Skiing the rumbling Ruapehu

Mount Ruapehu
Tongariro National Park, New Zealand

The deep powder on the slopes of Mount Ruapehu last July wasn't quite what a ski resort there had in mind. A ski area on the eastern slope was forced to close after Ruapehu erupted, covering it with ash.

On the other side of the summit, however, skiers at a competing resort continued swishing down snowy slopes, apparently unperturbed by the plume of ash rising from the peak.

At 9,175 feet, Ruapehu is the highest point on New Zealand's North Island. According to the Michigan Technological University Volcanoes Page, Ruapehu's acidic crater lake has been the site of more recorded eruptions than any other crater lake in the world.

Intro
Mauna Loa and Kilauea
Pacaya
Mount Rainier
Mount Sakurajima

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Related sites:

• Michigan Technological University Volcanoes: Ruapehu Volcano, New Zealand
• Ruapehu Volcano Cam
• U.S. Consular Information Sheets: New Zealand
• CDC Travelers' Health: Australia and Pacific Islands