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Ruapehu , the highest point in North Island is probably the most exciting, dramatic, spooky and perhaps scary place I have ever been. It sits towards the Southern end of the Tongariro National park, and the main peaks are named after Maori Chiefs
Area around Tongariro National Park I am quoting Wikipedia verbatim as I can't improve upon it
"Ruapehu, the largest active volcano in New Zealand, is the highest point on the North Island and has three major peaks: Tahurangi (2,797 m), Te Heu Heu (2,755 m) and Paretetaitonga (2,751 m). The deep, active crater is between the peaks and fills with water between major eruptions, being known as Crater Lake
Volcanic activity
Ruapehu is largely composed of andesite and began erupting at least 250,000 years ago. In recorded history, major eruptions have been about 50 years apart,[3] in 1895, 1945 and 1995–1996. Minor eruptions are frequent, with at least 60 since 1945. Some of the minor eruptions in the 1970s generated small ash falls and lahars (mudflows) that damaged skifields.[4]
Between major eruptions, warm acidic Crater Lake forms, fed by melting snow. Major eruptions may completely expel the lake water. Where a major eruption has deposited a tephra dam across the lake's outlet, the dam may collapse after the lake has refilled and risen above the level of its normal outlet, the outrush of water causing a large lahar. In 2000, the ERLAWS system was installed on the mountain to detect such a collapse and alert the relevant authorities.
1945 eruption and aftermath
The 1945 eruption emptied Crater Lake and dammed the outlet with tephra. The crater slowly refilled with water, until on 24 December 1953 the tephra dam collapsed causing a lahar in the Whangaehu River. The lahar caused the Tangiwai disaster, with the loss of 151 lives, when the Tangiwai railway bridge across the Whangaehu River collapsed while the lahar was in full flood, just before an express train crossed it.
It was already known that the river had partially undermined one of the bridge piers and the lahar finished the job, causing the bridge to collapse. Although warned of the collapsed bridge, the train driver was unable to stop the train in time and six of the carriages fell into the river."
Aftermath - The full dramatic account of the Tangiwai disaster is well worth reading on Wiki. 134 people in the three rear carriages survived unscathed.Ruapehu and my routeAerial photo in winter showing the complicated layout of the many peaksThere are roads all around the park and I took pictures of the mountain from them. They start from the park entrance at Whakapapa and go anticlockwise.
From Whakapapa. The Whakapapa glacier - Paretetaitonga on the RFrom the North West.
Above - from the West on Highway 4: Below - From farmland near Horopito Above - From near Okahune on highway 49: Below - From further East on Highway 49From the Tangiwai memorial due South - Mitre Peak on the R with Girdlestone peak in front of TahurangiFrom South East on the Desert RoadFrom the East - further up the Desert RoadFrom the near the Tama LakesFrom the road to the skifield - Pinnacle Ridge on the far L - Paretetaitonga RAscent 2003From the road end you can take the Knoll ridge chairlift and then climb easily up Restful Ridge. There is no real path, but compared to the over-popular Tongariro Crossing the whole place was blissfully deserted
The cross jointing in the solidified lava flow beneath the chairlift is very clearPinnacle Ridge from Restful Ridge with Ngauruhoe behindgetting on to the snow: Te Heu Heu Ridge Zoomed view of Te Heu Heu and Cathedral Rocks on the RAt the top of Restful Ridge I headed Right - across the top of the Whakapapa glacier and climbed the North ridge of Paretetaitonga. The snow was a lovely crisp neve all day
At the top of the glacier: The summit plateau comes into view Climbing Paretetaitonga - looking on to Te Ata Ahua and Tahurangi Looking across Crater Lake from Paretetaitonga: The lake can vary in colour from brown to grey and in temperature from freezing to steaming. On this occasion it was steel grey and I felt the whole place had a rather macabre menacing atmosphere Just across the lake is Pyramid peak with Mitre peak behind -Tahurangi on the far R I pushed on from Paretetaitonga and over Te Ata Ahua to the col below Tahurangi
On the first top of Te Ata AhuaLooking across Crater Lake from Te Ata Ahua: Pyramid Peak on the R : Te Heu Heu behind Looking back to ParetetaitongaA pinnacle on Te Ata AhuaOn to TahurangiI descended to the col and considered
I would have loved to have continued round the whole circumference of Crater Lake but (a) I was totally on my own and no-one knew where I was; (b) I had an axe but no crampons and the top of Tahurangi looked steeper than anything I had done so far: and (c) I had no idea what to expect above the outlet from the lake. so reluctantly I decided enough was enough
Looking back to Te Ata Ahua from the colI retraced my steps over Te Ata Ahua , cut round inside Paretetaitonga to the top of the glacier and descended easy snow slopes to the top of the lift.
Looking across the lake to Pyramid PeakPinnacle Ridge in the afternoon sunshine from the top of the ski area -on the way down - Remember the sun is to the North Easy snow slopes led down Ascent 2006When Donna and I took the same route up Restful Ridge three years later there was far less snow - global warming or just chance? - but there had been no serious eruption in the intervening period. The volcano erupted the following October and Crater Lake emptied violently again in March 2007. Once more we had the place almost to ourselves
I can't remember our exact route, but I think we ascended the Dome and headed L towards Cathedral Rocks. and these photos would have been taken from those areas.
Near the top of Restful Ridge - looking up towards ParetetaitongaFrom further on: Paretetaitonga on the R - Tahurangi at the backThe summit Plateau - Te Heu Heu and Cathedral RocksCrater Lake, Tahurangi and Te Ata AhuaSummit plateau again from higherOn the ridge L of The DomeTahurangi, Te Ata Ahua and ParetetaitongaA wider view - the big expanse of snow is the top of the Whakapapa glacier and Crater Lake is down to the LLooking back up our descent path