Wednesday 11th March 2009

Back, wet and windswept, from completing the Tongariro Northern Circuit. A NZ Great walk this takes you through volcanic terrain around the volcanic peaks of Tongariro (T), Ngauruhoe (N) and Ruapehu (R). It includes the Alpine Crossing over the saddle separating T & N. N and R are both active and reputedly 'overdue' to go off, so whilst walking you just wonder....However, in our case the wildest thing happening was the weather. We'd intended to complete the circuit over 4 days, giving us time, if the weather was good on the alpine crossing to bag the summit of T. We walked the first day to the Mangetepopo hut in lowering cloud and drizzle. Not the most inspiring of walk ins. Through tussocky grass and up and down heavily eroded gorges in the lava flows it was a bit of a slog. The hut was cosy but the forecast for the next days weather, which was the Alpine crossing day was for low cloud, high winds and rain. Oh well. Starting early to avoid most of the bus loads of day walkers who come thundering up the track every morning we set off. The saddle ahead was lost in low cloud and as we gained height the wind gained in strength. We crossed the desert-like surface of the south crater barely able to see the next marker pole in front and climbed to the Red crater (the highest point of the crossing at 1886m) struggling to keep our feet in the high winds. The side trip to T was definitely out. As in all 'tourist' walks we passed some incredibly inadequately equipped walkers. We came across one woman, at the top of the saddle, dressed in tennis shoes, an anorak and shorts, clinging to a rock, terrified and unable to move. Her husband was taking photos of her!! We frogmarched her down the scree slope until we were out of the worst of the wind. At that point, the cloud lifted to give us a fab view of the Emerald Lakes (the colour comes from the minerals in the water). At this point with the weather no better, we decided to descend and spend the night at the lower hut. Lower down, the cloud lifted and we got good views of the vents steaming away on Red Crater. It was a good walk through the moonscape like terrain to the Oturere Hut. In the evening the clouds lifted to give great views of N and R. Gales and possibly snow were the updated forecast; we decided to call it a day and walk out the next day instead of taking two. We made an early start; enjoying dramatic views (photo of R). We paid a quick visit to the old Waihohonu hut - the first in NZ, built in 1904 and now preserved as a museum. The rain returned on the final leg - over the foothills of R and we were glad to get back to our start point by mid afternoon. We hoofed it to Turangi, where a night in a motel, steak and wine restored our spirits!