Mount Ruapehu's recent volcanic activity has left the mountain's ski resort wary ahead of the upcoming winter season.
As Crater Lake's temperatures continue to climb, GNS Science volcanologist Brad Scott said on Tuesday that while the most likely outcome was no eruption, there was still a chance one could occur, on a similar scale to the mountain's last eruption in 2007.
READ MORE: Signs of magma 'driving unrest' at Mt Ruapehu - geologist
That incident saw the volcano erupt without warning, injuring two climbers nearby.
“The chances of a prolonged and larger eruption, such as occurred in 1995-96 with wider ashfall impacts, is possible, but remains very unlikely. Such an eruption would most likely only follow a sequence of smaller eruptions,” Scott said.
On Wednesday, Mt Ruapehu's ski resort, which operates both Whakapapa and Tūroa ski fields on the mountain, posted on social media saying they were keeping a watchful eye on the volcanic unrest.
"The current Volcanic Alert Level 2 sets a 2km precautionary exclusion area around the crater of Mt Ruapehu," the resort wrote.
"The majority of our facilities, and all our summer facilities, sit at least 3km from the crater. This means, our summer season is able to continue to operate as normal – all guests are safe, provided they follow DOC’s guidance on the 2km precautionary exclusion area.
READ MORE: 'Watch this space' for signs of Ruapehu eruption - geologist
"In terms of the winter ahead, the only facility within the current 2km radius is Tūroa’s High Noon Express, which we have planned to open by end of July, some 100 days from now.
"Heating and cooling phases – what are driving the current Volcanic Alert Level setting – don’t tend to follow any lineal path or timeline, however, there is time to see out this most recent phase, before we open for winter."
Tūroa is set to open on July 8, although the resort said it could open earlier or later depending on snow conditions. The same applied to the High Noon Express.
"We will continue to collaborate with GNS and DOC, and to act on their advice. For now, we are all systems go, and you can have confidence that you are safe visiting us and our summer operations, given the current status, and will keep you posted as any developments come to hand," the resort said.
Victoria University of Wellington professor of geophysics, Professor Martha Savage, said earlier this week Mount Ruapehu “is more active than it has been in about 15 years”.
Savage noted how the Whakaari / White Island volcano was also at Alert Level 2 when it erupted on December 9, 2019.
“The bottom line is, I would not let my children climb up Mt Ruapehu now. It is not hugely likely to erupt soon, but it is much more likely to erupt now than it was two years ago," she said.
The resort also recommended visitors don't traverse the Skyline Walk at this time.
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