Mt Teranaki

26^th January

While settling in to our new hostel in new Plymouth we decided that we would try to summit the 2515 meter volcano that dominates the region, Teranaki.

While discussing how we could get to the start of the hike a guy walked in who over hearing our conversation asked when we were going, we replied that we had no certain plans but had no way to get there. He introduced himself as Joe and offered us a lift with him! Amazing. It turned out Joe was a volcanologist on a trip to New Zealand with his university students, after finishing the course he was finishing up his time in NZ with a summit of the volcano.

We awoke early the next day at 5 am, we planned to leave the hostel at 6. The ride to the trek start was only about 40 minutes and as we drove up to the car park at 1100 meters we finally broke through the clouds and were presented with our challenge glowing in the morning sun!

The climb to the summit was to take 5 hrs, we all kitted up and got ready to ride out. After 1 and a half hours we reached the mountain hut, from here we could see the distant peak of Mt Rupheu poking its head through the clouds.

The climb to the summit from here was to consist of 2 hrs scrambling up very loose volcanic scree followed by a 2 hour climb up a jagged lava flow. The whole way Joe wowed us with information about the rocks and the geology and the history of these and all volcanoes. We literally had our own geologist guiding us!

Climbing the lava flow to the summit the wind started to pick up and we were getting blown around pretty badly by the nor westas!! Looking either way when comparing the slope incline with the horizon you could see we were climbing a 40 degree slope. From this height we were able to see the summit of Mt Ngauruhoe (Mt Doom for Lord of the Rings fans)

Finally after 5 hours we reached the summit, now normally on summits the wind is howling and it’s freezing, you arrive take 2 photos and descend again. Not here!! The wind dropped and it was perfect. We were surrounded by where the crater used to reside now full of snow. Joe described everything we were seeing and said it was one of the coolest craters he has ever seen!

The descent as always was not to be so fun, the scramble down the lava flow was tough but then we literally rolled down the scree unable to stand as it just slid from beneath us.

By the end of the descent we were exhausted, Joe was kind enough to offer to buy our dinner!! Un believable!

The next morning we all awoke with many aches and pains but were astounded to see that this weekend an endurance challenge is taking place where two people are trying to beat the records for most ascents in a day 6! And quickest ascent \ descent 2 hrs 15!  It took us 8!

However they have never climbed it before……”You have to walk the walk before you can talk the talk!”