The New Zealand north island resorts of Turoa and Whakapapa both ended their seasons before they even started thanks to the volcanic eruption at Mount Ruapehu June 17, 1996.

The volcano shot a plume of steam and ash eight miles (12 kilometers) above its crater, blotting out the sun and dumping tons of debris over a wide area, according to a report by the Associated Press.

"The eruption, the second in less than a year, came six days after scientists judged that volcanic activity on the 9,176- foot (2,797 meter) snowcapped mountain had subsided after months of rumblings," an AP report said.

According to the crew at BoarderZone, a New Zeland Snowboard Site, "the snow that survived the eruption is now covered in a thick layer of volcanic ash, turning the normally white mountain black, and the normally thriving resort towns into ghost towns."