Journal day 76 - Tongariro Alpine Crossing & Mount Doom!

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Tongariro Alpine Crossing. And Mount Nguaruhoe....... Mount Doom

The Tongariro Alpine crossing is considered to be one of the world's best one day treks. It's approx 20kms of trekking through a dramatic and diverse range of terrain. From volcanoes, through craters, across rocky ridges and through jungle treks. It turned out to be a lot more challenging than I'd originally assumed it to be... and the broken ribs didn't help as my small backpack strap crosses diagonally across my torso nicely digging right into the ribs.

The weather changed dramatically throughout the crossing. At the beginning of the trek at ground level I was dressed with a t-shirt, suncream and sweating in the hot sunshine and a few hours later I was battling high winds and snow wrapped up in about 5 layers of jumpers, hoods, coat, wooly hat, gloves etc.

I was glad that I'd read up on the warning about the changing temperatures and conditions throughout the crossing as apparently people regularly attempt the crossing completely unequipped with unappropriate clothing, especially girls, some wearing sandals who end up needing to be rescued by helicopter when they get up in the mountains and realise they're suddenly deep in snow and facing hypothermia!
The name of the crossing was recently changed to include the word 'Alpine' to try to help people understand the nature of the weather they'd would likely encounter and bring the right clothing.

It was only when I'd reached the bottom that I realised that the volcano I climbed on the crossing, Mount Nguaruhue, is actually Mount Doom from the Lord of the Rings.....! Nice.

The scenery throughout the day was beautiful and dramatic. Vast craters and daunting, dark volcanoes showing off the distinct lava flows down their sides that have hardened from different eruptions throughout the centuries. Near the top of the sharp edge of the Red Crater are the Emerald Lakes where the warm sulpurous waters are pure emerald green in tint and made for a perfect place to stop for lunch as the surrounding rocks were warm enough to warm up the bum despite all the snow due to the thermal activity beneath.

The thermal activity was on display during the descent as large plumes of steam were emitted from pockets of hillside here and there. The last hour or so of the trek was through jungle forest with large ferns, lush undergrowth and loud bird-song. Think I can distinctly recognise the Tui song now. Probably the easiest bird to recognise because of the array of weird, bizzarre sounds it produces.

Great one day walk, bit knackered now.

Stayed in the Debretts campervan park and thermal pool resort.
Got in free to soak my weary bones as well as the broken ones in the steaming hot waters of the thermal pools. As weird and unsettling as it is, I love all this free thermal stuff.

Pics of Tongariro Crossing: Tongariro Crossing

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