We can officially cross our first grueling, full-day, and breathtaking hike off the list. We are hoping this is the first of many though :) Last week we completed the Tongariro Crossing which is a part of the Tongariro National Park located south of Taupo. It was one of the most difficult things I have ever done, but by far one of the most rewarding! The views were breathtaking (and due to Mother Nature we only got to see about half of it).
During the hike we climbed two very steep obstacles to reach the official summit. The first obstacle took us to the bottom of Mt. Doom. This is an active volcano and provides truly stunning views. Years ago you could take a side hike and climb to the summit, however now it is considered sacred and no longer accessible.
As we were approaching the second and final summit, Red Crater, the weather changed drastically. We could see the clouds and fog settling in and by the time we got to the top we could no longer see more than 5 feet in front of us.
There was also a frosty mist and it got much colder and the winds began to stir. We did take one picture at the top, proving we made it, even though all that surrounded us was white fog.
As hard as it was to climb up, going down was not easier. It started with a very steep decent on very loose dirt. We did everything in our power to not slide all the way down on our butts. What made this more interesting is the path was very narrow and along both sides of us were very steep cliffs. We took our time and eventually got through the intense area. The rest of the trail was winding and mostly downhill but still difficult to see. It was neat to be completely surrounded by fog but also kind of creepy. Eventually as we continued down the mountain we were able to see again. The views were stunning, and we just had to use our imagination a bit to fill in the blanks.
Weather is very unpredictable here in New Zealand, so it is a risk you always take. I know we will have our fair share of good weather and bad weather days. We covered 19.4 km (12.1 miles) on this hike, nearly a new record for us but by far the most intense hike we have done! We started at an elevation of 1100 meters and climbed 786 meters to reach 1886 meters at Red Crater. We descended at total of 1,086 meters and finished the hike at an elevation of 800 meters. My fitbit clocked me in at 34.500 steps and 356 flights of stairs!!
Needless to say we were both very sore for the next few days but every sore muscle only reminded us of how truly amazing the hike was. We hope to do many more hikes like this one on our journey here in New Zealand. We learn a lot about ourselves and each other when facing obstacles like this one, and in the end it is always worth it. We will just have to wait and see what Mother Nature does next time we hit the trail for another full day of tramping :)
Comments