The year 4-8 class at National Park school, called Te Whiowhio and Paretetaitonga, spent five weeks doing lots of learning about geocaching and the geocaching culture. They have created ten geocaches and placed them around the National Park village area. Each cache includes information about an aspect of National Park village life. Please enjoy the mahi (work) they have done, and be sure to leave them a comment on the website!
Imagine walking along a mountain track on a sunny day, when all of a sudden the wind starts to blow and the clouds roll in until you find that you can only see 50 metres in front of you. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing isn’t always predictable.
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing starts at Mangatepopo and finishes at Ketetahi. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is 19.4 km and 125,000 people do the crossing each year. The features of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing are the Red Crater, Mt Ngauruhoe, and the emerald lakes. The Red Crater was formed about 3,000 years ago. It lies within a scoria cone which rests on top of the older Tongariro lava flows. The red colour is due to the presence of oxidised iron in the rock. Both Emerald Lake and Blue Lake are not suitable for swimming but each has a different reason behind the rule. The Emerald Lakes are very cold and highly acidic. The Blue Lake, on the other hand, is tapu (sacred) and visitors are prohibited to touch the water or even eat or drink around its shores.
There is no cost to complete the Tongariro Alpine Crossing self guided. If you need a shuttle bus at either end, this will cost. Other than that you don't have to bring money.
Comfort – having comfortable boots is essential. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing takes most people 6-8 hours - that's a long time to be wearing the same boots! Synthetic boots will often wear in quicker and be lighter, but it's essential to make sure they have good water resistance – usually in the form of a Goretex lining.
The best time to do the Tongariro Alpine Crossing is from November to April. Summer is the busiest time with up to 3,500 trampers each day. In March, April, and November it can be very busy. Winter can be fantastic as well but snow hiking experience or a guide are needed.
For your safety, it is important that you are properly prepared to walk the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. It is not safe to go in bad weather, (rain, snow, or strong wind). Most streams are bridged and there are no river crossings, but heavy rain can cause flooding and expose you to hyperthermia.
Most people will be able to walk The Tongariro Alpine Crossing however that doesn't mean it's easy and you don't need to be prepared. 296 rescues were made over a recent seven year period. Make sure you choose a good weather window and that you're prepared for any weather, no matter the forecast, and then have a great time.
We have included some painted rocks for the first finders to keep or hide elsewhere.
Please BYO pen.
***Please take care with the ziplock bag and container, ensuring they are both sealed properly to keep the log dry.***