looking for a bit more info on theTongariro Northern Circuit

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looking for a bit more info on theTongariro Northern Circuit

Postby joshman » Thu 28 Nov, 2013 3:49 am

Hey all,
I'm looking at the possiblity of tackling the Tongariro Northern Circuit, or at least the northern part of over 2-3 days in early january. I'm a keen photographer, so apart from the obvious hiking awesomeness, i'm also there to take some pretty photos. If i can find it in me to climb Mt Ngauruhoe, i definitely plan on it.

I have some questions regarding the track, mostly regarding water. what kind of availability is there? do i need to take a full days worth of water with me in the morning? are there any streams along the track to top up at?

also what are the campsites like?

how tough is the rocky surface to walk on? should i be wearing full hike boots? or would my lighter trailer runners be sufficient?

The DOC website for this track also impies that free camping is legal - if its more than 500m from the walking track. is this the case?

thanks
josh.
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Re: looking for a bit more info on theTongariro Northern Cir

Postby wayno » Thu 28 Nov, 2013 4:00 am

long sections of the track are devoid of water. theres streams between oturere and waihohonu huts,, don't drink from the lakes,, might be the last thing you ever do... some of the streams are undrinkable. there can be high toxic mineral levels in the water, being in an active volcanic area... thre was a classic clip of bear grylls finding this out in the park...... plenty of water at the huts
whether you walk in shoes or trail runners is up to you. you can do it in shoes, you could also turn an ankle in stony places.
campsites can be exposed to the wind except waihononu and around whakakapapa village...
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Re: looking for a bit more info on theTongariro Northern Cir

Postby joshman » Thu 28 Nov, 2013 4:15 am

thanks for the warning about water, thats pretty much what i figured. I'm also having trouble working out a suitable itinerary for the few days of hiking. it looks like i might end up walking the circuit anti-clockwise, which would mean i'd be climbing Ngauruhoe in the afternoon-ish time of day. The elevation profiles i've seen suggest walking the circuit anti-clockwise would make the elevation gain a much more gradual process, which is very appealing.

I'm not a big fan of back tracking if i can help it, but i also want to see and do everything that i possibly can in the limited amount of time i'll have available to me.

any advice on this?
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Re: looking for a bit more info on theTongariro Northern Cir

Postby wayno » Thu 28 Nov, 2013 4:22 am

i'd still go clockwise, start from mangetapopo. the section between mangatepopo and the chateau is flat and boring, either way its a steep ascent of tongariro
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Re: looking for a bit more info on theTongariro Northern Cir

Postby joshman » Thu 28 Nov, 2013 4:43 am

fair point, i suppose a short steep climb and a long gentle downhill is better than a long uphill and short steep decent...

So iv'e pre-emptively booked my campsites, before they all get booked out. not i just need to work out how to get from Auckland to Mangatepopo.
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Re: looking for a bit more info on theTongariro Northern Cir

Postby wayno » Thu 28 Nov, 2013 9:38 am

all the tongariro crossing shuttle buses go to mangatepopo first thing in the morning, no end of shuttles going from taupo. turangi national park and at the whakapapa village at the chateau.. so just get yourself to one of those locations, plenty of public transport going and you can grab one of the shuttles.
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Re: looking for a bit more info on theTongariro Northern Cir

Postby wayno » Thu 28 Nov, 2013 9:43 am

from memory last time i stayed here, they will let you leave a vehicle and when i was there they dropped me off and picked me up from tongariro when I wanted.. which is great because you can go early or late and avoid the thousand odd people who pour off the buses in the morning in the space of an hour or so.... not sure if they'll go to the chateau, you'll have to ask them,
its a self catering place, nice enough place.
just looked at their site , doesnt look like they take people on the crossing but they can arrange for a shuttle to take you.

http://www.tongariro-hostel.co.nz/

it's possible to fly to taupo or national park, but not cheap, can't fly to turangi...
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Re: looking for a bit more info on theTongariro Northern Cir

Postby joshman » Thu 28 Nov, 2013 6:23 pm

Wow, thanks for the info. I'm doing this one completely by public transport, so far my itinerary looks like this:
4th - fly into Auckland
5th - food shopping, sightseeing
6th - transport to Turangi, then to mangatepopo
7th - early start, big day, walk to oturere hut, see all the sites, take lots of photos, climb Ngauhuroe if time and be rather permits.
8th - Walk oturere hut to whakapapa village
Transport to turangi - stay the night, depending how I'm feeling, I might stay an extra night on the track.
9th, travel to Rotorua, relax, sightsee
10th, travel to Auckland, via waitomo glowworm caves.
11th, fly home to aus.

