Sky Waka Gondola – Mt Ruapehu

Nature is not a place to visit – it is home.  Gary Snyder

Standing on the slopes of Mt Ruapehu I felt truly blessed.  Being surrounded by snow, punctured with exposed volcanic rock, and watching the newly installed Sky Waka Gondola in action. There was no other place I wanted to be than exactly where I was.

To the west in the distance, I could see Mt Taranaki which was covered in snow and looking majestic. To the north-east Mt Ngauruhoe and Mt Tongariro, both looked equally majestic. 

The day dawned with the sun shining, clear blue sky, minimal wind, and Mt Ruapehu looking magnificent and clear. What a day to be alive – “YEEESS” I quietly said to myself!

I’m excited about our day’s itinerary: 

• return walk to the Top of the Bruce and back to Skotel Alpine Resort (12 kms)
• ride the Sky Waka Gondola
• eat our packed lunch at Knoll Ridge Chalet & watch the skiers having fun, and most importantly
• soak up the environment and inhale the pure clean air.

Breakfast time in the communal kitchen is always busy and interesting.  Seeing what people have for breakfast and what and how they prepare their food for a day on slopes.  It makes me realise how simple and easier food choices and life is as a single person.  Both Yvonne and I have ‘done our time” or/and ‘served our apprenticeship‘ so to speak and are grateful to be at our stage of life and age.  I’m sure some of you can relate to these thoughts?

With our ‘day packs’ packed, we were soon striding our way up the sealed road leading up to Iwakau Village (top of the Bruce Road).  Stopping often to take in the views across the countryside, seeing Mt Taranaki in the distance and Mts Tongariro and Ngauruhoe.  The stillness and quietness were often interrupted by vehicles driving up to the car park – otherwise, it was still and quiet with breath-taking views, so different from the previous day.

Sky Waka Gondola

Finally, the day had arrived and my little dream of I riding in the Sky Waka Gondola was about to come true – oh how exciting!

We lined up in the queue to purchase our tickets.  (Remember to ask for a Gold Card discount, I think we got 10% off the price.)  With our tickets firmly clasped in our hands, we excitedly made our way to the gondola station along with skiers of all shapes, sizes, and ages, and no doubt abilities.  Fortunately, there were no long queues today.  We quickly moved through the scanning arms and before we knew it, we were climbing into the cabin along with seven other young people carrying their skis/snowboards.  No sooner had we sat down on the leather seats, the door quietly closed and we were silently floating through the air at 6 meters per second up the 1.6 km line.  It was the quietness and speed with which we seemed to float high above the partly snow-covered ridges and skiers below that blew me away.  Because the cabins have floor-to-ceiling glass makes this experience something special. 

In no time at all, we arrived at the Knoll Ridge Chalet and the disembarking was an unhurried process of simply stepping out of the cabin onto the platform.  Once outside the disembarking building, it was a hive of activity, skiers, and snowboarders everywhere, some taking selfies, others either removing their skiing equipment or putting their gear and returning to the slopes.  For us, it was coffee time and something to eat.

Sky Waka Gondola details

This $25 million investment went from “0 to 100 in eight months” a remarkable building achievement in an extreme alpine environment.  Every hour 2,400 people can be moved utilising the 50 gondolas.

Check out these construction photographs, quite mind-blowing.

If you get a chance to ride the Sky Waka Gondola do so, it does run both summer and winter.  If you have ridden it, I would love to hear your thoughts.  

Knoll Ridge Chalet

The Knoll Ridge Chalet is a spectacular example of alpine architecture.  It was under very suspicious circumstances on the night of 13 February 2009, that the original Knoll Ridge Chalet and nearby ‘grooming shed’ were burnt to the ground. Because of its location and time of night the fire happened, it made it impossible to get fire-fighting equipment up to the site.  This destruction caused a total rethink about building in this extreme environment, but build they did and what an architectural achievement.  

We were lucky to find a couple of vacant seats inside the Chalet beside the floor to ceiling windows.  We felt we were part of the mountain with only glass separating us from the perfect white slopes and the skiers and snowboarders zooming down the slopes below.  I could sit there for hours watching – it is captivating.  Yvonne and I enjoyed our packed lunch along with a much-needed coffee which was surprisingly good considering how many the baristas’ must make each hour. 

While we were outside absorbing the atmosphere Yvonne told me, how she “hated snow”.  This came as quite a surprise, she said it is because of the slush that comes with snow.  She asked me to take a photograph of her in the snow so she could show her family who may have doubted her being where she was.

The return journey down the gondola was more relaxing guess that was because I had my back to the downhill and I could see where we had come from.  We had the cabin to ourselves.

As we walked happily down the Bruce Road we stopped often and explored the fauna and many little clear water streams that ran over and under the volcanic rocks. 

It had been another magical day and we both felt very blessed and at peace with ourselves and the world.  Oh – we are very lucky to be living in such a stunning part of the world and have access to it this environment whenever we choose.

What a wonderful two days Yvonne, thank you for joining me.  I have enjoyed your company and companionship and may we share many more adventures in the not too distant future.  Till next time, GoldCard Gal  🙂