Starting out on the tramp

At our first rest stop, after the chill of the morning has begun to wear off and we have to start removing layers

Group portrait

Our hardy band at the beginning of our tramp

View down the track to Soda Springs

Well into the first serious climb of the tramp, we paused and got a view down the valley from which we'd climbed.

Jodie takes a break

Phil and Basil rest on the climb

South Crater summit

We arrived at the first summit after a strenuous climb. It was a good place to wait for our scattered group. The kids had passed us, of course, and were well on their way to the next summit by now.

Jodie at the South Crater summit

Jodie at the South Crater summit

Mt. Ngauruhoe

This is one of the two volcanic peaks along the tramp. This one last erupted only a few years ago. This day there were climbers up and down the pitch going for or returning from the summit. We took a pass!

Crossing South Crater

A moonscape along the crater. Trampers in the distance and along the next ridge made us feel a little like extras in a movie about the Exodus.

Yvonne looking down from the far ridge

Joe and Phil

View back across South Crater

You can see the track we followed along the floor of the crater. It led to another high ridge and steep climb, from which this was taken.

On the trail to North Crater

Looking back down the track

Mt. Ngauruhoe

Harry and Mt. Ngauruhoe

Reaching Red Crater summit

Red Crater

The iron oxides in this area give it the eerie red tint. Steam from active fumaroles wreathed this area and the track along the ridge kept offering amazing views.

Emerald Lakes

Our first view of the Emerald Lakes. Their deep colors are caused by the various minerals leaching into these catch pools.

The scree pitch

The track from Red Crater down to the Emerald Lakes was a steep, treacherous path down a hillside of loose rock, or scree. Jodie and Yvonne thread their way down.

Red Crater

More scree pitch

Blue Lake

This large lake in the distance was visible from the summit of Red Crater down to the Emerald Lakes. Clouds were billowing in and obscuring the view. The track continued on to Blue Lake and beyond.

Above the Emerald Lakes

Steam vents at Emerald Lakes

Emerald Lakes

We took a long rest stop here, sheltered from the wind.

View back along the scree pitch

Back along the track

Lake Rotoaira on the north side of the track

Along the track to our hut

Ketetahi Hut

This was our first view of the hut where we would spend the night.

Ketetahi Hut

The hut gave onto a fabulous view across the valley.

Early morning at the hut

Early morning on the track

Jodie is taking a break on the track above our hut early on Sunday morning.

Lake Rotoaira, morning

Mt. Tongariro

Sunday morning, Phil, Basil, the kids and I headed out for a side trip to get better views of Mt. Tongariro and Ngaurehu. We bushwhacked up the hillside along the track and climbed a higher ridge to capture this view.

Mt. Tongariro

Lake Rotoaira and Lake Taupo

The view away from Mt. Tongariro was equally impressive. Looking north we could see both lakes.

Explosion crater

The kids couldn't resist clambering down to the floor of one of the explosion craters. You can see from their size how big this mother was.

Lakes Rotoaira and Taupo

Hard to get tired of this view!

Hot springs

Just below the hut, these hot springs are sacred to the local Maori and are tapu, or forbidden areas. The track crosses below them, but they are off-limits to trampers.

Waiting for the shuttle

We reached the end of the trail late in the afternoon, and waited for the 4:15 shuttle to take us back to where we started the day before.

Panoramic of Blue Lake

Lake to Lake

This panoramic shot shows the view from Lake Rotoaira in the north to Blue Lake in the south. This is the view we had from the ridge we climbed Sunday morning.

Red Crater panoramic

Another panoramic view from the Sunday morning ridgeline

Tramp map

This is a map of the tramp. Note the insert at top left showing the elevations. We started at the lower left, Mangatepopo, stayed overnight at Ketetahi Hut, and finished at the "You are here" point.