Okay, we have to go out of order to bring you up to our latest activity. Not a lot of words either, as we have to check out of the motel we treated ourselves too after our big activity (We are now at Lake Taupo for those of you following on Google Maps).
For this long weekend, Queen's Birthday and all that, we decided to do the Tongariro Crossing. It goes up by Mt. Ngauruhoe which was Mt. Doom in the Lord of the Rings. Since it is getting to be winter and the weather was deteriorating this weekend, they said you needed a guide, crampons, and ice axe. We emailed a guide and he said it might be too bad, but to come up and they would make the call 7:30 Friday night for a Saturday morning go/no go. We left after work on Friday, drove up to yet another cooolllddd motel room (but with electric blankets of course) and got ready. The word came - Go!
We headed out the next morning and did about 7 km of pretty good climb in and out of snow, but not putting on our crampons yet. Then our guide said it was time. Our group was 15 at the start, but one girl turned back halfway up the steepest non-snowy part (good decision for her, she was lagging badly). We then had a short course in crampons and ice axe and took off for the push to the summit (actually the summit of Mt. Tongariro, right by Mt. Ngauruhoe). And ... we made it.
But the climbing was only just beginning. We walked across a couple of craters, up and down some ridges, and then up a last steepest climb to a saddle before heading back down. I had thought the crampons and ice axe might have just been for looks, but we really used them. And they work amazingly well. But, more details later. Just wanted to get this post up. Heading back to Palmy this afternoon.
6 comments:
Mom is so cute!
I'm glad that you all are alive. Few.... mom had mentioned needing a guide for this hike and I thought "hmm.. I hope Dad gets one". You all should do that Amazing Race once I no longer work for CBS.
Look at you sunglassbugeyed beauties! And mom is looks like it's just a walk in the part (especially compared to those youngsters behind her!)
I want to do this!!! I have a feeling that if John and
I try it, you guys would kick our rears timewise (since our family seems to stick to the "age before youth"), but still!!!
Was there a lanashno on the mountain?
The Smokies contingent wonders one thing: did you really go there to work?
Well! I barely have enough time at work to even respond to that. But, I do, so, yeah, I work, some. And I didn't realize it till I looked at the pictures, but what IS Mom doing wearing only her long hair on that last steep ascent?!? And did you all notice the comment on Rakiura from a visitor?
I was really burning up the calories I guess..it did seem awfully warm up there to me but everyone else seemed to be wearing hats, coats and gloves...hmmmm..maybe I "layered" a bit too well. You all MUST do this hike
Does it cost money to do this hike? I think David and I might try it...
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