Upper Ruapehu & Whakapapa Ski Area
Meads Wall
Easy 1.0 km 20–30 min return
Upper Ruapehu & Whakapapa Ski Area
Waterfalls Descent Trail
Intermediate Half day
Ride the Sky Waka up and walk down through the Waterfall gullies past seasonal cascades and lava bluffs.
2.4 kmone way
1–2 hr descentwalking time
↑ 7 mclimb
2,000 mhigh point
Waterfalls Descent Trail © Kesara Rathnayake · CC BY-SA 2.0 
© Kiwiz1338 · CC BY 4.0 Elevation profile
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What you’ll see
Volcanic gulliesSeasonal waterfallsLava bluffs
The walk
A summer-only descent trail beneath the gondola line, dropping 390 m past the Waterfalls Express gullies, where meltwater cascades run early in the season, to the base area. Steep in places with loose volcanic rock.
Start. Knoll Ridge Chalet, descending to the top of Bruce Road
Snow & season
Alpine in winter
Summer only; snow lingers in the gullies into December.
Best season: Summer gondola season
Live forecast →Combine with
© Krzysztof Golik · CC BY-SA 4.0 
© Kesara Rathnayake · CC BY-SA 2.0 
Upper Ruapehu & Whakapapa Ski Area
Skyline Ridge Trail
Advanced 2.3 kmreturn 1.5–2.5 hr return from Knoll Ridge ↑ 236 m
© Michal Klajban · CC BY-SA 4.0 
© WolfmanSF · CC BY-SA 3.0 
Upper Ruapehu & Whakapapa Ski Area
Ruapehu Crater Lake (guided climb)
Expert 4–7 hr return from the top lifts