🙂 Mud bath in snow.
🙁 Crampon through Trent’s foot!
Arrived in Tongariro and visited the Information Centre where we watched an informative documentary. Bought maps and hired ice axes and crampons. We did school and had dinner and an early night ready for the morning! Trent doing really well with schooling!
Up early and drove to the Visitor Centre at Whakapapa. Unloaded our packs and parked our van. Bus arrived and the driver told us that the Margetepopo Road was closed due to volume of snow and high winds and the crossing is ill advised. He drove us to the Ketetaki track instead. We had to $50!
We started the walk – it was cold an windy and our packs were really heavy. Trent was wimpy and it was slow going. Despite this, we actually made good progress. We followed the mineral river which was grey in colour. At the top of the forest we arrived at a moorland where we had magnificent views of Lake Rotorua and Lake Taupo plus snowy views of the hot springs, Ketetaki Hut and the North crater. Just one of the best vistas ever experienced in our lives – we felyt ALIVE!
The wind picked up and we got chilly. We arrived at the hot springs to find a naked couple. We waited tactfully until they were dressed and then found a hot pool of our own. Freezing and snowing but very warm in the pool. It was not so much fun getting out and dressing again!
We progressed towards the hut in deepening snow and stronger winds and more snow…. we were all battling …. thankfully we reached the hut soon and put on fire and warmed up. Made food and chatted to Aucklander called Richard … the mist came in and the wind was rising so he left. We heated up curry for dinner … the wind and snow increased in velocity and the temperature dropped! Darkness descended – we told stories and were asleep by 18h30! Trent nearly set our hair alight with a candle! Left the fire on but temp read -2C … VERY windy … brrrrrr….lucky we had warm down sleeping bags!
Woke at 06h00 to a cold and snowy world! The sun was rising and the sky was mostly clear with a few clouds below us n the valley…simply stunning. We dressed in full winter gear. Very cold. It was very icy as we headed out so we out on our crampons and got ice axes out and roped together. We set off – there was no wind so it was a beautiful winter wonderland.
Made good progress up the mountain, straight up and avoided the longer zig zag path. High up on the north crater we lost sight of the path so Paul took a bearing and we found it again. We followed the contour around the steep side of the crater. Quite slippery so pleased we were roped together. I became very scared for our safety so we had a quick family feud before recommencing the walk, Clouds were thickening ominously beneath us…we reached the blue lake which was frozen over. By now it was a full whiteout. Paul stepped on Trent’s foot with his crampon when he slipped. Trent cried out and we told him not to moan – we raced back to our hut which took 2 hours and zero visibility. Stripped off..poor Trent’s foot had a gaping hole from the crampon!! We applied anti-septic and a plaster and then headed down the mountain at full speed as there was only one bus- made it by the skin of our teeth!! Dropped off crampons and ice axes and headed back to campervan… Drove to Wellington – several roads closed due to snow…. VERY expensive campsite. Poor Trent’s foot was very sore!
Go to: New Zealand
