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Tongario National Park - Day 254-255
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Day 254 - 01/11/08
Woke up with the intention of hiking the famous Alpine crossing through the Tongariro National Park. Unfortunately a cold front is sweeping north across the country today with winds of over 100kph and visibility is zero over 1000 metres. I went to the visitors centre at Whakapapa village and the helpful ranger said it would be a futile endeavour doing the tramp today because I wouldn't be able to see the jaw dropping volcanic landscape. So I've decided to sit it out until tomorrow. I've parked up at 1150 metres above sea level at the Mangatepopo trailhead. I've had a rest day of sleep, reading and writing. It's rained all afternoon and the thermometer didn't rise over 6 degrees all day. I've been a little bored confined to the car, but there's not a lot I can do really. The weather is suppose to clear over night so fingers crossed for a fine day tomorrow. I'll be gutted if this appalling weather continues.
Day 255 - 02/11/08
After spending a boring 24 hours in the Mangatepopo car park I woke this morning to a beautiful view of two snow-capped volcanoes. The weather has finally lifted!! As I prepared to set off on New Zealand's greatest day hike another bank of cloud rolled in and obscured the peaks once again. Regardless, it's not pissing down or blowing a gale so I'm off!
The Tongariro Alpine crossing begins in a moor type landscape with Tussock grasses and heather's. The track meandered along a swollen stream which ran over parts of the track due the significant rainfall yesterday. The first 4-5km are easy going until Soda springs where the trail ascends steeply beside Mount Nguaruhoe. The mist finally cleared and the views of this volcanic landscape were truly epic. Can understand why Peter Jackson filmed scenes of Lord of the rings here, it's a real mythical place.
Reached the South crater which due to the snow melt is effectively a lake with a thin crust of ice hiding a foot of water. Walked through the icy chin deep water for 200 metres before reaching solid ground. Then another ascent to the highest point of the trail, the rim of Red crater at 1886 metres. A steep scree decent followed to the magical Emerald lakes which take their vivid colour from the volcanic minerals seeping through the soil and scree. I had something to eat beside the biggest of the 3 lakes with a strong smell of sulphur wafting over my sandwiches. Then climbed Mount Tongariro at 1967 metres. There was deep snow towards the summit, lots of people went up to do the climb but then saw the ice and deep snow and turned back. I thought sod it, I'll give it a crack. Made it to the summit but needed crampons ideally to be 100% safe. Then I followed a rather precarious ridge for a couple of kilometres from the summit which circles the South crater. I needed to get back down into the crater to re-join the poled trail but my only options where to make a 300 metre vertical decent down a 45 degree slope covered in ice and snow, or go back the way I came along the precarious ridge. The weather was starting to turn again with thick banks of cloud rolling in. I had to make a quick decision so I opted to go down the slope but without crampons it would be impossible to make the decent standing up right. I decided to use an alpine technique I've only read about and never tried. It requires ice axes which I didn't have, so I improvised and used my walking poles instead. The technique is to slide down the mountain on your side digging the walking poles into the snow and ice like an anchor brake. Defiantly the quickest way to get off a mountain, and really fun too, although slightly dangerous. You can only really use this technique if you know there are no rocks about and no risk of avalanche. There were only a few rocked dotted around the slope so I gave it a ago. Got off the ridge into the crater in 30 seconds. What a buzz!!
Wanted to then climb Mount Ngauruhoe but the weather suddenly changed and visibility was zero. There's no marked route up this active volcano so it would be very difficult to navigate on the peak in the thick cloud. So sadly I had to give a miss, a bit gutted really but I've probably used up all my luck for one day anyway.
Returned to my car and drove to New Plymouth via Stratford. On the way to New Plymouth I joined the "Forgotten World Highway" which took me through the Tangarakau gorge system and the town of Whangamomona. I beautiful afternoon drive along this twisty and undulating road, passing through rainforest and rolling green hills.
Saw New Zealand's most famous volcano, Taranaki from a distance in the fading afternoon light as I approached New Plymouth. An awesome sight with rolling green hills in the foreground. Sleeping tonight in the Egmont national park. Will hopefully do a trek on Mount Taranaki tomorrow, dependent on the weather of course.
Where I stayed:
In my car somewhere
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