Desert Alpine Club

Find good lines, good people, and an amazing vibe at the Desert Alpine Club (DAC) – an incredibly unique experience where human ingenuity, friendship and at times a touch of alcohol combine to make for a cocktail of magic memories on snow.

DAC is one of two dedicated skiing/boarding clubs operating the Tukino ski field, at an altitude of 1684 meters on Mt Ruapehu in New Zealand’s North Island. The club was founded in 1962 and is still thriving today, with members of all ages and abilities.

Helping you enjoy your alpine experience

DAC is run by passionate clubbies, who rather than see soaring profits, prefer the rush of the wind in their hair and white stuff slipping by beneath their planks.

We aim to keep the good times sustainable and affordable for all our members, particularly families. To help achieve this the club has recently installed the largest solar array system on the mountain, which keeps the lights on and the lodge warm, without burning diesel in our generators (there are no grid power lines to Tukino).

Adult and Child Member rates for the winter season are as low as$35 and $20 per night for families who dont mind putting a bit of mahi in during club working bees which includes all your meals! And the prices have been that way for many years now!

The reason for this is because the club functions as more of a community or an extended family rather than just a bunch of individuals staying in a disconnected commercial hostel. Members work, ski, board and socialise together, united in their enjoyment of this unique slice of New Zealand alpine culture.