We’re not talking in ‘ifs’ or ‘maybes’. It’s happening. The mountain’s back.
It’s been a long time coming – but the wait is over. Whakapapa Holdings Limited (WHL) has officially secured the concession to operate Whakapapa Ski Area. For everyone who’ve been hanging on, wondering if this place had a future… well, now it does.
At Whakapapa Ski Field, it marks a new starting point
“This is the moment the team has been working toward for two and a half years,” says WHL Director Tom Elworthy. “The concession doesn’t just represent progress – it marks a new starting point. It gives us the certainty we’ve been missing, and everything flows from here. Whakapapa has a future – and it starts now.”
And he’s not wrong. This isn’t just paperwork. This is the pivot point. After years of unknowns, setbacks, and holding your breath over whether the lifts would ever spin again, this concession changes the game. WHL can now move forward and finalise the handover – and they say the deal is almost done.
Whakapapa isn’t just a ski field
Let’s not forget what’s been at stake. Whakapapa isn’t just a ski field. It’s where families learned to ride (I did), where school trips happened, where weekend warriors got their fix – hey that’s me!. It’s the gateway to the Central Plateau, and for the past few years, it’s felt like we were slowly losing it.
But this changes everything. This is the reset button. A new operator, a new approach, and finally – a sense of direction. The team at WHL has been working behind the scenes while the rest of us have been hoping, crossing fingers, and refreshing headlines.
So What Now?
We’re not quite at the top of the chairlift yet – but we’re moving. The transaction is expected to wrap up shortly, and once that’s done, we’ll start to see real action. Season pass info, opening dates, what winter 2025 is going to look like – all of that’s on the way.
But for now? Let it sink in: Whakapapa has a future.
