Your email address will not be published. And wow, was that worth it. Oops! So not too big. The way to climb Mount Doom is to do a part of the Tongariro Alpine crossing. Planning to hike the crossing in November 2019, so thanks for the detailed description. As always, the scenery was just phenomenal, it felt like we were walking on another world. You can also join our facebook group to talk all things travel and photography related! Many people will see the tip of Mt Ngauruhoe as they start their journey along the full-day Tongariro Alpine Crossing. However, as of 2017, the situation has changed a little. In the non-fiction realm, the Tongariro National Park mountain appeals to adventurous New Zealand travellers eager to conquer its majestic summit. We came out into the sunny carpark at the end, around eight hours after we had started to walk, and thankfully climbed onto our bus, which conveyed us back to the park and a blissfully cold beer and warm shower. Mount Ngauruhoe. Perfectly conical sides lead up to the crater rim, and steam obligingly pours off the top to complete the picture. Being a relativity young arc (<1.6 Ma), the TVZ is distinguished from other modern volcanic arcs by its anomalous high heat flow, voluminous rhyolite volcanism and widespread … I plan to go the same season, in October. Even if you don’t do the Ngauruhoe summit climb (which is genuinely scary), the views and scenery are truly stunning. I just carried an Osprey day pack, I think it’s 25L. It’s one of the largest mountains in the area, so you will be able to see if from some way away (depending on the angle of course). The scenery, as you can imagine, is absolutely spellbinding. The walk itself starts at around 1100m and the main track peaks at around 1880m, with the option of climbing to the summit of both Tongariro and Ngauruhoe as you go. From the blue lake it was all downhill – we rounded a corner and lost sight of Ngauruhoe, hidden behind the bulk of Tongariro, and started the long descent. You can get a good look at Mordor and Mount Doom while tackling the full-day Tongariro Crossing. I was not aware of this when I climbed the peak. We walked, feeling like ants, across the giant “South crater”, between Ngauruhoe and Tongariro, before starting on the last part of the climb, up the red crater. Treacherous ice flows, especially after a bout of rain, mean that specialist ice equipment is mandatory for all winter climbers. Save Comp. Start from the South Crater entrance, right after the reaching the top of the Mangatepopo Valley, and just venture on upwards. I wonder if it is possible to climb Mt Doom if there is snow. volcano, mount doom, new zealand, t, tongariro, national, park, alpine, mountain, volcanic Public Domain. Please scroll to the end to leave a comment, Hi! (and I assume you carried at least 2-3L of water?) When did you do this hike? The Tongariro Alpine crossing is an 18.5km one way day hike which crosses the volcanic centre of New Zealand’s North Island, between the summits of Mount Tongariro (1967m) and Mount Ngauruhoe (2287m). Hehe:-) Unfortunately, we do not have enough time in our itinerary to fit a hike – but I figured that maybe we might be able to see Mount Ngauruhoe anyway as we will be driving from Matamata to Wellington one of the days. Obviously the significance of the mountain has not changed, but this system was not in place when I climbed the mountain back in 2010, and I wasn’t aware of this. Please check your e-mail to confirm your sign up. At this point I re-met my companion, and we set off again on the walk. This, however, was not to be. In the non-fiction realm, the Tongariro National Park mountain appeals to adventurous New Zealand travellers eager to conquer its majestic summit. Magic Mountain. New Zealand’s most popular day track takes you almost 20kms past hot springs, craters, and the remnants of lava flows. Māori knew this wild plateau area in central New Zealand as Te Kahui Tupua, which means the sacred peaks. Click here to find out more. This part of the walk is well known for feeling longer than it is, and you really do start to wonder if you have become lost in a never ending forest trail. Mount Ngauruhoe - the model for Mount Doom Photo: CC0, pixabay.com New Zealand is a magic word for those who love wild landscapes, solitude, and adventure. In fact I did the hike on snow and ice with a group and 2 guides on the same day as planned. The rangers will not actually stop you if you want to climb it though from what I have read, they will just advise you that it is preferred if you don’t. I will get one thing out of the way now. Lord of the Rings fans will know Mt Ngauruhoe as the epic volcanic force that brought Mt Doom to life. Free for commercial use, DMCA Contact Us The descent takes you past the Ketetahi Hut and the Ketetahi Hot Springs – the latter of which are private Maori land and therefore not accessible to walkers – before the final 6.5km down through the alpine forest and to the car park. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. There was no sign of orcs or dark, twisted evildoers. While you’re in Tangariro, consider walking the the Tangariro Alpine Crossing. About half way up my travelling companion concluded I was completely insane, and left me to it. No matter when you’re facing this wondrous feat, you need to take care during the afternoon hours as the sun will warm the slopes and make them more slippery. According to their beliefs, the sacred New Zealand mountains were once great gods and warriors. I am travelling to NZ next week and really want to see Mount Doom – or Mount Ngauruhoe if you wish. The sight of other people carrying on bolstered my confidence, even though I had no idea at all how I was going to get back down, and I pressed on, finally making it to the top in just under two hours. The longer, more challenging climb begins around Waihohonu Hut, off Desert Road. The way to climb Mount Doom is to do a part of the Tongariro Alpine crossing. Mount Doom Doom. At the bottom I decided I had so enjoyed the walk down that I was tempted to go back up again. When I lived in New Zealand, I worked at a location conveniently right between the start and finish of the walk. Magic Mountain. In long shots, the mountain is either a large model or a CGI effect, or a combination. Hawke's Bay Region, New Zealand 33 contributions 3 helpful votes. I generally carry around 3 litres of water for a day hike like this. Let’s get to that now, and hopefully answer all your questions! Aug 1, 2014 - Hikers have been warned to avoid the summit of Mount Ruapehu, saying that temperature readings by scientists