ACCOMMODATION was all but booked out in much of Ohakune and Raetihi last night as heavy snowfalls stranded traffic travelling north. Yesterday afternoon snow literally "bucketed down" on the Central Plateau causing closure of the Desert Rd from Waiouru to Rangipo. SH4 between National Park and Raetihi was also closed for severalhours last evening. Police said only a few vehicles were stranded by the snow, and their occupants were taken to safety by police and Works Infrastructure personnel. Other vehicles were escorted back to the townships of Waiouru, National Park and Raetihi for their occupants to find accommodation. Traffic heading north on the Desert Rd (from Taihape) was diverted to Ohakune. Dennis Jury, of Mountain View Motels, Ohakune, told the Chronicle more than half his 14 units had been taken by motorists travelling to Auckland or Hamilton, who were detoured to Ohakune by police. He said he was getting referrals from a motel which was booked out. For traffic travelling north on SH3, police urged caution, and ice was being blamed for at least one fatal accident early yesterday, when a vehicle left SH3 between Stratford and Inglewood, killing the sole male occupant. The heavy snowfall in the Central Plateau, though, was welcomed by Mt Ruapehu Skifields Alpine Lifts operators. "It's really good snow and its amazingly, unbelievably dry ? rather like North America's. "It's fairly light and great for skiing," deputy marketing manager Tim Wilkinson said. On Friday a snowfall of about five centimetres enabled the beginners' area to open and instructors had a "nice steady weekend," he said. Turoa skifield's Movenpick and Highflyer chairlifts were expected to be opened tomorrow and possibly the Rock Garden. "The snow at top of Bruce Rd (Mt Ruapehu) is unbelievable and also on Turoa's Mountain Rd. You can only get up them with four wheel drives and chains," Mr Wilkinson said.
