Feeling like Wonder Woman... in Tongariro

I don’t know if everyone thinks this way, but when I do something I think anyone can do it. I can spend my whole life thinking something is beyond my capabilities - the stuff of superheroes, but the minute I do it, it changes from super hard to just super silly. It’s so easy to belittle an achievement when it’s no longer part of the unfamiliar, unknown territory owned by someone else.

However, if you ask me if the 20km Tongariro Alpine Crossing was easy, a seven hour walk up and down steep, volcanic terrain, I would still tell you that it was difficult if you’re (me) not really a trekker, possibly because I can still feel muscle pull in my legs even though it was over two days ago!

We arrived in grey and misty Whakapapa, a village kind of near the centre of the North Island, near Tongariro National Park, with the intention of doing some not too strenuous activity to get some decent pictures of the nearby Mount Ngauruhoe and Mount Tongariro volcanoes. Ismael, who thinks he is superman (and maybe he is because his legs aren’t sore anymore) suggested doing a day-long hike instead - especially after feeling unfulfilled with the Mount Cook hike (see previous post). In an attempt to impress him, and secretly thinking it would be cancelled because of bad weather, I agreed. The next morning we were making our way to Mangatepopo Valley - the starting point - and being told by a no-nonsense driver that the current windchill at the top was about -8ºc.

About an hour and a half into the hike, having to listen to my breathing change from a steady hushing sound to a shrill whimper, questions such as: why am I doing this? and how did I end up here? sprang to mind a few times. After a 300 metre (984 feet) ascent known as 'The Devil’s Staircase', I still hadn’t found the answer. We continued at a fairly relaxed pace, and although we were beginning to be rewarded with panoramic views there always seemed to be another mountain just ahead, jeering at us provocatively. But none as evil as the steep and narrow path leading to 'Red Crater', a bloody massacre marking volcanic eruptions. It was this ascent to the highest point of the crossing where the constant howling started: whether it was the sound of the violent wind, or my inner voice screaming at the thought of 45km/hr blasts actually pushing me to my death, I will never know.

I had no idea what to expect once we got to the top, but nothing could have prepared me for the sight: bright aquamarine and emerald lakes sparkling at the bottom of the mountain. This was what they call 'the payoff'. I've never seen anything like it. Wanting to get even closer to them was perhaps the only thing that got me down the steep, ashy descent, which is a lot easier if you know how to ski (I don't). After admiring the lakes we made the most of the walkway downhill, marvelling at the smoking volcanoes puffing away like cloud-producing factories.

The last 45 minutes took us through a lush, green jungle that promised to lead us to the end, but as beautiful as it was, every part of our bodies was starting to throb with pain - we kept hoping to see the end of the track at every turn... I have never been so disappointed to see more trees.

We did finally reach the end, and I managed to feel some pride amongst the pain. Whenever we speak to other travellers who have done the Tongariro Crossing, seemingly without difficulty, that pride is, of course, diluted with belittlement. But I have learned that if something makes you feel like a superhero, if only for a few hours, it has to be worth it.

Guess what I found out in Tongariro?

1. The highest point of the crossing is 1,886 metres (6,187 feet) which means we ascended around 800 metres (2,624 feet) from the starting point. The actual summit of Mt Tongariro is a further 100 metres, whilst the summit of Mt Ngauruhoe is another 400 metres.

2. Mount Tongariro first erupted some 250,000 years ago and last erupted in 2012 after a century of quiet. There are many explosion craters and the Emerald and Blue Lakes are caused by water with dissolved minerals filling them.

3. A Lahar is an extremely destructive type of mudflow that can rush down from a volcano at tens of metres per second. The last kilometre of the Tongariro track warns visitors of this potential hazard before they cross a wooden bridge, but unless you know what a Lahar is the sign makes no sense whatsoever (Isma was convinced that a Lahar was a kind of troll).