Tongariro Northern Circuit

Update after our hike.

Our hike ended up being 4 days instead of 5.  The 3rd day was extremely short, and the 4th day was going to be also, so we ended up skipping the third hut and going straight to the 4th.

Day one.

We hiked from the ski village of Whakapapa to the Mangatepopo hut.  The hike was supposed to take 3 hours, we took an hour and a half detour to see the Taranaki Waterfall.

 This was definitely the highlight of the day, as the hike to the Mangatepopo hut was not very interesting.  This day was mainly an approach day, getting closer to the volcanoes for the ascent the next day.  The trail suffered from massive erosion, probably due to spring snow melt every year.  This was my first experience with New Zealands “hut” system.  I am used to “roughing it” while backpacking, sleeping in a bivy sack, or if I’m feeling high class, a tent.  Was not sure what to expect from the huts.  The Mangatepopo hut was quite nice, very basic mattresses set up in two bunk rooms.  There were about a dozen mattresses per room (however the most that ever stayed while I was there was 4 plus Amber and me).  The central room had a small kitchen, one sink and two gas stoves, a table and a gas heater.

This was luxury compared to what I am used to.  Each hut has its own hut warden, ours was from Scotland.  New Zealand is overran with invasive species, plants and animals.  One of those is the “possum” from Australia (different from our US possum).  The possum preys upon the young baby kiwi birds, and endangered species, which is also the national symbol.  Wardens are awarded for capturing and killing possums.  There just so happened to be one poking around a trap outside my window while at the Mangatepopo hut, the possum was obviously experienced with such traps, as it was reaching its hand in, eating the raisins, and not springing the trap.  The warden and I spent several hours trying to kill the possum with rocks, never actually hitting it (hit it once but only its tail).  It kept coming back, as if taunting us.  I finally went to bed, as it did not come back for a long time.  It was dead in the trap the next morning.

Day two

I woke up early on the second morning, to try and summit Mount Ngauruhoe.  Amber was going to leave later in the morning and meet me at the base, as it was on the way to the next hut.

Mt. Ngauruhoe

Fun fact:  Tongariro National Park is a volcanic park, with a very bleak landscape.  It was featured as Mordor in the Lord of the Rings movies.  Mount Ngauruhoe was Mount Doom (I am not a LOTR fanatic, I found this out upon arriving).  Rod I know you jealous.

The hike from the Mangetepopo hut to the second hut (Ketetahi hut) is also the famous day hike the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.  The trail leaves the hut, and quickly began climbing to the South Crater, one of many volcanic craters in the area.  The climb up to the South Crater is called the “devils staircase.”  South Crater is quite large, the trek across it to the top of the other lip takes approximately 30 minutes.  From South Crater (1600 meters), the route to the summit of Mount Ngauruhoe goes straight south.  There is no marked route to the summit, and several large snowfields still remained.  As I began the ascent, I realized it may be much more difficult than I had imagined.  The volcano is very steep and covered in a very thick layer of volcanic ash volcanic rock.  The rock has disintegrated to form a very unstable layer of sand-like substance on which lots of very loose volcanic rock sits.  This was very tiring and frustrating to climb (imagine climbing a long steep mountain of sand).  Trying to walk on the volcanic rock was impossible, as it sank into to the sand below it or slipped out from underneath and shot down the steep slope.  I eventually decided the snowfields were the most efficient way to get up.  I finally summited, kick-stepping my way up.  The summit crater was very deep, and surrounded by several active fumeroles spurting toxic gases.  There was, however, no bubbling lava sea as depicted in Lord of the Rings (how disappointing).  The mountain has not erupted since 1975.  Nearby Mount Ruapehu erupted in both 1995 and 96.  I find this funny, because Ruapehu is home to the Whakapapa ski fields.  There are signs everywhere telling you what to do if the volcano erupts while you are skiing.  Clouds were rolling in quickly from the north, and I wanted to get down quickly before my decent was obscured by clouds.  Amber had also just finished the devils staircase, and was waiting for me.  I descended by sliding down the snowfields, using my ice axe to slow me and direct my slide.  I’ve done this several times, but not for nearly this long (I descended about 800 meters in about 5 minutes).  It works quite well as long as you have an ice axe, if you do not you will likely begin sliding much too fast and out of control, eventually smashing into rocks somewhere below you.

