Ketetahi Guardian (Central Plateau) Traditional Geocache
Ketetahi Guardian (Central Plateau)
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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A beautiful walk from the Ketetahi End or a one day tramp if you come over the Tongariro Crossing.
This area just screamed at us for a cache. It is a beautiful part of the plateau.
If you want the easy route:
Turn off State Highway 46 at S39 03.933 E175 40.029
and drive up and park at: S39 04.424 E175 39.830
and walk into the bush on the Ketetahi Track.
If you are adventurous like many... many others this is the end of the Tongariro Crossing which is one... if not the most popular day tramp in the North Island.
The following is a guide from New Zealand Tramper which they dont mind sharing.
A route guide of the Tongariro Crossing from an ex-hut warden in the Tongariro National Park:
"This is a marvellous and enjoyable one-day walk through a volcanic lunar landscape. Although if the weather is poor you will probably see nothing more than a white out and very little scenery. So check the weather before setting out because hut wardens can't organise transport if you turn back to Mangatepopo Hut.
The Volcanic Plateau comprises two massive volcanoes: Tongariro (1967m) and Ruapehu (2797m). Ngauruhoe (2287m) is considered to be a vent of the Tongariro Volcano.
It is not a difficult or especially long walk, although one section is quite strenuous. This section is a piece of cake. It is only 30 mins uphill then along through South Crater and then the climb up onto the Red Crater top with the Tongariro Summit turn off. Then from there it is all downhill to Ketetahi Hut.
The trip across South Crater on a fine day is a marvellous wonder. The trip has awesome views of craters, the Emerald Lakes, Blue Lake. The track has options at certain points along the track where you can do optional side trips that are worth every minute that you add to your track time. These options include such things as climbing the massif of Ngauruhoe, detouring over to Soda Springs, climbing Tongariro: you can choose. However you can just walk the crossing not doing any options, be at Ketetahi Hut by 11:30am. Again on a bad day don't be deterred by bad weather just stay on the track and keep your cool and enjoy it.
Two hours before the track end, you will reach the Ketetahi Hut, here you are able to stop for lunch and move on or spend a night. Then from Ketetahi if you choose to spend a night, which has had a fine day, the sunset is well worth the day's hard work. Then it is a smiple walk down to the carpark and then a wait for your transport. Again the views at Ketetahi are amazing but I won't say anymore. I shall let you do the walk."
The cache is hidden not far off track about 350m into the Ketetahi end and is being guarded by a beautiful Totara tree. It is a large Ammo Box suitably camoflaged and contains tradeable items with a bush and tramping theme.
XC has a good Garmin GPS60CSx with map... and has a good aerial but if yours doesn't pickup under canopy make a note of clues and pics on this page before venturing out.
Area is reasonably clear of undergrowth so no bush bashing required. If you don't have a good GPS fix use the hints.
Please follow the: 
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Pbzvat sebz Xrgrgnuv raq lbh jvyy cnff gjb gnyy gbgnen ba EUF. Pnpur vf 8 cnprf bss genpx 10 cnprf cnfg gjvaf ba YUF evtug haqre Gevcyr znfgrq thneqvna.