Dates: Tuesday 1 – Friday 4 September 2015

Location: Tukino Ski Field, Mt Ruapehu

Providers: Tukino Ski Club

Accommodation: Tukino Alpine Sports Club

Who: Places for 24 children (Priority to 8 years and over)

Parents: Spaces for 6 parents

Teachers: Angela, Mike and Xue

Transport: Adult cars – preferably 4WD

Activities

Skiing, skiing and more skiing, tobogganing, snow fun, snow fights, movie nights and lodge games. An optional extra depending on snow conditions: a scenic, panoramic mountain trip on the snow groomer. If the weather prevents skiing we may go to the Tokaanu Hot Pools.

About Tukino Ski Field

Tukino is a professionally managed and staffed club field providing affordable mountain experiences. It specialises in school groups and the terrain is suited to beginners. Tukino is great for schools as it is cheaper than commercial ski fields, is a more gentle learning ski slope but still has all the qualified ski instructors, avalanche control and safety patrollers. Nestled on the eastern slopes of Mt Ruapehu, Tukino Ski Field offers the rare combination of adventure and lack of crowds, coupled with friendliness and camaraderie that is only found on club operated fields. This is what skiing used to be like – before hectic lifestyles and commercial interest took over.

About Tukino Alpine Sports Lodge

The Tukino area is truly magic. From its position on a ridge, the lodge offers stunning views of Mt Ruapehu to the west and the Kaimanawa Ranges and Lake Taupo to the east and north. Being on the eastern side of Mt Ruapehu, Tukino enjoys relatively calm conditions, sheltered from the prevailing westerly winds. The lodge was built in 1976 and it’s a bit of a design classic with its funky lines and super solid timber construction. Comfortable ‘on mountain’ lodge accommodation, avoids having to drive up the mountain each day and eliminates bad weather problems. Hot showers, flush toilets, full kitchens, roaring fires, drying rooms, bunk rooms, comfy lounge and open plan kitchen for night time entertainment. Plenty to do inside in bad weather, including big screen movies.

Transport

4WD vehicles can drive right up to the front door of the lodge. Other vehicles can drive to and stay at the base car park where passengers and gear can be loaded into 4WDs and car pooled up the mountain. Entrance to the mountain is a small off-road, just off state highway one, ten minutes north of Waiouru.

Food

Parents and children prepare and cook our own meals. We can pay a set price to have our meal time food provided and cook ourselves. Children will be in cooking groups with an adult and have a designated meal that they are in charge of.

Parent Roles

We will need parents to bring their vehicle and drive a group of children. Vouchers will be provided for petrol.
Adults will be in charge of cooking, with children helping where appropriate.
Accompanying the children during the day activities, while still joining in the fun.
Children will be rostered on for dishes duty and help with cooking.
Adults sleep in the bunkrooms with children.
We will all need to tidy up and clean the lodge prior to departure.

Activities

We will be skiing for 2 ½ days, with time to also have fun in the snow. Snowball fights, snowman making, tobogganing, snow angels, optional scenic mountain tour on the snow groomer which takes you to a high magical place where only very experienced skiers can access (an additional cost but one of my highlights). Parents can join in any or all of the activities and pay the same price as the children. If you decide on the day you would like to join in you can make that last minute decision. However, if parents are not joining in the paid part of the activity, we still require you to be nearby at these activities.

Cost

Children — $347

Adults — $285 (skiing), $123 (not skiing)

Adult costs are the same as the children but without the transport cost and teacher subsidy (children will pay a transport cost and parents will be given petrol vouchers to cover the cost).

Activities such as the snow groomer have an additional cost (approximately $30 ). As this depends largely on the weather and snow conditions we will send a separate invoice for this after the camp - if the snow groomer trip goes ahead.

Skiing is the main part of the trip so this will be a definite for all children. The ski package includes 2 ½ days of ski hire, rope tow tickets, ski lesson and access to the ski field. The overall cost also includes accommodation, food and transport.

Equipment

We hire skis, boots and poles from Turangi Ski hire. This is included in the total cost of the camp. Children definitely require appropriate clothing. Waterproof pants and windproof jacket. These can be hired as well at an additional cost if needed.

Planning

There are limited spaces for this camp due to the amount of people we can sleep in the lodge. We often have more people interested in coming on camp than spaces available. We place priority for children who are in Year 6, then children who haven't been before and after this age . If there are still spaces available it will be opened up for under 8 year olds.

We will have an information and planning meeting with parents who are coming and we will also work out our transport vehicles.

If you would like your child (and yourself) to go to this amazing winter wonderland and ski down the spectacular slopes, please complete this expression of interest form by Friday 22 May. After this date I will confirm with you who is attending camp. Payment for this trip will need to be made in full prior to departure.

See you on the mountain!

Angela

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