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Queensland Term Abroad

New Zealand

Tongariro Crossing Part IV

Yet more images from the most famous day hike in New Zealand, the Tongariro Crossing.

 View across large lake, slanted layers rising above in distance

View across Blue Lake. Note stacked, angled lava flows exposed in distance. Again, where is the vent from which these flows were erupted. Clearly, there's been rapid topographic change through eruption and erosion. Click here for a longshot view of Blue Lake. Hit your browser's back button to return to this page.


 Student standing in pumice and scoria laden trail

Andy's looking cool.


 Scoria and pumice-covered slopes

Scoria and pumice litter crater slopes


 View out a v-shaped valley with large lake in distance

We're well past the half-way mark, but still have a lot to go. There are people visible on the trail on the left side of the picture. This view faces north; the large lake in the far distance is Lake Taupo, itself a caldera type volcano.


 View to Lake Taupo

Strongly inclined volcanic strata visible in midground to right. Downslope is Lake Rotoaira. Lake Taupo lies beyond.


 V-shaped valley sloping down to lake

Recent water erosion formed this v-shaped valley. Note that plants other than lichen are common again.


 People eating lunch on hillside

Stopping for a late lunch.


 View up alpine-plant covered slope to exposed strata.

View up plant-covered slope to eroded strata representing old eruptions.


 People congregating at trailside shelter

We made a pit stop at the DOC (Department of Conservation, commonly spoken as "doc", as in "What's up doc?") trail shelter. The end is in sight from here, literally, but it's still a two-hour downhill hike.


 Bare, multi-colored slopes show mineral deposits by active gas vents

The trail passes some areas on Tongariro's flanks that are actively steaming.


 Rocky scree slope venting steam

More venting. Note steam plume upslope.


 View back up mountainside with trail in distance.

We traversed a set of large switchbacks on the way down. Note the trail angling down the picture from about the center of the photograph toward the lower right. Hikers are visible on the trail in front of an unvegetated patch.


 Steam vents in erosional wash

Steam vents..


 Stream flowing through forest shade

The final steps of the Tongariro Crossing wind along a rushing stream tumbling through shady forest.