south to the Ruapehu district for a winter break. There are bush walks and mountain biking. There's chilling in front of an open fire with a glass of red, playing board games with the family.

But in the end, snow is the real drawcard, especially when your children are seeing it for the first time.

By the time our dinner finished the snow was settling and our waiter was warning us we'd need to get on the road before it got icy.

With a car full of squealing kids (okay, and grown-ups) we crawled back through blizzard conditions to our farm cottage just out of Raetihi.

By the time we got there it was clear the stuff was going to settle.

There really is nothing quite like waking to a pristine white world covered in fresh snow. It's Narnia-like. You just want to go nuts.

Snow angels, snowball fights, snowmen - our Auckland born and bred children knew the drill from TV and movies but nothing prepares you for the real thing.

The Dann family's accommodation - Kereru Cottage near Raetihi. Photo / Liam Dann

Its colder, wetter and more fun than you expect. After soaking one set of outdoor gear we packed the really warm stuff and headed for the mountain.

Turoa is just 20 minutes up from Ohakune village although it can be a precarious journey - if it snows heavily you'll need a 4WD or chains.

When we first arrived at the skifield, the temperature was a real shock - even a good day up the mountain is bracing and conditions can change fast.

A layer of thermal underwear is good idea, as is a good waterproof outer layer.

The extent of my skiing experience dates back to a school trip 25 years ago, so the six-year-old, the nine-year-old and myself decided to opt for a joint family lesson from the cheery and admirably patient instructors.

We learned to stop, then we learned to go and all of a sudden an hour had passed and we were skiing - well from the top to the bottom of the learners' slopes at least. Although there's only so much pride a grown man can take from hot dogging past school kids on such a gentle incline, it really is something else to see the joy in your children as their confidence grows and they conquer their fears.

The High Noon Express chairlift on Mt Ruapehu's Turoa skifield. Photo / Supplied

Naturally, my next move was to terrify our nine-year-old (and myself a little) by heading up too high on the chairlift.

But that's okay. When my daughter finally made it down she enjoyed the learners' slopes even more. The sense of adventure is what endures and the story grows in the telling.

By the end of the day, we were exhausted and freezing but sure we'll be back to brave those chairlifts again.

Our stay

We stayed five nights at a renovated farm house called Kereru Cottage, just out of Raetihi. On a rustic sheep farm with big log fire and unlimited wood I could have stopped inside all week. We found it through Bookabach.

In the end we got two days up the mountain but found plenty do in Ruapehu District on the rainy days. Outside of the snow, the biggest hit with our kids was the new Vertigo indoor rock climbing centre at Ohakune.

We took them Horse trekking at Ruapehu Homestead Horse Treks and planned to mountain bike the Old Coach Road but got sidetracked by the snow.

Children and snow - the golden rules

• Make them take breaks. Children forget to feel the cold until they are crying, shaking and heading into shock. Bribe them inside for a hot chocolate or snack every hour or so.

• Don't let them take off their gloves. Snow is so fluffy and fun you just want to touch it. But nothing kills fun quicker than the burn of frozen fingers.

• Take two sets of gloves for each child.

• Snowballs are really hard. Yes, it looks funny in the movies, but a serious snowball fight is almost as painful as a rock fight.

• For young beginners, skiing is a better bet than snowboarding. At least that's the advice we got and it seemed to stack up.

• A lesson pays off. From toddlers to fully grown beginners, an hour of instruction is fun and sets you up to enjoy the rest of your experience.

Mt Ruapehu hosted the writer's family for a day's skiing at Turoa.