![]() ![]() ![]() Ariel and I actually got to visit the film location during our somewhat ill-fated Tongariro Alpine Crossing adventure way way back in 2017. In the films, Mount Doom is an amalgamation of Mount Ngauruhoe and Mount Ruapehu in New Zealand. In the books Mount Doom is obviously in Mordor, which is – thankfully – not a real place. Thankfully, I made it back to my car just in time to not have to hike in the dark.Do you know where Mount Doom is? You probably don’t. If I had been in any worse shape, or if the weather had been worse, I might not have been able to finish the 12 kilometers left of the crossing.īecause I was so tired and sore from hiking Mount Ngauruhoe, the remainder of the crossing took me hours longer than anticipated. My hike back to my car at the other end of the crossing wasn’t even halfway over yet. The view of the South Crater from Mount Ngauruhoe’s slope The back of Tongariro’s Red Crater from Mount Ngauruhoe’s slopeĮven though I was very physically fit at the time, once I got down from Mount Ngauruhoe I was exhausted. I had to use the utmost caution to make sure no falling rocks could hit me and to make sure I wasn’t making any rocks fall on anyone else. The hike down the perilous scree could only be described as controlled falling. I had to move quickly, as I still had 12 more kilometers (7.5 miles) of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing to hike. I began descending the same way I came, zigzagging to keep my footing. The video below gives a full view of Mount Ngauruhoe’s volcanic crater and the rest of the summit.Īfter enjoying the view at the windy summit, I made my way back down to the outer ridge. Ngauruhoe’s Summit Mount Ngauruhoe’s Volcanic Crater, featuring Mount Ruapehu in the background The narrow ridge around the inner crater on Mt. Read about my experience on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing here. Since I had previously done the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in its entirety, I hiked my way through the fields of lava and up the Devil’s Staircase as efficiently as possible. I bought the earliest shuttle ticket and embarked from the Mangatepopo car park. The first day, the March weather ended up being perfect – completely clear skies and plenty warm. If the forecast ended up changing at the last minute, I could wait until the next day. When planning to summit Mount Ngauruhoe, I chose a window of several days that had perfect weather forecasts. There are a very high number of rescues from the Tongariro Alpine Crossing as it is climbing Mount Ngauruhoe increases this danger considerably. Just last year (April 2019) a hiker nearly died of hypothermia after sustaining injuries from a fall and getting stranded on the summit of Mount Ngauruhoe. An illustration of just how steep, rocky, and perilous the Mount Ngauruhoe climb is. Hazards include: rapidly changing weather and temperature, falling rocks and boulders, toxic fumes from thermal vents, falling, exhaustion, and more. I would love to be able to say anyone of any ability could experience Mount Ngauruhoe’s glorious summit, but it is an extremely difficult and hazardous climb only suitable for experienced hikers. Doom), and Tongariro (left to right) on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing Safety Unlike Mount Ngauruhoe, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing is not discouraged at all and affords great views of all 3 peaks on a clear day. Please strongly consider second-hand “hiking” Mount Ngauruhoe by reading blog posts, watching videos, or browsing photos from home. Although it is not illegal to climb, rangers are now occasionally stationed near the mountain to ask hikers to show respect and rethink their hike. They are now asking visitors to respect the sanctity of the mountain’s peak by not climbing it. Recently, the New Zealand Department of Conservation has removed trail markers leading to Mount Ngauruhoe. This is why many hikers take a shuttle to the beginning of the crossing and hike Ngauruhoe as part of it.Įven if you have figured out the logistics of how you could hike Mount Ngauruhoe, there are important factors to consider to determine whether or not you should hike it. If you can’t summit Mount Ngauruhoe and return within 4 hours, your car could be towed. The problem with only hiking Mount Ngauruhoe and skipping the rest of the crossing is that the Mangatepopo car park has a 4 hour parking limit. Summitting Mount Ngauruhoe adds an additional 3 km (2 miles) and 2-4 hours to this hike. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing, which starts at the Mangatepopo car park, is 19.4 km (12 miles) and takes 7-9 hours. Tongariro Alpine Crossing 0 km trail marker ![]()
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