About Our Club

“We are like an extended family – some of the senior members remember me from when I was at primary school. I grew up skiing with the other adult members, and now my kids are continuing the tradition skiing with their kids.”

Tahurangi Ski Club has been family-focused since the very beginning. Founded in 1955 by a breakaway group from Aorangi Ski Club, our founding members had a simple vision — a place where families could share their love of the mountains together on Mt Ruapehu. More than 70 years later, that spirit is still very much alive.

Our lodge was purpose-built by volunteers to accommodate just 16 guests across four bunkrooms — intimate by design, and in a proud first for Iwikau Village, Tahurangi was the first club lodge on the mountain to be connected to electricity. Those crossed lightning bolts on our logo? That's what they stand for.

It's one of the friendliest lodges on the mountain, where guests quickly feel at home and strangers become friends over a drink after a great day on the slopes. We're self-catering, which keeps costs down and gives everyone the freedom to eat on their own schedule. Being right on the mountain means popping back for a relaxed lunch is easy — no café queues, no fuss.

The location speaks for itself. We're the closest lodge to the ticket offices inside the loop road. Parking is right outside the door, and the bottom lift is just a short walk away — easy, even with three kids and a bag full of gear. No early starts to get a car park: open the curtains in the morning and decide from your bed whether to chase first tracks or sleep in for another hour.

While winter sports enthusiasts make up our largest group, Tahurangi welcomes mountain bikers, summer trampers, family parties, school groups, and those who simply want peace and quiet on the mountain. Our working bee weekends are a great chance for kids to make new friends — or reconnect with old ones.

We're a place where kids can be kids, adults can unwind, and families can build memories that last a lifetime. We'd love for yours to be one of them.