tl;dr: Torua skifield lacks service, coherence and generally dupes people. I won’t spend my money there for a very long time, and I am dissapointed that this is my first impression of skiing in the southern hemisphere. You can do better, New Zealand.

With great sorrow, I have to write this review to express my deepest disappointment that I have of this ski-field. I am a tourist from Switzerland, who went there with the simple idea of going skiing on a volcano in the southern hemisphere.
The first day of my stay in the area, I asked the service person at base station what pricing is the cheapest for my sitaution. He told me that a 159 NZD package that included rentals, a day pass for the lift and a mandatory beginner lesson of two hours to be the most economical option for me.
Two days later, to my dismay, I discovered several „hidden costs“ that the service person failed to explain me clearly:
- The rental service doesn’t include everything you need so some stuff you need to get on an additional fare. Plus, goggles and gloves are not even available for rent, you have to buy them. It’s baffling that a place, which supposedly has everything you need for skiing, doesn’t include essential gear for one’s personal safety on the slope.
- the supposed day pass has unraveled to not include the entire mountain, just the beginner area. The price to go up the entire mountain is 20NZD in addition to the base fare.
- You also need to pay for the piece of plastic that is your ski card for 4 NZD and it is written NOWHERE you have to do so.
Now, I went up the mountain to try and do some skiing, albeit without gloves for a try. After (re-)discovering how bad of an idea that was, I quickly descended the mountain by cable car (as there was no snow on the lower reaches) to go to my mandatory lesson. My thumbs were sliced, bleeding a bit and I had slight frostnip. I asked for help to get some first aid. Did they have the necessary things? No. Even no warm water to warm my fingers.
The lady there has also obliged me to buy myself some gloves for my „health and safery“. It was clear that I have had to do that, but the „health and safety“ part rubbed me the wrong way. How can someone preach that line without being able to properly provide those items directly?
I have managed to not let things get to me until that point, but what happened next has broken that barrier.
After my lesson got upgraded to one of a more advanced level rather than beginner, they closed everything down due to strong winds and everyone had to take their skis and WALK down the slope to the base in our ski shoes. I have never experienced such a thing in Switzerland! In my opinion, buying a ski pass includes getting the service of transport in anyway between the skiing area and the base with prepared slopes to have a save experience skiing down.
The sorry-state of having stones on the slope with the added insult of having to walk down just does not make it anyone’s money worth at all. I did not get a refund, not even a partial one; an utter lack of service. The only nice thing is that the people were nice and said „sorry“, but that is a low hanging fruit to achieve.
It made me feel like an idiot to go there try skiing. „Health and safety“ are obviously a transcendential faith to them rather than a virtue.
Despite all of this, I am still in love with the beautiful country New Zealand is and am saddened to have such an unmissable stain on my holiday.
Without any service, not even a refund, it warranted me to post this online on as many places as possible.
I will avoid Torua for a very long time and hope Queenstown might not disappoint me one day.
I will only consider taking this down, if I get something more than just a half-assed apology. It feels hard to stomach.


Still trying to be optimistic,
Mario.
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A great by NZ standards all round ski field
A big variety of terrain with a huge easily accessible back country area
Can get crowded on weekends,so head up mid week
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I've been going to Turoa since I was 5, and consider it home, it may be more ice and hard pack than powder and snow, but once you get used to that, it's amazing. The ice taught me to correct my form and weighting or slide sideways and if you can ski properly here, you can ski almost anywhere.
We do have our share of powder and bluebird days, but you have to share them with the rest of the north island, causing 20min queues that you can't easily get away from. Faster and better lifts than Whakapapa and less queues, as well as Ohakune Town at the bottom of the road.
I love going there and recommend it to those who live here as well, but if you're coming to NZ to ski, go south or Queenstown.
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I've been skiing at turoa since I was 3. Although Turoa can be pretty average, I've had some of the best days of my life skiing here.
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Terrible management, high prices, crowds, mediocre terrain (near constant ice makes it seem steeper than it is), ridiculously heavy wet snow, horrendous weather all team up to make this place quite firmly in the why bother category.

Save up a few trips worth and go overseas where they appreciate your $ and have actual powder.
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Season 2014. No Snow!!

A lot of Rock on piste and no mark.

Challenging snow conditions.

Do not come in holidays or weekend.
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Get a few days up Turoa each season and always enjoy it. The terrain is quite different to Whakapapa and powder days on Turoa can be pretty epic. Only problem is you usually have to share them with all of Ohakune and the rest of the North Island.
Turoa normally have a much better terrain park but also like Whakapapa haven't had a Halfpipe in a while. Turoa as of late have also had an Airbag set up. The Highnoon Express Chair is great (when it is open) and the new Nga Wai Heke Chair gives access to some great terrain.

Ohakune has lots of Bars and Restaurants and Accommodation options, more so than Whakapapa and National Park. Ohakune has a good range of Ski/Board Shops with Workshops/Tuning and Retail/Rental gear, but the drive from Ohakune up to the Turoa Ski Field is somewhat long and drawn out despite starting off in a Native Rain Forest, and the road is far inferior to Whakapapa's but unlike Whakapapa, Turoa offer Chain Hire on their Access Road.

Great place to be on a sunny day and this season they are open until November with great spring riding conditions.
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Living the dream in Ohakune.
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Turoa is a great resort for those interested in something different.

It has Australasia’s longest vertical descent, a mouth-watering 722 metres, and highest lift point, at 2,322 metres. The well-run resort is a carver’s paradise and offers more open space than any other ski area in NZ. The views aren’t bad either, with two glaciers and miles of rural plains vying for your attention.

Granted, the sealed access road is annoyingly long and winding, and rather narrow, with the occasional pothole, but god knows the road is twenty times better than many of the South Island ski field roads.

And there are fewer lifts at Turoa and fewer trails compared to Whakapapa. But the queues at Turoa seem shorter (even during school holidays and/or on Sundays) compared to Whakapapa, and the lifts are definitely faster and more modern. So once you’re there and weather permitting, you’ll have a fantastic time at Turoa!

For more detailed ratings of Turoa and to see how it compares to other ski resorts around the world, see our powderhounds resort ratings.
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7.11.2010 the dream came true - I finally got to ski at NZ soil, even though I live in Finland (other side of the planet).

Just amazing day - pure sunshine, -2 degrees centigrade, no wind whatsoever, some new snow and NO lift lines at the High Noon Express!

5 hours of pure fun!

Would the location be closer - I'd apply to ski school, would be so nice to work over there! Will be definitely back, when the High Flyer Chair will be relocated, just to enjoy more of the Glacier off-piste area.

Thumps up for the huge rework of HFC-lift!
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