Mt Ruapehu is located in the middle of the North Island of New Zealand in the heart of the World Heritage Site of Tongariro National Park, which is also home to the most sinister Lord of the Rings locations, Mordor. The ski resorts are on the north and southwest facing slopes of the still active volcano and the area in between the resorts hold limitless backcountry options for those keen to work for their lines. The resorts consistently have the deepest snowpack in New Zealand and the longest season in the southern hemisphere, running from mid-June through to early November. Looking at the stats alone, doing a season here is a no brainer.