Steepness of the volcano

Over Mount Tongariro, South Crater, and the Mangatepopo Saddle

Summit photo!

Snow Field i descended

Plus it smells gross

After summiting, I cooked lunch for Amber and I in South Crater.  After this we crossed the South Crater, climbing up to the Mangatepopo Saddle, and eventually Red Crater.  Red Crater is another volcanic crater, which, not surprisingly is a deep dark red.  There are lots of fumeroles around it as well, and the entire area smelled of sulfur.  Red crater descends to the Emerald Lakes.  These were the highlight of the trip for me (besides perhaps the summit).  The lakes have leached copper sulfate from the near by mountains, making them a very deep turquoise color.  This color stands out sharply compared to the bleak browns and reds of the volcanic landscape.  After seeing the Emerald lakes we descended down to the Central Crater, and climbed up to Blue Lake (frozen over), from here we descended to the Ketetahi hut for the night.  I decided not to climb Mount Tongariro.  First, it is not much of a climb, more a traverse.  From the top of the Mangatepopo saddle (which we climbed), the trail goes north, gaining only 80 meters.  The view would not be much different from the saddle, and not very challenging.  Second, we were running short on time.  The Ketetahi hut had and incredible view to the northwest.  It looks out over Lake Rotoaira and further out, Lake Taupo.  Lake Taupo is so huge it looks very much like you are seeing the ocean.  The hut also overlooks the Ketetahi Hot Springs. A  geothermally heated spring which is a Mauri (native people of New Zealand) religious icon, and is therefore closed to the public.  The super heated water created billowing steam rising to form its own clouds in the cool air.  We met three French backpackers and one American at our hut and played cards with them most of the night.

Amber crossing South Crater

At Red Crater

Emerald Lakes.  Active fumeroles to the right

Ketetahi hot water springs, a sacred spring to Mauri.  Can't get close to it. 

View from the hut in morning

Amber crossing a snowfield

Third Day

The third day we backtracked back to the Emerald lakes and starting descending to the Oturere hut, this ended up being a very short hike.  We sat at the hut for awhile and realized it would be a very boring day, as would the next (also a short day).  The friends we had made were all staying at the next hut, Waihohonu, which was another 3 hours down the track.  We decided to leave for the hut, rather than burn 2 days sitting in huts doing nothing.  Rain was coming so we moved very quickly.  Near the hut we finally left the desolate volcanic landscape we had been in for 3 days, and reentered the lush green forests.  It was a welcome relief.  The volcanic park was awesome, but we were both tired of the monotone volcanic rock (explains while it was a good setting for Mordor).  We had a great time that night with the friends we had made and the Kiwi hut warden, who played cards with us.  This hut had just been built and was quite fancy.  Huge bay windows, a  very large modern kitchen, even electric lights!  In my opinion this is too much luxury, I think it cheapens the experience of backpacking.

clouds dropping into North Crater

Red crater with Mount Ngauruhoe in background.  Emerald lakes are just below Red Crater (1st may be visible).

Volcanic landscape

New Zealand forest

Day 4

The last day was rather uneventful.  Amber was especially ready to be back to civilization.  We hiked quickly, and made it back to the carpark around noon.

The entire trip I was hungry.  I should have brought extra food.  All the backpacking meals I brought, supposedly serve 2 (I usually eat one by myself however).  I began to read the nutrition facts, and was disturbed to find that the average meal was 400 calories a person.  This means if I eat oatmeal for breakfast, a granola bar, and one dehydrated meal for lunch and dinner, I will be averaging around 1200 calories for a day.  This is way to little, especially since I am burning a lot of extra calories hiking with a heavy bag for 5-6 hours.  I decided I want to create my own for the next trip I do.  I experimented with this a bit in the past. I have a dehydrator, and tried basic pasta meals.  I realized dehydrated meat does not hydrated nearly as wells as freeze dried meat.  I think the low pressure used in freeze drying keeps the meat from shriveling nearly as badly (think of beef jerky), this provides more space to absorb water.  You can, however, by just freeze dried chicken or beef.  I think I may do this and strive to create a more nutritionally complete backpacking meal.