I have been targeting the Tongariro Crossing for around 20 years. I remember discussing the possibility with a friend when I was in my early forties, and saying to her that I didn’t think my knees would take it. It’s therefore somewhat ironic that I finally got my opportunity to do this iconic walk twenty years later, aged 62. In 2016 I had an attempt at doing it when I travelled to National Park with a friend, but the cloud came down and the opportunity was lost. I was really disappointed.
This time I decided to take a more relaxed attitude, saying to myself that if I got the opportunity I would take it, but if that didn’t happen I wouldn’t sweat things. After all in 2020/21 you know things you plan are quite likely not to happen and you just have to accept it. #planninginpencil has become my mantra.
While the weather forecast looked good, and I booked a shuttle for 7 a.m. I didn’t sleep well because I was feeling a little anxious that I didn’t have the right gear, particularly if it got really cold up there. I berated myself because I hadn’t brought my tramping boots nor my hiking poles. Was the jacket I had waterproof or warm enough? Thoughts of mountain rescues and people being caught up there with hypothermia all came to mind. Was I silly going on my own?
When I pulled back the curtains to a clear blue sky and not the early morning low cloud that was predicted, I knew things would probably be OK. Once I got into the shuttle, I straight away met a younger Scottish woman, Nicola, who was also doing the trip on her own, and we ended up walking together for most of the day.
It was cold at the start and I did need all of the layers I had brought with me – a merino beanie, a lined jacket, a merino hoodie, leggings under my tramping trousers and woollen socks – I didn’t use the woollen gloves I was also carrying. The trail starts on the shaded side of the mountain, but as soon as we got into the sun we warmed up and before long needed to strip off some of the layers. At this stage the walking is pretty easy with the path mostly being wide and firm. It did really feel like we (the 5 of us from the shuttle) we were Hobbits on an adventure to Mt Doom.
After about an hour’s walk the steep bit begins. You are warned of this by life size ranger cutouts, making sure you know the gravity of what lies ahead. At this stage it can pretty much described as steps and more steps (its not known as the Devil’s Staircase for nothing) albeit with magnificent views back to where we had come from and to the plains beyond. Looking ahead you could see the path climbing ever upwards which you know you have to negotiate, but also incredible rock formations silhouetted against what was for me the bluest of skies.
The path then levels out as you cross the South Crater and are rewarded with close up views of Mt Ngarahoe with its unworldly Mars like colours, and then once you have crossed the crater you are greeted with magnificent views across the Central Plateau.
The hardest climb was yet to come, as you head up from the Mangatepopo saddle (where I mistakenly thought meant we had crossed the highest point). There aren’t the series of staircases here, the ground is unsteady and wind exposed too, so sometimes you are climbing straight up the slope and at others picking your way through rocky outcrops where the path was not clear. This meant you had to watch out for the way marker poles to ensure you weren’t going off course. I think this section of the track was where all my trail running on the hills was of benefit. I found that stopping meant that I felt the sharpness of the wind, but it also affected my balance and together with the narrowness of the path and the weight of my backpack, I was better to keep ploughing on. My fellow walkers, however, mostly found this section required resting stops.
Once we got to the top you could see the famous brilliantly aqua sulphuric lakes, which we then had to negotiate our way down to via a slippery scree covered slope. I find downhill surfaces like this really difficult, and I knew my hiking poles would have made this section of the track a lot less difficult. However I also knew I was making good time and so as everyone else went at a much faster pace, easily passing me, I just told myself to take things easy, and to lean back into the hill, and when I felt myself slipping to just go with it. I also reminded myself that I was unlikely to come back this way and that I needed to fully take in the surreal beauty of the surreal landscape on this part of the trail.
From here you then cross the wide open surface of the central crater, and soon the half way point was behind us, and Te Wai Whakaata o te Rangihiroa or the Blue Lake was ahead of us, before we wound our way past the North Crater. It’s very easy to think at this stage that you are nearly done, as you feel the trail move to a definite descent with views towards Lake Taupo, but my watch told me we had a while to go.
The path starts off relatively narrow with uneven footing, but obviously there has been a lot of work undertaken on the track, because before long we were on a wide metalled path that snaked and zigzagged its way down the hill. It seemed that at every turn of the zigzag there would be a set of steps to negotiate, and towards the end of this part of the track my knees were feeling that they had done their bit. There’s plenty to see on this section of the track with amazing views, but also plenty of volcanic activity to keep us entertained, with views to the Ketetahi Springs and to the Upper Te Mahi Crater where there had been a volcanic explosion as recently as 2012.
Then all of a sudden you notice that the alpine environment of tussock and other mountain plants had changed, and you head down through stands of manuka. Again it is easy to think you are all but done here, but don’t be fooled, as once the path levels out and you hit the bush and are following a stream, the walk still has 30-45 minutes to go. There were still many downwards stairs to negotiate, and my right knee was really beginning to protest. Finally you are out of the bush and at the trail head – we had 15 minutes to spare before the shuttle was due to arrive at 2:30. It wouldn’t have mattered if we hadn’t made this time as the shuttle was due to return at 4pm and then again at 5:30.
I feel that I did this walk at exactly the right time for me – I was fit, and had the advantage of walking it at a time when it wasn’t overrun with people, and I was able to really appreciate the surreal magical landscape of this walk in perfect conditions. If you haven’t done this walk it is so worth it. I would suggest using a shuttle as I did – the $45 I paid to be picked up and dropped off from Whakapapa Village (they also do pick ups from National Park and Ohakune) was money well spent.
LIVING LIFE ON MY OWN TERMS 