Tūroa Skifield

A couple of kilometres before reaching the skifield, the Massey University Alpine Club Hut sits at 1460m on Makotuku Flat. Clearly visible from here is a 40m waterfall which rarely freezes due to its north-west aspect and 1500m elevation.

Perhaps the most obvious ice route on Ruapehu, as it can be clearly seen from Turoa’s High Flyer chairlift. This 20–35m formation (depending on the depth of the snowpack) is consistently vertical and provides excellent steep water ice. It is a popular instruction venue as it is just a five minute walk from the top of the Mövenpick chairlift. Be careful at the top, where good ice frequently mutates into near-vertical mush. Often, water runs inside the pillar and there can be a dangerous hole at the top; if you fell in you would end up on the inside of the ice, which would be bad. Left and right of the main flow are two other good routes, shorter and not quite so steep.

The Clay’s Leap waterfall varies from nothing to 20m high, depending on the snowpack. It is in the valley about 250m west of the Giant Café. The best time is early season (June or July). A nice stepped route, although often the ice can be brittle.

Above and east of the Giant Café are several short gullies: the Five Fingers. At just over 2100m, this gully has good beginner ice in early winter or during low snow years. The main fall has three routes: the right-hand line is well-featured and off-vertical; the central line is steeper with a couple of bulges; and the left line has a short vertical section. Left again a short mixed route can be done.

Best climbed in low snow years, when it is at its highest and steepest, with a tricky overhang at mid height. This waterfall is at 1800m on the skyline ridge north-west from Turoa’s Giant Café. Grid ref 290108.