Visitors return to Ruapehu, but where is the snow?
A lack of snow has meant a slightly rocky start for Ruapehu's ski season, and the businesses it supports.
While the central North Island has rolled open the welcome mat for school holiday makers and the first international visitors, chairlifts due to start turning 10 days ago have been still.
Only the beginner areas of Turoa's Alpine Meadow and Whakapapa's Happy Valley have been in operation to date, along with a rope tow at club field Tukino.
Locals are keeping a keen eye on forecasts for the "20 or 30 centimetres" of snow they need to coat the upper slopes and get ski season properly underway.
On the streets of Ohakune, visitors said they had had to tweak their holiday plans.
"We're here for the skiing, to teach these guys how to ski - but it's not so good up here," one vi...