Tongariro Alpine Crossing

This is a hike we'd hoped to do from the earliest stages of planning this trip. Weather can be very changeable in the mountains, as we've discovered, but thankfully Mother Nature was on our side this time. The Crossing is usually done as a one-way, 12-mile hike, using a shuttle bus to get back at the end.

We caught the first shuttle of the day, and got on the trail at sunrise, with views of Mt Ngauruhoe (Mt Doom). There is a climb of 2,700 feet over the first 5 miles, followed by a descent of 3,500 feet. Because of the wind and cold, we wore multiple jackets, gloves, thermals, and knit caps for most of time we were hiking -- even uphill!

There are literally thousands of people doing the hike on any given (good-weather) day. It was strange at first, hiking with the hordes, but the scenery was so dramatic that the crowds didn't detract from it. It was kind of like a shared adventure, and the enthusiasm was catching. The trail traverses Mt. Ruapehu, over lava flows as recent as 2007, and steam vents were still visible. Once arriving at the peak, we got a stunning view of the blue-green crater lakes and the other nearby volcanoes, including "Mt. Doom."

We were glad we took the first shuttle, since it would have been stressful to worry about making the last return shuttle of the day. As it was, we had time to take in the views, take breather stops, and enjoy breakfast by a spring-fed waterfall, and lunch near the summit. A tiring, but rewarding day!Read more