Winter GetAway!!

 Its almost the end of winter here in New Zealand. So Me(Betsy) my fiance Troy and his son Maddox decided to go on a winter getaway. We stayed at  Wood Pigeon Lodge  in an awesome hut. The hut is in a town called Raurimu just 25 mins from Mount Ngauruhoe and Mount Ruapehu where we went snow sledding. This was the perfected trip from the weather to the accommodations to the company. I would not chance a thing but to have stayed longer. Here are some pics and info of our trip!! :) 

 

 

Troy sitting outside the hut at the stone table. 

Inside the hut.

 

View of Mount Ruapehu from The Hut.  Mount Ruapehu is an active volcano at the southern end of the Taupo Volcanic Zone.

 

Sunset. 

 

Me at the Kiwi sign with Mount Ngauruhoe behind me on the way to snow. Someone painted the skies on the kiwi :). Mount Ngauruhoe was used in The Lord of the Rings film as Mt Doom.

Chateau Hotel with Mt Ruapehu in the distance. 

We made it!!! 

Maddox sledding for the 1st time.

Troy and Maddox sledding. Having a blast.

 Me & T-roy :) T-roy grow his beard just for the tip.

The views....pictures don't do it justice. It was breathtaking.

Peek-a-BOO!!!

T-roy & I.....Maddox took the picture he was so proud.

Maddox and Icey the snow man!! Maddox named him :) 

Maddox and I sledding.

  Raurimu Rex is constructed from river driftwood by a local man who has made many driftwood sculptures around town. Maddox is into his dinosaurs right now that every time we pasted Raurimu rex he word yell out "T-REX!!!!!"

Tongariro National Park is located near the base of Mt Ruapehu. 

The village has great views of  Mt Ruapehu, Mt Ngauruhoe, and Mt Tongariro. 

It was so cold and windy by I just had to get a picture. 

The Raurimu Spiral is a single-track railway spiral,

with two tunnels, a circle and three bends then going round a 180° bend then in a horseshoes curve.

We looked all over the hills for the tunnels and fond one. It was so scary. The tunnel was so dark looked like something out of a movie.

"Good Bye Snow....See you next year!!"