Small beginnings

Pressure from the Ruapehu Ski Club for a hut on the western side of the park finally met with success in 1917. Although a site near the Whakapapa Stream was preferred, transportation problems were the reason for the hut's eventual location in the Mangatepopo Valley. The Mangatepopo Hut, although used by skiers, was still too far from the best ski grounds on Ruapehu.

By 1909 the Main Trunk railway line through the tiny settlement of Waimarino (now called National Park) had opened up the western side of the Tongariro National Park. But It was only after a road was built from Tokaanu to Waimarino, just before 1920, that this area began to grow in popularity.

In 1919 Bill Mead convinced the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts that it should put in an access road from the new highway to Whakapapa and establish tourist facilities there. The Tourist Department made £500 available and bridge builders Bill Salt and T W ("Captain") Downes started work. With the help of several other Ruapehu Ski Club members they constructed an 8km cart track through the bush and across the tussock to Whakapapa. This so-called "all weather motor route" was named the Bruce Road to acknowledge substantial donations made to its development from the estate of Mr R C Bruce, a Rangitikei farmer.

Early in 1920, Salt and Downes built the first hut at Whakapapa - not far from where the Chateau now stands. Tramping and ski club members stayed in the Whakapapa Hut from that year. A year later, in 1921, Bill Salt built a similar cottage on the south-west slopes of Ruapehu at the head of the Ohakune Track. But access to the mountain was easier from Whakapapa and a village began to grow there. Almost every year saw the addition of another building.

In the early years an annual visit of a week or 10 days was favoured because it was time consuming and expensive to get to the park. One of the first jobs on arrival was to lay in a supply of firewood.

"The men would spend the first day cutting and splitting a big pile of wood, enough to last 10 days," says Ian Powell, reminiscing about the Tararua Tramping Club winter parties in the early 1920s.

Skis and climbing equipment could be hired from the Whakapapa huts and a guide was available for £1 a day. Holidays were not generally devoted entirely to skiing until much later. Rambles in the bush, climbing and tramping were popular alternative activities.

Chateau days commence

For years there had been a lot of talk about building a hostel to solve the park's accommodation problems. But its location, whether it be at Whakapapa, near the so-called "Haunted Whare" on the Bruce Road, or in Waimarino (National Park) could not be decided. Then Rudolph Wigley came forward with his plan to build the Chateau Tongariro, a four-storey luxury hotel, close to the Whakapapa huts.

Construction of the Chateau began in January 1929 and by August, although not fully furnished, it was open for guests. It had cost £78,000 to build.

The sudden appearance of this magnificent Georgian hotel in the middle of what, less than 10 years before, had been a wilderness was extraordinary. It was viewed with mixed feelings by those who believed that the good old days of hut life were over. However, the Chateau soon became the focal point of accommodation at Mount Ruapehu and a major asset to the country's tourist trade.

For the first decade after it opened ski club parties stayed at the Chateau each winter. In those days full board cost 11s/3d a day. In 1930 a combined group of Hutt Valley and Tararua Tramping Club members slept in the Chateau basement which was fitted out as a dormitory.

In 1931 the Chateau was purchased by the government and run by the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts for the next 26 years. During this period the manager of the Chateau virtually ran the park as well.

There was a fleet of about six 12-seater vehicles which used to meet skiers and Chateau guests at National Park Station and take them back to Whakapapa Village. It was often difficult to keep the service running during winter as there was no snow clearing machinery.