Tongariro Northern Circuit

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We've spent the last three days in the central plateau area of the north island. We took the decision to do the Tongariro Northern Circuit rather than the shorter Tongariro crossing while waiting for the water level on the Wanganui river to drop (which it has). This is classified as one of the ten great walks in New Zealand. Unfortunately we didn't get to see all the magnificent views it boasts as the rain set in on the second day and the cloud level was down.

We were a little surprised when we arrived at the hostel on Tuesday night to be told that the route had been closed for the previous four days and that we would need crampons for the higher sections. We decided to head around the route in reverse and hopefully the need for crampons would have melted by the time we got there.

On Wednesday morning we set off with another English guy we met in the hostel (Brad) and walked to the Waihohonu hut via the upper Tama lakes. The path through the barren bush terrain was ok but unspectacular. Carrying a full pack for the first time in years was surprisingly easy, although we were all really glad to see the hut when it finally appeared 5hrs after leaving the car. The hut itself was basic but warm and we were there on our own (or we thought we were!). About midnight we were woken to the sounds of something running around. Brad thought they were rats but they were probably just mice. Fortunately the visitor book had warned of this so our food was safely hanging up out of their reach.

Day 2 took us up across the back of mount Ngauruhoe over a wild area of bare lava fields and then up through strange lava formations towards the highest point of the walk. A steep climb took us up past the Emerald lakes to Red Crater at 1866m the highest point for us. Unfortunately the low cloud and wind/rain made this feel like any other mountain top. We then descended down the Mangetepopo valley to the Mangetepopo hut. It was empty but a while later 3 other people arrived, the first we'd seen since leaving the Tama lakes 30hrs before.

On day 3 the weather was only marginally better and with low cloud still clinging to the mountain we saw little point in climbing back up in the hope of a view and so walked the final 2hrs of the circuit back to Whakapapa village.

Somehow despite the rain of the past few days the water levels on the Whanganui river have fallen sufficiently to allow us to take a 3 day canoe trip down the river tomorrow...

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Comments

[Harley]

Hey
There's nothing wrong with rats!