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Published: March 7th 2009
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Hi!
We've just finished spending over a week in Tangorio National Park. Being our track in the North Island it marked a contrast with the lush, green South Island. Here we had three volcanoes to hike around and up! Our first few days here we spent at a holiday park because of the gale force winds that would have made hiking impossible (40-80 KPH winds). They also doubled as nice resting days 😊
We decided we wanted to do the Round the Mountain Track around Mt Ruapehu, and then connect to the Northern Circuit Track, a Great Walk, around Mt Ngarahoe and Mt Tangariro, for a total of 6 days. Sadly Emily had a sore ankle so we spent two nights at the first hut, Whakapapaiti, of the Round the Mountain Track and did day hikes during the day instead. The terrain was very rocky with parts of the trail being worn through deep, muddy, narrow trenches. We decided ultimately that we were glad we didn't have the burden of our packs on the Round the Mountain Track. Being at around 5,000 - 6,000 feet, thought, and with very few trees, we were able to gain a clear perspective
on where we were going on the Great Walk.
At Whakapapiti Hut we met a nurse who fixed up Emily's ankle and the next day we met a guy who started a business selling carbon reductions. I had a great time taking with him! Our 3rd day we went to the start of the Great Walk making it within a hours walk of the main volcano, Ngarahoe. I mentioned to Emily that it would be neat to climb the volcano and watch the sunrise from the top. She said no way. To my luck the hut warden at Mangetopo Hut, the first on the Great Walk, mentioned she was planning on going up the volcano to watch the sunrise! Emily figured she had to do it at this point. How many times do you get an opportunity to climb an active volcano in the dark to watch the sunrise!? We were up at 2am, out the door by 245am and at the top of Mt Doom at 615am. With the crater to our backs, we sat and watched the sun rise around 7am. From there it was an easy 25 minutes sliding down the steep slopes through scree -
Sean Double Bagging It
Emily hurt her ankle on the rocky terrain, so Sean carried both bags to the hut. Good thing we pack light! a mix of sand, ash, and rocks. We completed the biggest summit of the day by 8am 😊
The rest of that day was incredible, passing over and summiting Mt Tangariro (another volcano), through several craters, including the famed sulfur-reeking Red Crater and the Emerald Lakes (past craters filled with water). Emily said that the three volcanoes in the park reminded her of her and her brothers. Emily, of course, is Mt Tangariro, the oldest and wisest. Eric is Mt Ruapehu, the largest and most solidly built. And Luther is Mr Ngarahoe, Mt Doom, the one who attracts all the visitors! Ha!
The following days, although less climatic, were still eventful. We spent hours walking through endless volcanic landscapes that looked like they were straight out of Lord of the Rings (or is it the other way around?). We could just see the elves and orcs running over the hillsides. We were tempted to ask the DOC for more information on LOTR filming sites, but avoided the subject to not be cast as the typical American tourists. Besides, Emily had already been told that Americans ask the weirdest questions by a DOC member, and she was only asking
Socializing at Whakapapiti Hut
You never know who you'll meet! how old a volcano was! Ha!
From Tangariro we went up to Lake Taupo, an ancient volcanic crater filled with water, also the largest lake in New Zealand. Here we indulged in our favorite foods (this time blueberry muffins and butter, mmmm) and watched Slumdog Millionaire. Afterwards we drove to Rotoroa, where we've been for the past couple of nights. This is a great spot for thermal heated pools. The hotel we staying at (for $35 USD a night) offers free thermal heated pools, laundry, phone, Internet (obviously) and awesome service. Today we walked around a local city park and were amazed with all the thermal activity literally everywhere. I've never seen mud boil before! The parks even have public thermal pools where we sat and soaked our feet in the summer sun. Doesn't get much better than that!
Along the way we also ran into a book fair and the local Saturday Market where we picked up more produce than we truly know what to do with. We had a good laugh looking at all the food we just purchased (between the market and two trips to various grocery stores) realizing that our eyes are WAY BIGGER
than our stomachs. What we will do with it all, who knows, but we'll find something.
Tomorrow we're heading up to Auckland early in the morning to catch a ferry to the Great Barrier Island where we'll spend four days hiking around the Great Barrier Forrest. Hopefully we'll get some sun!
As always, we hope all is well with everyone reading and we'll be sure to check in again when we return to the main land.
All the best,
Sean & Emily
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