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Mt Ngāuruhoe from the South Side: The Path Less Trodden
Mt Ngāuruhoe stands as a striking, 2,291-meter volcanic icon within the heart of Tongariro National Park, but its popularity has come at a cost to both its physical slopes and its spiritual significance. While the heavily scared northern “trade route” is now strongly discouraged by DOC and local iwi, the southern flank offers a “path…
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NZ’s Sacred Summits: Why Many Climbers Stop Short
The summits of many New Zealand mountains are sacred to Māori. The proverb, ‘If I should bow my head let it be to a high mountain’, perfectly encapsulates this reverence. This guide outlines why many climbers now choose to stop just short of a physical summit to avoid standing on the head of a sacred…
