Tramp Reflections 803 - Tongariro National Park

27 December 2008 - 3 January 2009

On the afternoon of Saturday the 27th December, we gathered at Christine’s to distribute and spread our gear throughout the cars. Nick and Sheila were all loaded up with a full-on tent and all the trimmings. I could see by the amount of gear we all had, that this was not going to be an ordinary tramp; it was promising to be luxury! All organised, seven trampers set off from Hamilton en route to our digs at the Whakapapa Holiday Camp. Nick and Sheila set up their luxurious tent, complete with awning and BBQ which I’m sure we could all have fitted into. Meanwhile Lynne and PJ set up their more modest versions. Adrienne, Christine and Colleen opted for even more luxury and spread out in a dorm room in the Lodge. These were to be our homes from which we would do day tramps.

Sunday 28 December 2008 – Whakapapaiti/Silica Rapids

On this absolutely glorious day we drove up the Bruce Rd to begin our walk. Firstly, crossed the barren rocky landscape where we got great views of Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu. continuing along we headed down into the picturesque Whapapapaiti River Valley studded with beech trees and the usual alpine daisies and tussock till we got to the new but relatively seldom used Whakapapaiti Hut. Here we had a welcome break, basking in the sun.

Following the Whapapapaiti River, we came upon a pretty waterfall. Our next task was to cross this fairly swift river which we managed in spite of odd trampers trying to keep their boots dry!

It was just a small climb out via Slippery Gully. By this stage, the temperature was rising at the same rate that our energy levels were being sapped so we decided not to detour off to the Silica Rapids as planned. We were rewarded with great views of Ngauruhoe again and a great sighting of a beautiful and very prolific mistletoe vine in flower as we headed back to the comfort of cold drinks and shade in the camp ground.

Monday 29 December 2008 – Tongariro Crossing – Written by PJ

We decided to leave a car at the Ketetahi end of the track the night before. This would save a lot of waiting around amongst the thousands of tired trampers for booked buses. We had organised to get up at 6.30am, but some squandered in their luxury accommodation and made us all wait! Nevertheless we managed to get onto the track at 6.45am ready for our adventure.

On our journey towards the old Devil’s Staircase, we saw an atmospheric halo above Ngauruhoe which looked almost surreal.

We all stopped for our last decent toilet stop, donned on some wind breakers as the wind had picked up, and headed onwards on the new track which cuts out the Devil’s Staircase. Up and up those stairs we went until we got to a strategically placed rock wall especially designed for wary legs. The views of Taranaki were stunning from here.

Crossing the barren South Crater was like walking on the moon, but with gravity. We continued up to the Red Crater and another small rise to the highest point for some stunning views. Unfortunately, it was really cold and every man and his dog was there hoping to get in the great views of the three Emerald Lakes.

It was a mad dash down the scree for some of us while others took a more cautious approach. Lunch was at the bottom beside the Emerald Lakes at 10.30am in the morning! All that climbing certainly built up a good appetite. We were not even put off by the toxic sulphurous gases emitting from the rocks around us or the thousands of other enthusiasts. Once satisfied with food and fluids, we headed across the North Crater towards the Blue Lake.

Now, on our way down, we found a small section of snow for those budding ski bunnies. Unfortunately the weather had really packed up. We all rugged up and headed down towards Ketetahi Hut. The wind was blowing horizontal rain and the views of Lake Rotoaira weren’t the best. The journey down seemed to take forever when you’re cold, but the knowledge that we had a car waiting was a blessing. There were hundreds of stinky wet trampers waiting for buses and it seemed kind of sad to see them freezing and having to wait up to 2hrs.

Once back at the lodge we almost used up the entire hot water supply of the Whakapapa Village and lit a most luxurious fire while our clothes dried. Wine and snacks were consumed and an early night was had by all. What a neat day!

Tuesday, 30 December 2008 –Tupapakurua Falls, National Park – Written by PJ

This track started from a road behind the residential area of the National Park township. Locals and DoC had recently upgraded most of the track with some substantial cuttings, steps and lots of gravel. They had done an excellent job making an easy walk to a nice lookout point.

Here, we saw black clouds coming thick and fast, so we headed down the not quite finished, still overgrown, steep and very muddy track down to the picturesque Tupapakurua Waterfall. Cameras were snapping away quickly and then the rain came...Lunch is quite hard to eat when it is bucketing down. It makes your crackers all soggy!

Colleen and PJ headed down the very steep track to the bottom of the waterfall where the moss covered trees and banks looked like an enchanted forest. The spray from the waterfall added to the atmosphere. It was a pretty steep climb back to the Falls and then a very soggy wet walk back to the car park. The rain was consistently heavy. We discovered that, while we had parked at what we thought was the car park; we had walked an extra 20mins on a perfectly good road and could have driven that extra bit further up. It doesn’t sound like much, but when you’re soaking wet and can’t wait for a hot shower, it all helps. We must have had a soft moment.

The hot showers again were a godsend and the usual wine o’clock and nibbles followed. There is nothing like a good hot meal and dry clothes to make one feel human again.

Wednesday 31 December 2008 – Ruapehu Summit - Written by PJ and Adrienne

We were all keen to summit, but the weather forecast was the most important factor so as it looked good for the morning, we headed off. Colleen, Nick, Sheila and PJ walked upthe nhour and a half up to the chairlift, taking in the sights on foot, while Adrienne and Lynne took in the sights from the tourist route, the chairlift! Nick and Sheila went down and the rest of us decided to take on the mountain where the poled route was still pretty much all snow. We trudged on up with PJ, having had the most snow experience (three prior snow trips) admirably taking on the role of tramp leader. She gave us all some snow walking tips, carved out the steps, filled us with confidence in ourselves and led us all the way up.

We got to two-thirds of the way up to the summit when we decided to tuck down beside a couple of rocks to have lunch in very cold conditions. The weather clouded over and the wind picked up to create whiteout conditions. We soon realized that things were not going to improve so we re-evaluated and decided to head down. None of us really had the necessary experience to take on those conditions. It was surprising to see quite a few people still heading up to the top in whiteout conditions! There would be no view at the top for them.

We on the other hand, could be heard shrieking down the slopes on our bottoms and having a ball. We all got down safely and didn’t regret our decision of not going to the summit. Safety first! Thanks to PJ, who demonstrated amazing leadership skills.

That night, being New Years Eve, we had a communal dinner at motor camp with Evan and his sister who had joined us on their way further south. Suitably fed and worn out we were all tucked up in our beds by 8.30pm!

Thursday, 1 January 2009

We packed up and travelled home to Hamilton by private car. On the way we spotted Anna and Michiel just out of Taupo on their cycles on their way home from their cycling holiday over the Gentle Annie and surrounding area. How coincidental!

Written by Adrienne van Hellemond and PJ

Photographs by Adrienne van Hellemond (Canon PowerShot SX100 IS).