At the start on a cold, windy, misty morning, Johann, Nettie, myself and Gerry.

Gerry and I. [Photo: J&N]

Reassuring to see the green light, but still a scary thought of crossing active volcanos.

View towards the west with Mangatepopo Hut just visible on the right.

The last toilet stop before heading up the mountain. No wonder it looks like a busy morning at the farmers market.

The scary sign before the big climb begins. It’s amazing how many holiday-goers still take on the mountain in jandals, t-shirts and jeans despite the warnings.

Everything is quickly frozen in the wind. Luckily we had a tail wind going up.

Still some patches of snow, just to remind you that it’s not summer yet on the mountain.

Grass icicles. [Photo: J&N]

We discovered a nice little bench (made from old sign poles) behind a rock sheltered from the worst wind. Was too cold to stay long.

An old wooden sign-post halfway up the mountain adding atmosphere to the walk.

It’s hard to imagine an icy 65km/h wind when you’re sitting in front of your computer. 🙂

Nettie and I having a bit of fun at the Red Crater saddle.

Ice, wind and mist combining to create an unforgettable experience.

Very very cold wind up there.

En route down Red Crater on the northern side.

Mist starting to clear a little to give us a lovely view of Emerald Lakes. [Photo: J&N]

Time for tea and a biscuit.

Next to Emerald Lakes.

With the mist clearing, we were treated to some wonderful scenery.

A view of Red Crater with the path we came down with visible on the right. [Photo: J&N]

Time for some fun in the snow.

Gerry at Blue Lake.

Looks like a beach made of snow.

Majestic mountain scenery. [Photo: J&N]

Quick lunch break, huddling between some rocks for shelter.

We only had little bits of slushy muddy snow on the track.

Te Maari crater that popped twice in 2012, causing a track closure, is stil fuming.

[Photo: J&N]

The last few kilometres through indigenous forest.

The finish at Ketetahi carpark on the northern end of the track, is a couple of hundred metres lower than the start.

These volcano warning signs feel a little surreal, but they’re really quite scary.

Happy to have had the opportunity to make the trip.

“New Zealand’s oldest national park and a dual World Heritage Site. The Tongariro National Park is rich in both cultural identity and dramatic, awe-inspiring natural scenery. Unique landforms, including the volcanic peaks of Ngauruhoe, Tongariro and Ruapehu ensure the Tongariro Alpine Crossing is considered a world-renowned trek.

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is heralded as the best one-day trek available in New Zealand, while others say it ranks among the top ten single-day treks in the world.

Many who complete the 19.4-kilometre journey will tell you the climbs can be steep and the weather unpredictable, though worth it in every aspect.” [http://www.tongarirocrossing.org.nz]

Since relocating to NZ a few years ago, we’ve wanted to do the full crossing. But every time something else comes up. Or the weather turns nasty. Or the mountain pops, causing a track closure for about nine months. You know how it goes. This time we had our hearts set on Labour Weekend when we could be joined by Johann and Nettie. Continue reading →