Leaving Rotorua, we stopped at the Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland to see a few last geothermal peculiarities. The first one was a geothermal spring that erupted high into the air, albeit due to a guide's intervention (throwing soap in) rather than natural circumstances (which would have been more impressive). It was pretty packed, so Colin got a boost on Dadada's shoulders.
The better part of Waiotapu was walking around the geothermal pools, which are colored differently due to different minerals in the waters.
The boys and Dadada measured the temperature of the water in different locations.... sometimes with a thermometer, sometimes (when safe) with fingers. Eventually they used their data to work on converting between Celsius and Fahrenheit in another one of Dadada's well-planned science/math lessons.
At the very end, we stopped by mud pits and watched the ooey, gooey grey mud boiling and bubbling.
On our lunch break traveling on towards Tongariro National Park, we found a local park and took a break from driving. Even Mamama and Dadada got in on the playground fun.
Our entire reason for stopping at Tongariro National Park was to attempt the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. This 19.4 kilometer (12 mile) hike is consistently listed as one of the best day hikes in New Zealand and even the world. It passes through alpine scenery, by active volcanoes, and around sparkling lakes. Because of its high altitude, the weather along the crossing can often be uncomfortable (rain) to downright dangerous (snow and/or strong winds). However, the weather for our one available day was forecast to be pretty much perfect for a long hike--warm (but not hot), sunny (but with a bit of cloud cover), and most importantly--dry!
We booked a shuttle service to drop us off at the start of the trail and pick us up at the end, an expected 8 hours later. We packed plenty of water, lunch, layers, and snacks, and off we went.
The beginning of the hike was flat and a fairly easy start.
Just before we started to climb, we passed this sign...
The hike quickly became more challenging as we started ascending the first of two very steep sections. Getting up part of the first section required using a chain to help pull ourselves up since it was quite steep and gravel-y.
We made it to the "sucker summit"--Emmett's term for the point where you think you'll be at the top but, upon arrival, find out you still have further to climb.
There was a short, flat section between this "sucker summit" and the base of the second steep section, where we started to climb again. When Colin got a bit cold, he put an extra pair of socks on his hands to keep them warm.
Eventually we all made it to the (non-sucker) summit!
The views of the surrounding landscape were stunning.
Here you can see where flowing lava formed a tunnel through the rock a long time ago.
Beginning the descent from the summit was one of the most challenging parts. The path was very narrow, steep, and filled with gravel that easily gave way underfoot. There were also no rails, chains, or really anything to hold onto as we navigated this part of the trail. This is looking back at the summit (the peak on the right) after we descended.
As we headed down from the summit, we had great views of the beautiful Turquoise Pools, geothermal waters atop the volcanic land.
At this point, we thought the climbing was pretty much over. After another short, flat section, though, we still had a bit of ascending to go...but it was not as long or steep as the previous two climbing sections. The final 8 kilometers (5 miles) of the hike wound down hilly alpine land, and it finished off in forest.
Should the volcano erupt, the lava flow would come through this area, which is the reason for this sign...
After a full 9 hours of hiking, we were all really glad to see the end of the trail.
While it was a challenging day, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing definitely lives up to its reputation as a spectacular day hike. We were all really proud that we completed it!
No comments:
Post a Comment