On 22 May 2002 thirtytwo of us set off for a 2-day bus trip around the North Island mountains staying overnight at The Chateau hotel. Had the weather been kind we had hoped to go up to the ski-fields (viewing purposes only) but unfortunately the weather was not kind and the mountains were obscured all the time by rain and low cloud. Oh well those are breaks one gets from time to time. Nevertheless we enjoyed our overnight stay in The Chateau luxurious resort hotel and have promised ourselves to try again one day.

Built in 1929, The Chateau hotel on the slopes of Mt. Ruapehu, is a pivot point for a number ski fields in the area. The mountain is an active volcano although most of the time it appears to be a dormant and quiet mountain. Eruptions in 1945 caused the Chateau to be evacuated and it was not until 1948, newly renovated, that it reopened.

Shortly before midnight on Christmas Eve, 1953, the crater lake burst down the mountain as a lahar and swept away a rail bridge at Tangiwai, 5 miles away, at the same moment that an express train arrived on the bridge. The engine and first two carriages went into the river with the loss of 151 lives. In 2007 another lahar from the same crater occurred but warning systems installed in the crater lake since 1953 gave ample warning of the approaching lahar and road and rail bridges in the danger area were automatically closed to traffic.

A winter picture.
Our room was front left-hand corner 2nd floor with windows facing front and side. A perfect view of nearby Ngaruahoe had there been no cloud!!

Under Fire - the Mt Ruapehu eruption of 1996

A mid-winter evening view of Mt Ruapehu, The Grand Chateau and Whakapapa ski field area.>

Mt Ngaruahoe (below), within tramping distance of Ruapehu, is also an active volcano although it too appears dormant most of the time.

Ngaruahoe eruption.

Ngauruhoe, a winter scene.

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Page updated PJL 20 July 2007.