Mount Taranaki 2014

Mt. Taranaki is New Zealand's tallest, and, some would say, most beautiful volcano. It's a largely symmetrical cone, about 8,000 feet, I would guess. It looks like, and is, I suppose, a walk-up, and every year some hundreds or thousands climb it. Because of its frequent weather changes, however, it is also a bit of a killer: sixty or more have died on its slopes, far more than Mt. Cook, which no one would say is a walk-up. I'd had enough of volcanoes for a while and just wanted to see Taranaki--it is most often shrouded in clouds--so we drove toward it and got lucky and then hiked a few hours on its lower slopes.

And there it is

Up closer

From the lower slopes, looking down toward the sea

South side of mountain

A bit higher, a refuge?

On the trail, in the bush; called "Goblins' Forest," although
we didn't see any

Just the usual vegetable frolic

Streams and pools

Waterfalls

Weird trees

But no more volcano! We were near Taranaki that and the
next two days, but never saw it again...nothing but clouds

Stratford-Upon-Patea

It's a small town, at the end of the Forgotten World Highway, and gateway to New Zealand's biggest volcano, Mt. Taranaki, on the west coast. But it's more than that: it's New Zealand's homage to The Bard, with a carillon sort of thing that performs at 10AM and 3PM and with streets named after characters from the plays. We did a video of the carillon thing, on main street, with logging trucks and stock trucks whizzing by, but I won't be able to post it to YouTube for a while. Check back often. Of course all this is of super special significance, since grand-daughter Penelope was born on April 23rd and knows very well who Mr. Shakespeare was. Update: the video is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qIKFqffYdg.

He would be so proud

Thus

The clock tower/carillon/glockenspiel/whatever; various doors
open and various wooden mannequins, in costume, recite
various scenes; a hoot

Most campground offices are quite bland and franchise-looking; but not Stratford's,
which sports the most extensive collection of tea pots and chamber pots we have
yet seen

Forgotten World Highway

Next up was the Forgotten World Highway, which took us from Mordor to Stratford, 150k of twists and turns and ups and down, most of it paved, into and through the Republic of Whangi and beyond. It was a highway we will not soon forget.

Thus

Nota bene

New Zealand police rate it one of the top ten most unsafe roads
in the nation; we've seen worse; note vaulting

Looking back to the unforgotten world, Mt. Ruapehu, in the distance

The big thrill on the Forgotten World Highway, however, is passing through the
Republic of Whangi, which seceded from New Zealand some years back over a
dispute about which county it would belong to in a district reorganization

The capital is the Hotel Whangamomona, where we had lunch and much entertainment

I could have spent the day there looking at all the local humor

Including, evidently, a Running of the Sheep...but we had to move on for the 3PM
Shakespearean performance at Stratford-upon-Patea

Summit Of Mt. Doom

I tarried a bit on the summit; it's a big summit crater rim, with the views one wants only at its extremities.

On the rim

Crossing over to the summit

Ruapehu, another volcano, on whose slopes we spent Christmas, 2008, at
Whakapapa; the relevant LOTR filming was done on Ruapehu, where there's
a ski village and resort

Actual summit of Ngauruhoe

Summit selfie

The trailhead and car park in the distance

Up closer

On the awful descent

Looking back up; surprisingly, I got back down with no bruises nor abrasions and
with no rips nor tears in my clothing

It was still a two hour walk back to the carpark

Vicki came out to meet me on the trail, and we were treated to a fine sunset behind
Mt. Taranaki, a hundred miles away

Ascent Of Mt. Doom

After a late start, I reached the summit of Ngauruhoe about 4PM--a very long and discouraging 3,800 foot grind for these old bones. The main difficulty is the ground, which is largely tephra, sharp, jagged volcanic rock that comes in every size from fine sand to large boulder. The crux of this mountain is to stay on or near the rock to the left of the white band. The white is an awful scree and talus slope that some use for descent but that is dangerous for rockfall. I used it--a slow-motion glissade lasting more than an hour--but only after I was sure I was the last person on the mountain.

On the Tongariro track, at the start of the climb; the white slope and the rock
ridge to its left

Looking across Tongariro's south crater, the Tongariro track in plain view

A mile or so away, trampers at a high point on the Tongariro

The terrain...keep left!

The slope, variously estimated between 33 and 45 degrees

In the distance, Lake Taupo

"Smoke rises from the Mountain of Doom...the hour is late..."

Thus, up closer, near the crater rim

One Does Not Simply Walk Into Mordor

The volcano Mt. Ngauruhoe starred in The Lord of the Rings as Mount Doom (aka Oroduin or Amon Amarth), and its summit crater is the goal of any fit Ringwaif. It lies just off the Tongariro Northern Circuit Track, New Zealand's most popular Great Walk, and the Department of Conservation (aka Te Papa Atawhai) wants you to know that one does not simply walk into Tongariro...

On To Taupo And Beyond

Our visit to Napier was not without a little excitement. Vicki found a beautiful Art Nuvo pitcher, in great condition, and was interested enough to do a little internet research...which revealed it to be a known reproduction, for which the store was asking $1200. Seriously. No sale. I, on the other hand, fell for a $12 Art Deco bottle opener from Paris, which I promptly bought, if for no other reason than literary foreshadowing...

Thus; nice relief of the Little Corporal on the other side

Anyhow, we drove back WNW toward the center of the island, Lake Taupo,
and New Zealand volcano country; above are Waipunga Falls

We tented that night at a place called Reid Farm, which a local farmer had willed
to the city council on the condition that it be a "freedom" camp; above is the
chute of the Waikato River leading to the famous falls

The famous falls, Huka Falls, themselves; not terribly scenic, but lots of water,
moving fast

As we approach Lake Taupo, Mt. Doom, 30 miles away, rises, um, ominously,
above the clouds; perhaps I should explain that Lake Taupo is the caldera of a
supervolcano that has blown up quite a few times in the past many millennia,
most recently in 181 AD or so, when the skies over both China and Rome went
red; earlier eruptions are conjectured to have triggered some of the previous Ice
Ages; anyhow, we are in volcano country now, many of them active

Taupo is a nice town, touristy indeed, but tasteful touristy
(don't ask me to explain); alas, we spent more time in the
shoppes and stimulating the local economy than in taking
pix of the town (except for a few to make it to the Out-
Takes); so pretty much all I have to show for Taupo is this
image of a local rubbish bin (for my forthcoming Trash Bins
of the World study)

Above Lake Taupo, heading west; the lake is some 238 square miles; little
volcanoes dotting the horizon

Further along, approaching the slopes of Mt. Tongariro, where a bit of a side-vent
eruption has been going since 2012

Thus

And thus; Mt. Doom, aka Mt. Ngauruhoe, is Tongariro's next door neighbor;
technically, merely another side-vent of Tongariro (so I've read)