family on holiday snow lodgings By Aana Marinovich Kids love jumps and with 29 snowmakers, Ohau is a snow- lovers’ playground for skiing and boarding right into spring. Heading to the snow this winter? The kids will thank you forever if you decide on a family holiday at a mountain lodge. For kids of all ages, lodge life is the ultimate fun … so join up! ohau cool Kids love ski lodges and Ohau is a little gem tucked away near Twizel, nestled by the lake and under the mountain, offering all the fun of family lodge life … with added luxuries. Let this be your gentle introduction to lodge life, and if you’ve heard about the great skiing at Ohau and plan to go for a day, then make sure you book into the lodge for at least one night. It’s the lodge where all the Lodge life is exciting for littlies. kids get to eat, play and ski together and parents get to enjoy adult company, eat amazing food and sit around the fire. Even better, everyone retires to their own family (hotel-style) room, with car park directly outside and no chores required. ohau snow fields Ohau, with nice steep and deeps, is an intermediate/ advanced field and has two learner slopes for beginners. While there is only one main chairlift, there are trails on offer everywhere. If the snow is there, then you can spend all day trailing the mountain and, once the weather gets cold, they have 29 snow makers, so you’ll often find the conditions here are The kids all eating dinner together at better than most. For my boys, who are really only The Ohau ski field has a magical view over the lake. skiing for the jumps these days, they mapped out a Ohau Lodge. Great fun! challenging run with about 9 jumps en-route. Not too scary thank goodness, but at one stage there were 5 Some have lockers to store your gear all year round. North Island boys in tow, aged 5–14 years burning down that track. Most lodges now have a custodian who organises most In the North Island, most clubs are on Mount Ruapehu. They took a trip up to the summit with the Dads, which of the food for three hearty meals a day. See www.rmca.org.nz for at least 50 club options where was a 20 minute hike. I’m not sure if the kids really you can ski at Whakapapa or Turoa (commercial ski fields), appreciated it, but the views down over the skifield to what’s the downside? or both (as some clubs have two lodge options). the lake are breathtaking. Everyone is assigned a chore each day (even kids … which they happily do for the club convenor, but sadly, There are two club fields (ski lodges with their own ski The field has a very boutique feel to it, with one main parents, don’t expect the same happy children doing and snowboard facilities) in the North Island, if you’re cafe at the bottom, where you’ll meet fellow Lodge chores at home!). Guests sleep in bunk rooms (some keen to get away from the busyness of the commercial friends. The team of instructors are super friendly, and lodges have family rooms), share bathrooms, you all eat run a very cost-effective programme for the kids. Sign fields. Manganui on Mount Egmont together and spend evenings together in the club (which I up to the Mountain Goats programme (cost $40) at www.skitaranaki.co.nz and Tukino on Mount Ruapahu really enjoyed, but may not be everyone’s gig). If the club is the start of the holiday or season, then pay only $18 www.tukino.co.nz. up on the mountain, you are pretty much stuck there on for all group lessons. At that great rate, you can really bad weather days (sometimes multiple days!). Clubs are afford to invest in getting the kids going and tightening often on tank water, so quick showers are required. their technique. Check out www.ohau.co.nz Two Mount Ruapahu family clubs currently how to choose? recruiting are Iwikau www.iwikau.com and join a ski lodge (mountain club) Join a lodge where family and friends belong so you can all Rangatira www.rangatiraskiclub.co.nz, which There are great ski field lodges or mountain clubs to join go together. If you have no connection, ask around for are both great options because they have lodges throughout New Zealand. Generally they are up on the recommendations, call a few to chat about how they run and on both sides to choose from. actual mountain (or very near), take around 20–30 get a feel for how friendly the club is, then when you are next people at a time, and you can book in as often as you on the mountain, call in and visit. Find out which ones are like (space permitting so book early for school holidays). open to new members, or how long the waitlist is. Most clubs South Island are accepting non-member bookings these days as a way to The South Island is a little different, as there are less to what’s the upside? attract new members, so book in for a holiday and give it a go. choose from, and very few ski lodge options on the Cost-effective snow sports, accommodation, holidays commercial fields. The two exceptions are on Coronet with friends, a chance to meet other families who are what does it cost? Peak, where you can join the Whakatipu Ski Club into skiing/snowboarding, and friends to play with on There is generally a joining fee (normally under $300), plus bad weather days. Kids learn to work as a team in the an ongoing yearly fee (normally under $300) and of course www.wsc.co.nz or the Otago Ski Club www.osc.org.nz. lodge, liaise with other adults and are given some a fee to stay (approx $17–$50 per night, which includes Most other clubs are attached to their own club ski field responsibilities. A lot of Clubs are right on the ski field food). Most clubs require members to do a working bee and have their own skiing facilities that the club maintains. itself, so no cars required, just head out the front door during the summer months to maintain the club and give For a list of these clubs, go to www.snow.co.nz and hit the slopes (which means more of a sleep-in). members a sense of pride and ownership. Some South (go to Industry, then Ski Clubs) or search Good lodges are equipped with drying rooms, a Island club fields may have a higher rate as it also includes wikiski.com/wiki/index.php/Club_skiing_in_NZ workshop to service your gear and gear storage rooms. your skiing. All great value for a whole snow season. for a discussion blog on New Zealand club fields.