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Welcome to the Land of Fire and Ice: Tongariro National Park
Centrally located in North Island, Tongariro National Park serves as an adventure hub for those seeking a landscape shaped by fire, ice, and ancient legend. As New Zealand’s first National Park and a UNESCO Dual World Heritage area, it offers a rare convergence of geological wonder and deep Māori spiritual heritage. A Land of Giants…
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Climbing Paretetaitonga: A Winter Mission on Mt Ruapehu
Paretetaitonga (2,751 metres) is widely recognized as the second-highest peak on Mt Ruapehu in Tongariro National Park. It sits just below Tahurangi (2,797m). While Point 2,757 further south, known informally as Te Ātaahua, is technically higher, it is not officially recognised as one of Ruapehu’s peaks. The name Paretetaitonga translates to ‘a wall or parapet, on…
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Happy Valley Ruapehu | A visit by a playful Sarahsaurus
The Sarahsaurus Tubing Descent In this early winter trip report, (perhaps my silliest) I went to Happy Valley at Mt Ruapehu where the skifield operators had made a sledding track with artificial snow for frustrated skiers to use to ride down on a tube while waiting for some real snow. Normally this snow tubing would…
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Mangaweka & the Pegs of the Ruahine Range
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Exploring the Best Waterfalls in Tongariro National Park
Tongariro National Park is a dramatic landscape. Best known for the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, the park has many short walks to spectacular waterfalls. Using the Wellington Tramping & Mountaineering Club (WTMC) Lodge as a base was perfect for exploring both the well-known waterfalls and a few secret hidden gems. Iconic & Accessible Falls 1. TARANAKI fALLS…
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Climbing Te Ātaahua: Reaching the “Shark’s Tooth” on Mt Ruapehu
Identifying the Forgotten Highpoint: Point 2757 While Paretetaitonga is widely recognized as the second-highest peak on Mt Ruapehu in Tongariro National Park, a higher point on the summit ridge often goes unnoticed. Located further south lies Point 2757, informally known as Te Ātaahua—meaning “the beauty.” To those looking up from the Turoa skifield, this sharp…
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Hauhungatahi | The Gateway to Off-Track Wilderness in Tongariro National Park
New Zealand’s 14 National Parks offer world-class tracks, but “true wilderness” areas intentionally devoid of huts, signs, or bridges—remains a rare find for the North Island tramper. Most of our designated wilderness areas are buried deep in the Southern Alps, yet one of the most accessible sits right on the western slopes of Mt Ruapehu…
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Climbing Tahurangi | The Summer Route to Mt Ruapehu’s Highest Summit
Tahurangi (2,797 m) is the highest point on Mt Ruapehu and the highest mountain summit in New Zealand’s North Island. The most popularsummer route starts from the Tūroa Ski Area and takes experienced hikers around 7–9 hours return. There is no marked track above the skifield and be aware that the route is not for…
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Under the Ice at Tongariro National Park: Exploring Mt Ruapehu’s Glaciers and Ice Caves
Inside the Ice: Exploring Mt Ruapehu’s Glaciers and Caves A day hike to a spectacular ice cave in the Summit Plateau Glacier The Milky Way above the WTMC Lodge, Tongariro National Park As one of my stories on the Tongariro National Park, this post focuses on the ethereal ice formations found in the Mt Ruapehu…
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Hiking Mt Tongariro: A climb of the South Ridge in Tongariro NP
Hiking Mt Tongariro: A Guide to the South Ridge in Tongariro National Park A loop day hike via the South Ridge to the summit of Mt Tongariro from the WTMC Lodge in the Tongariro National Park including a map of the route. While the Tongariro Alpine Crossing offers a world-famous traverse, the South Ridge route provides a…
