MZ Day 8. Tangariro Crossing

  As you might expect, given the lack of campsites at the trail-heads, New Zealanders saw an opportunity to make money and run a shuttle service! But Randi’s misfortune (the twisted back) turned out to be my good fortune as she could shuttle me to the start and end of the hike! As it turned out we were able to do the first 5 kms together before Randi turned back and went to do another shorter hike before picking me up at the end of the trail.
The Tangariro Crossing is 20kms over a very varied landscape, part of which is desolate volcanic scenery.the start is fairly easy going and then there is a sharp uphill section with steps – yes, this  is a very popular hike! The added frisson of this hike is that, from  the saddle there is a side trip up LOTR’s Mt Doom! It’s a steep, bleak trip up lava rock and cinders, but the mountain is classic volcano, with a well defined crater. The uphill to make the summit is pretty hard, though I never made it. 
The problem for me was my hiking boots which started to fall apart after the first few kms and the conditions on the lower slopes of Mt Doom completed the separation of tread from uppers! Raichle boots too! I guess that the heat and/or humidity in KL had destroyed the adhesive, though Randi’s boots (also Raichle though a different model, and with a similar environmental exposure to mine) were fine. Now because we had been living in KL for 3 years, and wearing flip-flops most of the time, I had been afraid that my feet might have expanded and that the boots might be too tight, so I had packed a pair of trainers as a precaution. Serendipitous luck! though the hike of Mt Doom was abandoned.


Continuing to follow the hike, there are chemically green lakes, ash filled craters, a blue lake and steam still erupting from an area that last erupted only 3 years ago in 2012.
Unfortunately, although the uphill is fairly sharp, though shortish, the last 10 kms of the hike is a long downhill grind.
At the bottom, Randi had just arrived and as we were getting ready to leave we were approached by a young man who wanted to know if we were going past the other trail-head where he and his family and friends had left their vehicle and could we give them a lift. We agreed and gave all 5 of them a lift back and they insisted on giving us some money for gas, so at the end of the day everyone was very happy with the deal!

The only downside on the day was that this was Good Friday which is a pretty solemnly observed holiday in New Zealand, so all the grocery stores were closed and our meal that evening was a little rudimentary!