How's that look?
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Re: looking for a bit more info on theTongariro Northern Cir

Postby joshman » Fri 29 Nov, 2013 12:26 am

Also, one or two last questions, what are the critters going to be like in early January? Am I likely to find my self invaded by mosquitoes? Or having possums trying to steal my foods? Or a snakes wanting to share my body warmth?

Also, any infor on what the actual campsites are like could help as well, is it boarded platforms? Hard dirt, what kind if tent fastening system should I bring?
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Re: looking for a bit more info on theTongariro Northern Cir

Postby wayno » Fri 29 Nov, 2013 3:03 am

dirt and stone camp grounds.
mate theres no snakes in nz, its too high for mozzies, most of your campsites are away from the forest, out in the complete open
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Re: looking for a bit more info on theTongariro Northern Cir

Postby joshman » Fri 29 Nov, 2013 3:15 am

hah, rightio. thanks. i've never been to NZ before, so i'm not too sure what to expect. so i should be right with a simple tarp setup as a tent then, that'll keep the weight down heaps.
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Re: looking for a bit more info on theTongariro Northern Cir

Postby wayno » Fri 29 Nov, 2013 3:47 am

not if the weather is bad, people get hypothermia regularly up there, a couple died on a north island mountain recently from hypothermia
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Re: looking for a bit more info on theTongariro Northern Cir

Postby joshman » Fri 29 Nov, 2013 4:51 am

thanks. i'll make sure i've got a few options available to me before i step onto the plane, if the forecast says cold, i'll pack a better tent, Ive got a few shelters to pick from:
Tarptent Contrail - 800g
Tarptent DW Moment - 1.3kg
Six Moon Designs Gatewood Cape - 312g
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Re: looking for a bit more info on theTongariro Northern Cir

Postby wayno » Fri 29 Nov, 2013 5:45 am

I know that the "great walks" are highly promoted, but most of them are highly subject to extremely bad weather that can quickly prevent you from moving on them or force you off the tracks altogether.. people have to be rescued from tongariro every year. the shuttle buses will not run at all in bad weather to minimise issues with people getting into trouble, iof they did run in bad weather i can guarantee there would be regular numerous rescues and fatalities from hypothermia... a couple of years ago one bus did run in bad weather, , fifteen people had to be rescued suffering various stages of hypothermia.
i've been up there and my clothes have been covered in rime ice in winter... theres no guarantee of consistent warm weather in summer. most of the track there is zero shelter... the area is notorious for rapid and severe weather changes... i wouldnt do a day walk there without storm gear... i was there late october and it was minus six at the road end plus windchill from a strong wind.. being NZ you can get heavy rain sometimes for days on end... I know people who go for two week ski trips and can only ski for a couple of days....

the forecast
here we are in summer but the windchill is dipping into the negatives on multiple days
http://www.metservice.com/mountain/tong ... ional-park
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Re: looking for a bit more info on theTongariro Northern Cir

Postby joshman » Fri 29 Nov, 2013 8:43 pm

Hmmm... Rightio, could you suggest a back-up plan if the weather does turn bad? I'll be looking for something to fill my time for about 4 days. Are there any hiking tracks nearer to Auckland that are less affected by weather?
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Re: looking for a bit more info on theTongariro Northern Cir

Postby wayno » Sat 30 Nov, 2013 3:51 am

in summer you're less to get several days of bad weather in a row, but if you do... the options are too many to mention, but getting to them might be more of an issue without your own transport.. the south island is far more geared for transporting bushwalkers around than other areas of the north island
the lake waikaremoana great walk is an option, there's public transport that will take you there and pick you up assuming you can get a booking in the huts

http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recrea ... and-walks/
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