Epic New Zealand Road Trip - Tongariro Alpine Crossing

Feb 14th
Today was going to be a big day. We got up early to catch the shuttle to the Mangatepopo Road End where we’d hike the 12-mile Tongariro crossing. We did not know what the temperature would be like. I was prepared for the cooler weather at the top at elevation of over 6,000 feet, by throwing my sweater, my light red jacket, my blue rain jacket, and my scarf into the backpack. I meant to get another bottle of water and forgot about it. I’m sure I’d have used it. 

The bus stopped right where I was standing, so the four of us were the first ones to board it, which was a good thing because when we were dropped off at the trail head, Debbie and Satomi were able to use the restroom before a long line was quickly formed. This trail was not like any trail I’d hiked before. The scenery was amazing and there was no shade. The sun was on us constantly. I took off my long sleeve. I had only a yoga tank top on the whole time and never got cold. The first few miles were gently sloped and fairly easy. When we got to Soda Springs, we found a warning that we were about to climb into the alpine zone and there were 8 miles of hard hike ahead of us.

We continued on. I never had to share a trail with so many people, or if I did, there were trees to separate us. We often had to stop to let faster hikers by. I kept my steps small and steady. Many times I thought we were already at the top, only to see a steep hill ahead of us. I told Debbie not to look up. I did have enough energy to veer from a straight path to take a picture of a large crater.

We wanted to save our lunch until the top, but there was no good place for lunch there. We sat on a rock on a slope and ate a shared sandwich and a coke. We could see the Emerald Lakes and they were beautiful in vivid colors due to leached minerals from surrounding rocks. I thought things would be a lot easier now because we were going downhill. Was I ever wrong!

The descend was hard as we stepped on loose ground on a steep slope. At one point I asked the person following me if she wanted to pass, she declined. It seemed so scary because I could imagine slipping all the way down the hot lakes.

We finally passed the hard part and then it was a steady downhill. When we got to the lakes, we stopped for pictures. Debbie said she didn’t want to walk around the big lake as some other hikers. I didn’t argue because I knew we had miles to go. We marched on, past the Blue Lake, past the Ketetahi Shelter, past the Lahar Hazard Zone, past lots of stairs going down (Thank goodness we were not going the opposite direction), past what seemed like a beautiful garden, and finally we reached our destination. The Ketetahi Car Park was full of people and buses. We didn’t remember what our bus looked like! But we didn’t miss it when it came. We were exhausted but so happy we made it. I texted Liên, who had completed the hike with Satomi an hour before we did, to see if we could change the hot tub time. We couldn’t. But that was A-Okay.

We shared a delicious dinner, did a load of laundry, sat in the hot tub, and enjoyed a needed good sleep.