Tongariro Alpine Crossing-Day 18

In the morning, I stumbled over to the kitchen for some hot water to make my instant coffee/hot chocolate mixture,  and we ate a quick yogurt, fruit and granola breakfast to get us fueled for our Tongariro hike.  The bus that was to take us to the desert trail head pulled in and we loaded on with about 24 other sleepy eyed folks. There was an earlier bus that came while it was still dark, but we are not here for punishment. We did not realize until now that means we can’t do the side track to Ngauruhoe Summit, because it takes too long. We are going to hike 19 km up and across Tongariro, a  big actively venting volcano. Our hike through volcanic fields and craters starts at 1150meters, goes up to 1886 meters, and back down to 1454 meters on the other side.

We each have our CamelBak packs filled with 3 liters of water,  granola bars, cheese, nuts, carrots and apples to eat, rain pants and jackets,  gloves, fleece, the works. The driver starts right away, making cracks about how long it is going to take “you two older folks”. Meaning us. Seriously? Jeff and I might be the oldest but that doesn’t mean we aren’t in at least as good shape as some of these others on the bus. We all get dropped off in a bleak looking wilderness at the base of Tongariro. It was cold, foggy and didn’t look like all that much fun.

We had to put our rain gear on right from the get go, which did not bode well. We let everybody else go rushing up the trail ahead of us since we don’t like walking in crowds and we are not in a hurry.

In order to make the first bus back to the Tongariro Base Camp at the other end of this trail, we have to hike 19.4 km  in six and a half hours, but there are two later buses, so we are not worried. As long as we make it out by the last bus we will be fine. How hard could it be? The gently sloping trail winds through tufted native grasses at first.

Then it turns into a wooden walkway and starts climbing up through volcanic rubble with a few springs seeping through. I like the way the Kiwi trail builders always add a wire or plastic mesh to wooden walks whenever they are in a damp spot and likely to grow algae. We have noticed them everywhere we go.

There are tiny alpine plants growing in the rocky volcanic rubble that is strewn about all over the slope. We can’t see a mountain ahead. We can’t see up the trail very far at all.

A lot of the plants are blooming in shades of dark red and creamy white.

A cold wet breeze is blowing in our faces and the landscape is different than any I have seen. After awhile, it feels like we are on the moon as the ground flattens out and the rocks get sparse. It is tradition to add a rock to the cairn.

Climb To The Top

Then the gradient changes to seriously steep with about a thousand steps to climb straight up into the cloud. We lost quite a few people at this point, where the sign warned them it was going to get worse before it got better and it was their last chance to turn back. A lot of younger people than us turned back. We just kept plodding on, huffing and puffing like everyone else.

We were thinking we would never get a view , and how was it going to be worth this trek.

Some folks stopped for lunch, where it felt like it might be the crest. It was so windy and cold that we had to hunker down behind rocks to keep from freezing to death, even with ALL our layers on and gloves. I wasn’t hungry but I needed the stop.

Back on the trail, we had to grab a chain rail to keep from falling down the  steep slope that we couldn’t even see below us.

Ans then we came over the top and…Wallah! The clouds parted and we could see!

The view kept getting more amazing, the wind was non existent on this side, the sun was shining- it was like we stepped into a totally different day.

Now we could see down into the Red Crater.

There were hot yellow sulfur vents, iron red colored formations,

and as we followed the rim trail around, we could see emerald colored pools below.

The path down to the pools was really steep and you had to sort of jump like a West Virginia cow, sideways hopping down the hill, in  deep loose earth.  Some folks had a hard time with this but we have it down, being  mountain people.

The water was a beautiful green and not hot at all.

These guys were braver than me. All I could think of was, what is the chemical make up of that water? I hope it did not peel their skin off. We sat here and ate our lunch in the nice warm sunshine, with them for entertainment. After relaxing awhile we got up and started walking again.

It was hard to leave such beauty and go back to desolation…

In a place like this you can feel the power of the earth. I certainly did. As we walked by the last lake a big wind came up, tore my hat off my head,  and knocked me down on the ground. Good thing it was in a semi flat area.

It is all downhill from here for the next couple of hours.

We are back in Alpine plants , with hot vents wisping up on the right and yesterday’s lake, with the Maori sacred island, in the distance.

Now that it is clear we can see a long ways out and Lake Taupo is bigger than I thought.

We keep walking, and walking, zigging down the open alpine meadows, through sulphury smelling rocks, with great views. We look back where we were and it is all covered in clouds again. We got lucky.

The path suddenly starts a descent into forest, which was totally unexpected, and we walk and walk and walk. Seems like forever.

Then we are reminded we are still in volcano country by the Lahar Zone sign. If there is an eruption, a mudslide of debris and pyroclastic ooze is likely to take this valley out. Moving along.

All of this continuous downhill slogging has worn me out. I prefer hiking uphill, but it is a good thing the uphill came first. The last few meters on the trail my feet are killing me and I feel like there is gravel grinding my toes off. We arrive at the car park where the bus will meet us and find we are number 6 and 7 back from our group. So there. Old folks, huh? First thing I do is take my boots off my poor feet and sit down on the ground.  It turns out I got a nasty blister on my toe right there at the end. I am really glad I did not get it sooner.

It was a great hike and when we get back to base we nab the hot tub (ahh…) for awhile before anybody else gets back. At dinner, we share the picnic table and drinks with our German neighbors as we all talk about our exhausting day. I am glad Jeff managed to talk me into doing Tongariro- it was worth it.

Wendy lee, writing at Edgewise Woods, Gardens and Critters