Mount Taranaki is Taranaki's highest peak and is, in fact, the only mountain in the area.
During winter, the mountain has plenty of snow at the top, but the snow hardly ever comes below the ranges.
The mountain only has one ski field, and therefore is only really popular with the locals and people visiting the area at the time. The ski field can only be reached from the Stratford side of the mountain and there is only one road up to the Stratford Mountain House. At the mountain house you have to park your car and hike in the rest of the way on a narrow pathway that will take you around the small gorge to the ski field. I haven't been around here as I have an aversion to heights.
The Stratford Mountain House has recently changed ownership and has been upgraded. The local Maori tribe now owns and operates the place and they're doing a great job. The food is very nice and there a limited number of motel style rooms.
The mountain house is an information office where you can find all sorts of information about the mountain and the history of the area. From here you can find out about the small cabins and hunting lodges that are scattered around.
There are also other roads, from other directions around the mountain, that take you up to various points of interest, like Dawson Fall's Waterfall, and to many walkways. Dawson Falls also has lodge type accommodation - it is somewhat limited in the number of persons it can accommodate.
The mountain is also a popular place for hikers to go in the warmer seasons, as there are plenty of hiking tracks, through beautiful native bush, to waterfalls and up the slopes.