Are We There Yet!?
Today I went on the Tongariro Crossing which, by all accounts, is the best dayhike (as it says in my guidebook which, by the way, I’m tempted to throw in the next campfire as its many typos and grammatical errors, not mentioning all the places it has recommended that no longer exist, are driving me nuts). I left Taupo at 6 am to be on the trek by 8 am. The bus driver kept assuring us that the forecast says that it will be misty with light rain only for the morning but will clear up soon. I hit the trail and I walked through interesting looking native bush plants and trickling streams but I couldn’t see much beyond that because of the fog. I got to the section called the Devil’s Staircase and let’s just say that it is aptly named. I must have climbed over a thousand steps to get to the top of the red crater! I kept thinking at the top of every set of stairs, “this MUST be to top.” Nope. Onward and upward.
When I came over the side of the mountain I could at last see the stunning Emerald Lakes that stand in sharp contrast with the dark rock and snow surrounding them. After slipping and sliding, and falling down the loose gravel trail down to them I took lots of pictures and admired the moody, volcanic environment. Huge plumes of sulfuric steam were rising from various places and there was a huge lunar-looking valley below which could easily have been a setting for Lord of the Rings. Indeed, parts of Tongariro National Park were used for Lord of the Rings…I’m just not sure which (since I’m not a big fan).
Aside from the Emerald Lakes and the lake that was covered in broken ice (see the picture on Facebook), there weren’t too many jaw-dropping sights. If I had to do the trail over again, I’d start at the “end” of the trail and only go to see those parts thereby avoiding the Devil’s Staircase. At the end of the day, I had hiked for 7 1/2 hours and was feeling it!
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