indicated there was an increased risk of eruption at New Zealand… The walk itself is very well marked, and the track is not too hard. Additionally, DOC rangers are usually found on the mountain near the point where you would set off to ascend. I will be there Jan 2020. Behind us, Ngauruhoe loomed. We did this in early October, when there was still some snow but not too much. It was incredibly fun, and took me about twenty minutes to go down what had taken me nearly two hours to go up. Thank you! Among the sports that New Zealander’s enjoy is hiking. The article is still valid though, and I’ve fixed that issue. Date of experience: December 2018. In New Zealand, Mount Doom is more commonly known as Mount Ngauruhoe, found in Tongariro National Park. Filming the summit of Ngauruhoe itself was not permitted because it is sacred to the Māori of the region. We're full time professional travel bloggers, and we visit all the places we write about personally. Since the turn of the millennium at the latest, the Pacific state is known to all Middle-Earth fans as the home of hobbits, dwarves and elves. The bus driver explained how a local iwi leader in the 1800s gifted Mount Ngauruhoe to the people of New Zealand, upon condition that it remained in the hands of the people. And then the walk began. The best way to get there is to start at the Mangatepopo car park and follow the crossing for about 7km (4.3 miles) to the South Crater. All I had to do was dig my heels in to the ash filled scree and walk / slide my way down. If you need an idea of how to do this, take a look at these guides on what to bring to the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in Winter and the essential must-haves to carry throughout your journey. New Zealand's Cultural Landscape . Share. Hi guys, I am planning to do this walk on Sep 11, 2016. The “track” we were following rapidly disappeared, the slope inclined to thirty degrees, and we were scrambling up a snow covered scree field, with the summit at least a 500 metre vertical ascent ahead. Hi Laurence, thank you for the detailed article!! Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter where we share our latest travel news and tips. Just the steam, the rocks, and the smell of sulphur, with a panoramic view of most of New Zealand’s North island. Wonderful – thanks for sharing! Being a subscriber also makes you eligible to enter our monthly travel and photography giveaways! But the North Island also has some spectacular terrain, including what many consider to be the best one-day hiking trail in the country. Given that Ngauruhoe is an active volcano, you might want to check up on any Geonet warnings for the area too. Still, I like to start what I finish, even if that means scrambling up lava flows and loose, slippery boulder covered scree, with nothing but a very long and painful slide behind me should it all go wrong. I saw 3 people climbing Mt Doom and it seemed a tough climb only for professionals. Mars perhaps. But then, with scenery like this to look at, there really is no rush. Required fields are marked *, Let me know when there's a reply to my comment (just replies to your comment, no other e-mails, we promise!). Ngauruhoe, one of the three, is most popularly known for its moment in the spotlight as Mount Doom in the film versions of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. In this post, I’m going to share with you everything you need to know to both climb Mount Doom, and also hike the Tongariro Crossing, both of which are found on New Zealand north island. You might recognize Mount Ngauruhoe as it starred as Mount Doom in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. We only recommend products and services that we use ourselves, and will always link to relevant information, regardless of whether or not there is an affiliate program. You can definitely see it from the car park, and from much further away as well. When I did this hike, it was allowed to climb Mount Ngauruhoe. Thanks for the info it really helped. Thank you so much for your time and help – and have a lovely day! Lord of the Rings fans will know Mt Ngauruhoe as the epic volcanic force that brought Mt Doom to life. Doom) as seen from the Tongariro Alpine Crossing trail Mount Ngauruhoe is located next to the South Crater on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. Hardy hobbits did not trudge many miles bearing the one ring of power and throw it into the fires of this mountain, which dominates the landscape here for miles around. Most folk start the walk between 7am and 9.30am, and as everyone is going the same way along what are often narrow paths, it can be a little congested at times. Mt Ngauruhoe, Manawatu-Wanganui 4691, New Zealand, We and our partners use cookies to better understand your needs, improve performance and provide you with personalised content and advertisements. Read more. Next time will try and stay in one of the towns closer to this mountain. The climb, however, is not one for faint-hearted Hobbits. The climb, however, is … In Peter Jackson's film trilogy, the New Zealand volcano Mount Ngauruhoe was used as Mount Doom in some scenes. Unexpectedly got views of Mount Ngauruhoe en route while traveling in a bus from Wellington to Rotorua and was flabbergasted. The path up to the start of the climb is beautiful and well done. Keeping an eye on the local forecast and weather warnings is also crucial – the park will close off certain areas if they’re too dangerous to navigate. But it’s more than a … We've been running this site since 2010. The mountain was recently chosen by movie director Peter Jackson to play Mt Doom in his 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy. Unexpectedly got views of Mount Ngauruhoe en route while traveling in a bus from Wellington to Rotorua and was flabbergasted. So, currently, yes you are allowed to climb Mount Doom, but it is your decision as to whether or not you want to. Mt Ngauruhoe Shrowded in Clouds on the Tongoriro Alpine Crossing; Mt Ngaurohoe in Tongariro National Park, New Zealand. Easy Hiking in New Zealand . Helpfully, one of the shuttle bus companies (Tongariro Expeditions) was kind enough to give us a lift up with one of their morning runs which go from the park we work in to the car park the walk starts in. Even in the quieter part of the season, when we did it, there were plenty of people about. You mention the fabulous view across to Mt Taranaki ‘to your south-east’. Must have missed this question – sorry! Mount Ngauruhoe (Māori: Ngāuruhoe) is an active stratovolcano in New Zealand. 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