Tongariro National Park

Weekend Trip
Friday 13 March 2009 to Sunday 15 March 2009 (3 days)

The promise of a fine weekend saw 23 sardines squash into Big Blue on Friday night. One group was basically doing ‘The Crossing’, the medium group was off into the wilderness across from Blue Lake and the fit trip was scaling peaks around Mt Tongariro.

We all slept at Mangatepopo, rudely awakened by a constant stream of buses dropping off the multitudes of day trippers before it was light. It was like getting ready for a tramp in the middle of a Queen St intersection!
The easy and fit parties left from here and the rest of us drove round to Ketetahi.

In spite of the climb, it is an easy walk up to the hut - so much work has been done to improve the track. Alex, Graeme and Jane, who were tramping the Northern Circuit, joined us and we all set off for the saddle before Blue Lake, where we had lunch - enjoying fabulous views to Lake Taupo and beyond.

 Liz Ware takes in the view (Photo: Graeme McGowan) We were all looking forward to getting off-track and set off up Mt Rotopaunga with enthusiasm. The view from the top is the best in the whole park - across Blue Lake, Emerald Lake, Red Crater, Ngauruhoe and most of Ruapehu were visible.

A long photo stop was in order and eventually we carried on over Te Mari Peak, overlooking a very impressive crater and lava flow, and dropped down to a valley on the right. Here we found a good stream and plenty of tent sites. We were busy relaxing and chatting at about 4.30pm, when we noticed another group of trampers on the skyline. It was the easy party, who had set up camp on the shore of Blue Lake only to be moved on by a hut warden - that is strictly not allowed! There was plenty of room for everyone at our campsite.

After a clear, frosty night we packed up and climbed onto the ridge to wait in the sun for everyone to be ready. There was low cloud in the valleys way below us and clear views of the tops. Because conditions were so good, Alex and Graeme decided to leave camp early and climb Ngauruhoe, along with two from the fit group. The rest of us continued up the ridge and over the top to Blue Lake. From there it was an easy stroll across to the main track and back down to Ketetahi. As we were looking across Central Crater to where the fit trip still had their tents pitched, a falcon zoomed past.

Thanks very much Sue, for doing a recce and finding a superb trip and campsite for 11 of us to enjoy.

We were: Sue Grant (leader), Neil Cartwright, Aidan McLean, Craig Starr, Anthony Hayes, Amy Chang, Ronald Chen, Jane Rogers, Graeme McGowan, Alex Sancho and Liz Ware (scribe).