Mt. Tongariro, which blew its top off long ago |
Mt. Ruapehu is covered with snow year round |
Mt. Ngauruhoe, or Mt Doom in Lord of the Rings |
steps down to a creek |
Tawhai Falls |
Closer view of the Tawhai Falls |
Tongariro Crossing elevation map with key landmarks |
Satelite image of key landmarks |
The start of the Tongariro Crossing |
The low hanging clouds signal bad weather |
Little waterfall along the Mangatepopo Stream |
A group of hikers make up a very small element in this vast landscape |
Mangatepopo Stream is right along the path |
Rugged terrain |
Various vegetations |
The 71yr old guy volunteers for the Dept. of Conservation |
The last toilet stop before the long hike |
Waterfall by the Soda Spring |
The beginning of the steep hike called "devil's staircase". |
Looking up: 200m elevation gain for a 45 minute hike |
The visibility is low at times |
When the sun peaks through, I can see people hiking on the trail |
Panoramic view at the end of the "Devil's Staircase" |
The fast moving clouds form interesting shadows over the valley |
First major stop: at the base of Mt. Ngauruhoe |
The streak from the mountain top is a sign that the volcano is very much alive and active |
The perfect coned mountain is only one of the vents of Tongariro range |
Evidence of eruptions from years ago |
The poles mark the path, extremely important on days with low visibility |
The South Crater |
Panoramic view of the South Crater |
More steep hike between boulders and uneven terrain |
This is the spot to start the optional hike to the name sake peak, which is completely covered by the clouds |
The Red Crater |
The wind is stiff, even the poles couldn't sustain it. |
Another view of the Red Crater |
View of the Red Crater and beyond |
A rewarding view of the Emerald Lakes when coming down the hill |
The loose volcanic surface means you slide your shoes in the dirt and let the gravel carry you down |
The wind is howling and the clouds glide the surface of the lakes |
Occasionally the sun breaks though the clouds |
The colors of the lakes come from the discharges from the volcanoes |
The stiff wind is almost unbearable but there is always time to pose for a photo |
I was standing at the top of the hill to take some of the lake photos |
Can't find a better view for a lunch break |
The three lakes carry a slightly different color from one another |
The lake water is not drinkable due to high mineral content |
View of the east side of the park |
As the day goes by, the weather worsens |
The Central Crater |
Walking at the edge of the Central Crater |
On the right of the path is the Blue Lake, almost grayish under the cloudy sky |
A view of Lake Rotoaira |
The path is right along the hill side |
Ketetahi Hut is in sight, the only other restroom stop on this entire hike |
A few wild flowers thrive in this harsh climate |
A view of Lake Rotoaira under rain clouds |
Sulphur smell is in the air, the privately owned hot springs are nearby |
The path zigzags along the hill side, taking me up and down |
Looking down, a creek is running down hill. |
Looking up and back, the rain clouds are tailgating me |
All of a sudden, there is sign of life and the grasses are waist high |
I am finally out of the clouds |
Path consists of uneven size steps through the native forest - about an hour walk |
The last creek before reaching the car park |