Tongariro Alpine Crossing

So it has been a busy last few days and I haven't had a chance to sit down and write a blog. A lot has happened. Since leaving the Coromandel Peninsula on Friday the 20th, we headed towards Lake Taupo area which was an all day drive in the pouring rain. We arrived at our the Extreme Backpackers and checked into a shared room with bunk beds. Despite having to share a bathroom, the facilities were fairly nice and the people very friendly. They even had a climbing wall next to the backpackers. We were glad to get out of the car and settle in.

 The weather forecast for the next wasn't great with rain possible and wind. Despite the poor forecast, we decided to try to hike the famous Tongariro Alpine Crossing. It is the most popular one day walking track in New Zealand. It is 19 km long and is a point to point and you hire a shuttle to take you to the start and the pick you up 8 hours later at the finish. The trek takes you over active volcanic terrain starting at 800m with the highest point being the Red Crater at about 1800m. There are two huts along the way for people to stay overnight if you pay fees to the Department of Conservation. I believe some of Mordor in the Lord of the Rings was filmed in this area.

We woke up the morning of the 21st and it was actually surprisingly clear and the shuttle was still going to run so we decided to go along with about 6 or 7 other people. The drive to the start was about an hour and as we got closer, the weather started to get worse with mostly fog and some rain. We arrived at Mangatepopo car park about 9 am and everyone piled off the bus. There were a few others at the start including a big group of Kiwi runners.

So we decided to head off and if we decided to turn around due to weather, we could ring the bus driver and he would come get us at the start. 

As we headed up the track, the visibility was not great but it was only misting rain. As we got up further towards the beginning of the steep climb up to the Red Crater, it began to rain harder and the wind picked up. Just before the top of the South Crater, some of the others began to come back down including some of the Kiwi runners. They warned us the winds were even worse up higher and rain was blowing sideways. After much discussion, we decided as a group to go a little further after putting on more layers. I was surprisingly not that cold but wet. I didn't even have gloves on. We got up to the South Crater and the winds died down a little but as we crossed the flat, sandy part of the crater the wind gusts really picked up enough to almost blow you over.

They as we started to climb up to the Red Crater, the winds were ridiculous and the footing was not great. Gusts were so strong I had to stop and brace myself before continuing. At that point, it was getting scary and we decided to turn around. We had made it 3 hrs in and about 8kms. It was very disappointing and with the poor visibility we had no views. I can only imagine how great the could have been. It was really hard to believe some of the Kiwi runners continued on and didn't turn around.

The walk back wasn't too bad once we got down off the steep part. By the time we got back to the start, I was completely wet all the way through top and bottom and my gortex boots were puddles. Luckily we only had to wait about 1/2 hour for the shuttle.

We were very thankful to get back to the backpackers, shower, and put on dry clothes. It was actually sunny and warm back at the town of Turangi where we were staying and we still had a few hours of daylight. So we drove to Taupo (about 45kms north) and walk around and shop and enjoy a beer on the waterfront. It was a nice end to the day and hard to believe only a couple hours ago we were soaking wet and being blown over by hurricane force winds!